Ruling on Qur’an Recitation as Īṣāl al-Thawāb (Conveying Reward) to the Deceased
Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, p. 392
❖ Question
What is the ruling on reciting the Qur’an and conveying its reward to the deceased?
❖ Answer
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā ba‘d!
There is scholarly disagreement on the issue of conveying reward (īṣāl al-thawāb) to the deceased — whether parents or non-relatives.
✦ Views of the Scholars
◈ Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله and others held that reward can reach the deceased, whether conveyed by a close relative or even a stranger. This is evident from his work Kitāb al-Rūḥ.
◈ Among contemporary scholars of Ahl al-Ḥadīth, some also permit this view.
✦ Preferred View
According to the writer’s understanding:
✔ For parents, īṣāl al-thawāb is permissible.
✔ Evidence: A Companion asked the Prophet ﷺ about giving charity on behalf of his deceased mother. The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Yes, its reward will reach her.”
This does not contradict the Qur’anic verse:
﴿وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ﴾ (An-Najm: 39)
“Man shall have only that for which he strives.”
→ Because children are part of their parents’ “earning.” Thus, the deeds of children are in reality linked to their parents.
✦ Fasting on Behalf of the Deceased
Authentic hadiths show that if a person dies with missed fasts, their walī (close relative) may fast on their behalf. The term walī is general, and while it indicates relatives, extending this to strangers is weak reasoning.
Thus, deriving a ruling for non-relatives from this is forced and not sound.
✦ Practice in the Era of the Salaf
During the best generations (Companions, Tābi‘īn, and their followers), there is no example of Qur’an recitation as reward for strangers or organized Qur’an gatherings.
However, there are examples of children giving charity for parents.
Therefore:
✔ It is safer to avoid conveying reward for strangers, limiting oneself to du‘ā’, istighfār, and supplication — as explicitly permitted in Sharī‘ah.
✦ Conditions by Those Who Allow It
Even those who allow conveying reward to strangers stipulate:
◈ Do not fix specific days (e.g., giyārahvīn, barsī, ʿurs).
◈ Do not adopt a fixed format (e.g., hiring reciters and arranging feasts).
◈ Avoid all un-Islamic customs in this matter.
✦ Qur’an Recitation by Children for Parents
✔ Hadiths mention charity for parents in general.
✔ In Ṣaḥīḥayn, the Prophet ﷺ said:
((الكلمة الطيبة صدقة))
“A good word is charity.”
And the Qur’an is the best and purest of words.
Thus:
◈ It is permissible for children to recite Qur’an and intend the reward for their parents.
◈ But they should do it themselves, not by hiring paid reciters.
◈ No specific day, night, or time should be fixed, as neither Allah nor His Messenger ﷺ commanded this.
Conclusion
① Conveying reward to parents is permissible, as proven by authentic texts.
② Extending this to strangers has no authentic precedent from Qur’an, Sunnah, or the practice of the Salaf.
③ Qur’an recitation for parents is valid if done personally, but commercialized or ritualized Qur’an khwānī with food and gatherings is an innovation.
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
