Is Ṣadaqah Jāriyah Only That Which Is Done During One's Lifetime?
Source: Fatawa Arkan-e-Islam
Is Ṣadaqah Jāriyah (ongoing charity) only that which a person performs during his lifetime, or does it also include that which is done by his heirs after his death on his behalf?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
The statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
«اِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Waṣiyyah, Bāb: What Reaches a Person After Death, Ḥadīth: 4223, 1631 [14])
“Except ongoing charity (ṣadaqah jāriyah).”
From this narration, it is apparent that ṣadaqah jāriyah refers to that which a person initiates during his lifetime, not the charity that is performed on his behalf after death by his children or others.
About children, the Prophet ﷺ specifically said:
«وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, same reference)
“A righteous child who prays for him.”
This shows that the act that benefits the deceased child’s parent most explicitly is du‘ā (supplication), not acts like offering prayers, fasting, or charity on behalf of the deceased — unless those were instructed or arranged by the deceased beforehand.
✔ If the deceased left a will (waṣiyyah) for a certain act of charity — that becomes ṣadaqah jāriyah.
✔ If the person established a waqf (endowment) during life, and people continue to benefit from it after death — this is also ṣadaqah jāriyah.
✔ Likewise, beneficial knowledge that continues to spread after one’s death is also considered ṣadaqah jāriyah, because it was part of the person’s own efforts.
➤ When a righteous child prays for the parent, that too benefits the deceased, as indicated in the hadith.
If someone were to ask:
“Should I pray two rak‘āt on behalf of my father, or should I pray two rak‘āt for myself and then make du‘ā for him?”
Then the answer would be:
✔ It is better and more virtuous to pray for yourself and make du‘ā for your father afterward.
This is based on the clear instruction of the Prophet ﷺ:
«أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ»
“Or a righteous child who prays for him.”
The Prophet ﷺ did not say:
“A righteous child who performs prayer or any other good deed on his behalf.”
ھٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Source: Fatawa Arkan-e-Islam
❀ Question:
Is Ṣadaqah Jāriyah (ongoing charity) only that which a person performs during his lifetime, or does it also include that which is done by his heirs after his death on his behalf?
❀ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
The statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
«اِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Waṣiyyah, Bāb: What Reaches a Person After Death, Ḥadīth: 4223, 1631 [14])
“Except ongoing charity (ṣadaqah jāriyah).”
From this narration, it is apparent that ṣadaqah jāriyah refers to that which a person initiates during his lifetime, not the charity that is performed on his behalf after death by his children or others.
❖ Regarding Acts by Children:
About children, the Prophet ﷺ specifically said:
«وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, same reference)
“A righteous child who prays for him.”
This shows that the act that benefits the deceased child’s parent most explicitly is du‘ā (supplication), not acts like offering prayers, fasting, or charity on behalf of the deceased — unless those were instructed or arranged by the deceased beforehand.
❖ Valid Scenarios of Ṣadaqah Jāriyah After Death:
✔ If the deceased left a will (waṣiyyah) for a certain act of charity — that becomes ṣadaqah jāriyah.
✔ If the person established a waqf (endowment) during life, and people continue to benefit from it after death — this is also ṣadaqah jāriyah.
✔ Likewise, beneficial knowledge that continues to spread after one’s death is also considered ṣadaqah jāriyah, because it was part of the person’s own efforts.
➤ When a righteous child prays for the parent, that too benefits the deceased, as indicated in the hadith.
❖ A Comparative Example:
If someone were to ask:
“Should I pray two rak‘āt on behalf of my father, or should I pray two rak‘āt for myself and then make du‘ā for him?”
Then the answer would be:
✔ It is better and more virtuous to pray for yourself and make du‘ā for your father afterward.
This is based on the clear instruction of the Prophet ﷺ:
«أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ»
“Or a righteous child who prays for him.”
The Prophet ﷺ did not say:
“A righteous child who performs prayer or any other good deed on his behalf.”
ھٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
