Question:
Some people slaughter animals and host dinner parties in Ramadan, dedicating the feast on behalf of their deceased parents. What is the ruling on this practice?
Answer:
It is permissible to give charity on behalf of deceased parents, and there is no harm in doing so. However, making dua (supplication) for them is superior to giving charity on their behalf. The Prophet ﷺ guided us toward dua rather than such acts in the following hadith:
إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عنه عمله إلا من ثلاثة : صدقة جارية، أو علم ينتفع به، أو ولد صالح يدعو له
"When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except for three: (1) Ongoing charity, (2) Beneficial knowledge, or (3) A righteous child who prays for him."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Waṣiyyah, Hadith 1631, narrated by Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه).
Is It Necessary to Give Charity on Their Behalf?
In the hadith, the Prophet ﷺ did not mention that a righteous child should give charity or pray on behalf of the parents. However, if someone voluntarily donates charity on behalf of their deceased relatives, it is permissible because the Prophet ﷺ allowed it when asked about it.
What About Slaughtering Animals in Ramadan for Such Gatherings?
Some people slaughter animals during the nights of Ramadan, prepare extravagant meals, and invite only wealthy guests.
This practice is not legislated in Islam and is not proven from the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih).
It is more of a social feast rather than an act of worship.
Some believe slaughtering an animal for food is more virtuous than simply purchasing meat, thinking it is a means of seeking closeness to Allah—but this belief is incorrect.
The only types of ritual slaughters that bring a person closer to Allah are:
Qurbani (Sacrificial animal during Eid al-Adha)
Hadiyah (Animal sacrifice for Hajj)
Aqiqah (Sacrifice for a newborn child)
Therefore, slaughtering animals in Ramadan as an act of worship is not a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
(Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen – رحمه الله)
