❀ Ruling and Shar’i Guidance on Food for the Family of the Deceased ❀
Derived from: Fatawa al-Din al-Khalis, Vol. 1, p. 131
❖ Question:
Is it permissible for the family of the deceased to cook food themselves, or should they wait for the neighbors to provide food?
❖ Answer:
Alhamdulillah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. Amma ba’d:
✿ Waiting for Neighbors’ Food is Not Permissible
➤ Waiting for food from neighbors falls under the category of greed (ṭama‘), which is not permissible in Islamic law.
➤ A person should not keep their eyes on what others possess; rather, they should place their trust in Allah alone.
✿ The Recommended Way of Providing Food at the House of the Deceased
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ encouraged providing food for the family of the deceased, as mentioned in the Hadith:
“Prepare food for the family of Ja‘far, for they have been preoccupied by the calamity.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud: 3132, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1009, Sunan Ibn Majah: 1612, al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: 1/372, Musnad Ahmad: 1/175, al-Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi: 4/61, Ahkam al-Jana’iz: 167)
◈ Clarification:
This Hadith proves that it is the responsibility of the neighbors and relatives to provide food for the family of the deceased.
The family should not wait for others but also make arrangements themselves in order to maintain their health and strength.
✿ Practice of ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها)
It is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī from ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها):
“Whenever someone from her household would pass away and women would gather for mourning, when they dispersed and only family women remained, she would have a pot placed over fire and prepare talbinah, then make tharid and pour the talbinah over it, saying: ‘Eat this, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Talbinah strengthens the heart of the sick and relieves some of the grief.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2/815)
◈ Clarification:
This narration is evidence that the family of the deceased should prepare food themselves, so that grief does not excessively weaken them.
Talbinah (a dish made from barley flour and honey) is beneficial for those grieving.
✿ Prohibition of Food at the House of the Deceased
Organizing food for the general public at the house of the deceased is a bid‘ah (innovation) and ḥarām, as stated in various narrations which prohibit such practices.
This will be explained in detail ahead, in shā’ Allāh.
❖ Conclusion
① The family of the deceased may prepare their own food, and they should not wait for neighbors.
② Neighbors and relatives are encouraged to arrange food for the bereaved family, as was done for the family of Ja‘far.
③ Hosting public feasts at the house of the deceased is haram, as it is an un-Islamic practice.
والله أعلم بالصواب
