Taken from: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question:
What is ta‘ziyah (تعزیت), and what is its ruling in Islam?
❖ Definition of Ta‘ziyah:
Ta‘ziyah refers to the expression of sympathy and consolation offered to the family of a deceased person, in order to ease their grief and lighten their emotional burden. It involves offering words of comfort, prayer, and encouragement to be patient.
❖ Ruling on Ta‘ziyah:
✔ Ta‘ziyah is a recommended (mustaḥabb) act in Islam.
✿ Qur’anic Foundation:
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
(Surah al-Mā’idah: 2)
“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression.”
Offering condolences falls under mutual assistance in righteousness and piety.
✿ Hadith Evidence:
❖ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever relieves a believer of a worldly distress, Allah will relieve him of a distress on the Day of Judgment.
Whoever makes it easy for a person in difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and the Hereafter.
Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter.
Allah continues to help His servant as long as the servant helps his brother.
Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make his path to Paradise easy for him.
Whenever a group of people gathers in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them among those who are with Him.
And whoever is held back by his deeds, his lineage will not push him forward.”
(Sahih Muslim: 2699)
This hadith encompasses general acts of kindness and support, and ta‘ziyah clearly falls within these virtues.
❖ Timing of Ta‘ziyah:
✔ Offering ta‘ziyah is recommended both before and after burial.
✔ It is meant to provide comfort and support to the grieving family at any appropriate time.
❖ Looking at the Deceased’s Face:
✔ It is permissible to look at the face of the deceased, whether before or after burial.
✔ Even non-mahram women may view the face of a deceased male under certain conditions.
Reason:
- After death, the ruling of covering (ḥijāb) no longer applies due to the removal of its underlying cause.
- Just as elderly women are exempt from certain rulings of ḥijāb due to absence of desire, similarly, the deceased no longer remains subject to such rulings.
✅ Conclusion:
✔ Ta‘ziyah (offering condolences) is a commendable Sunnah that brings emotional relief to the grieving and promotes brotherhood and compassion.
✔ It can be done before or after burial, and looking at the face of the deceased is also permissible.
