❖ Deeds That Benefit the Deceased After Death
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
The supplication of a Muslim for the deceased benefits him, as long as it meets the conditions of acceptance. Allah ﷻ says:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ...
"And those who come after them say, 'Our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith...'"
[Al-Hashr: 10]
Hazrat ‘A’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
من مات وعليه صيام صام عنه وليه
"Whoever dies while he still owes fasts, his wali should fast on his behalf."
Bukhari: 4/156
Muslim: 3/155
Abu Dawood: 1/376
Bayhaqi: 6/279
Ahmad: 6/69
Hazrat Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah (رضي الله عنه) asked:
إن أمي ماتت وعليها نذر؟ فقال: اقضه عنها
_"My mother died and she had a vow upon her. Should I fulfill it?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Fulfill it on her behalf."
Bukhari: 5/440
Nasa’i: 2/130
Tirmidhi: 2/375
Bayhaqi: 4/256
Ahmad: 1893
A man died in debt. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
صلوا على صاحبكم
"Offer prayer for your companion."
Hazrat Abu Qatadah (رضي الله عنه) said:
"O Messenger of Allah! Pray over him; I take responsibility for his debt."
Then the Prophet (ﷺ) led his funeral prayer.
Bukhari: 3/368
Ahmad: 4/47
Nasa’i: 1/278
Darimi: 2/263
Ibn Majah: 2/75
Allah ﷻ says:
لَيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى
"Man will only have what he strove for."
[An-Najm: 39]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
إن أطيب ما أكل الرجل من كسبه وإن ولده من كسبه
"Indeed, the purest thing a man earns is from his own efforts, and his child is part of his earnings."
Hasan: Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 217
Abu Dawood: 2/108
Nasa’i: 2/211
Tirmidhi: 2/287
Darimi: 2/247
Ibn Majah: 2/2
Hakim: 2/46
Ahmad: 6/41
1. Allah ﷻ says:
وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ
"We record what they send forward and what they leave behind."
[Ya-Sin: 12]
2. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
When a person dies, all his deeds end except for three:
① Sadaqah Jāriyah (ongoing charity)
② Beneficial knowledge
③ Righteous child who prays for him
Muslim: 5/73
Abu Dawood: 2/15
Nasa’i: 2/129
Bayhaqi: 6/278
Ahmad: 2/372
Adab al-Mufrad (Bukhari): p. 8
Shaykh Albani (رحمه الله) considered this practice a bid‘ah (innovation).
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 332
This is not established from any authentic source and should therefore be avoided.
Also see:
• Al-Madkhal: 3/272
• Al-Ighathah: 1/196
• Al-Ibda‘: p. 95
Shaykh Ibn Baz (رحمه الله) declared that holding gatherings for “khatm” or similar rituals on the third or fortieth day after death is a bid‘ah (innovation).
Al-Fatawa al-Islamiyyah: 2/31
✔ Key Point:
The deceased benefits from actions that are authentically proven from the Qur’an and Sunnah, such as du‘ā, fasting, fulfilling vows, paying debts, sadaqah jāriyah, and good deeds by righteous children. Practices like grave inscriptions and fixed-day gatherings have no basis in authentic Islam and must be avoided.
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
➊ Du‘ā of a Believer
The supplication of a Muslim for the deceased benefits him, as long as it meets the conditions of acceptance. Allah ﷻ says:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ...
"And those who come after them say, 'Our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith...'"
[Al-Hashr: 10]➋ Fasting on Behalf of the Deceased by a Wali
Hazrat ‘A’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
من مات وعليه صيام صام عنه وليه
"Whoever dies while he still owes fasts, his wali should fast on his behalf."
Bukhari: 4/156 Muslim: 3/155 Abu Dawood: 1/376 Bayhaqi: 6/279 Ahmad: 6/69➌ Fulfilling the Vow (Nadhr) of the Deceased
Hazrat Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah (رضي الله عنه) asked:
إن أمي ماتت وعليها نذر؟ فقال: اقضه عنها
_"My mother died and she had a vow upon her. Should I fulfill it?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Fulfill it on her behalf."
Bukhari: 5/440 Nasa’i: 2/130 Tirmidhi: 2/375 Bayhaqi: 4/256 Ahmad: 1893➍ Debt of the Deceased May Be Paid by Anyone
A man died in debt. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
صلوا على صاحبكم
"Offer prayer for your companion."
Hazrat Abu Qatadah (رضي الله عنه) said:
"O Messenger of Allah! Pray over him; I take responsibility for his debt."
Then the Prophet (ﷺ) led his funeral prayer.
Bukhari: 3/368 Ahmad: 4/47 Nasa’i: 1/278 Darimi: 2/263 Ibn Majah: 2/75➎ Righteous Children Performing Good Deeds
Allah ﷻ says:
لَيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى
"Man will only have what he strove for."
[An-Najm: 39]The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
إن أطيب ما أكل الرجل من كسبه وإن ولده من كسبه
"Indeed, the purest thing a man earns is from his own efforts, and his child is part of his earnings."
Hasan: Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 217 Abu Dawood: 2/108 Nasa’i: 2/211 Tirmidhi: 2/287 Darimi: 2/247 Ibn Majah: 2/2 Hakim: 2/46 Ahmad: 6/41➏ Ongoing Charity and Lasting Effects
1. Allah ﷻ says:
وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ
"We record what they send forward and what they leave behind."
[Ya-Sin: 12]2. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
When a person dies, all his deeds end except for three:
① Sadaqah Jāriyah (ongoing charity)
② Beneficial knowledge
③ Righteous child who prays for him
Muslim: 5/73 Abu Dawood: 2/15 Nasa’i: 2/129 Bayhaqi: 6/278 Ahmad: 2/372 Adab al-Mufrad (Bukhari): p. 8
Writing Name and Date on the Grave
Shaykh Albani (رحمه الله) considered this practice a bid‘ah (innovation).
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 332This is not established from any authentic source and should therefore be avoided.
Also see:• Al-Madkhal: 3/272
• Al-Ighathah: 1/196
• Al-Ibda‘: p. 95
Holding Ceremonies on the Third or Fortieth Day
Shaykh Ibn Baz (رحمه الله) declared that holding gatherings for “khatm” or similar rituals on the third or fortieth day after death is a bid‘ah (innovation).
Al-Fatawa al-Islamiyyah: 2/31✔ Key Point:
The deceased benefits from actions that are authentically proven from the Qur’an and Sunnah, such as du‘ā, fasting, fulfilling vows, paying debts, sadaqah jāriyah, and good deeds by righteous children. Practices like grave inscriptions and fixed-day gatherings have no basis in authentic Islam and must be avoided.
