Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased: Islamic Ruling and Detailed Explanation
Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam), Vol. 2, p. 182
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The narration cited as evidence for the permissibility of sacrificing on behalf of the deceased is weak due to the anonymity of the narrator Abu al-Hasna’.
This weakness has been established in the author’s research, published in the monthly Shahadat.
Considering the general evidences regarding the permissibility of charity, sacrificing on behalf of the deceased is permissible, as such a sacrifice falls under the category of charity (sadaqah).
❀ Therefore, all the meat of this sacrifice should be distributed among the poor.
❀ It is not permissible for the one offering it to eat from it, nor to give it to a wealthy person, because this sacrifice is considered charity.
Shaykh al-Islam ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (رحمه الله) said:
احب الی ان یتصدق عنه ولا یضحی عنه، وان ضحی فلا یاکل منها شیئا و یتصدق بها کلها
“It is more beloved to me that charity be given on his behalf and no sacrifice be done for him; and if a sacrifice is made, then he should not eat from it at all but give all of it in charity.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: What has been reported about sacrificing on behalf of the deceased, Hadith: 1495)
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam), Vol. 2, p. 182
Authenticity of the Report on Sacrifice for the Deceased
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The narration cited as evidence for the permissibility of sacrificing on behalf of the deceased is weak due to the anonymity of the narrator Abu al-Hasna’.
This weakness has been established in the author’s research, published in the monthly Shahadat.
Ruling Based on General Evidences
Considering the general evidences regarding the permissibility of charity, sacrificing on behalf of the deceased is permissible, as such a sacrifice falls under the category of charity (sadaqah).
❀ Therefore, all the meat of this sacrifice should be distributed among the poor.
❀ It is not permissible for the one offering it to eat from it, nor to give it to a wealthy person, because this sacrifice is considered charity.
Statement of Shaykh al-Islam ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (رحمه الله)
Shaykh al-Islam ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (رحمه الله) said:
احب الی ان یتصدق عنه ولا یضحی عنه، وان ضحی فلا یاکل منها شیئا و یتصدق بها کلها
“It is more beloved to me that charity be given on his behalf and no sacrifice be done for him; and if a sacrifice is made, then he should not eat from it at all but give all of it in charity.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: What has been reported about sacrificing on behalf of the deceased, Hadith: 1495)
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
