Isal-Thawab (Your link to the Deceased)

http://www.al-miftah.com/2012/12/15/isal-thawab-your-link-to-the-deceased/ Whoever comes to this world has to depart and therefore everyone suffers the loss of a dear and near person at some point in his or her life. One method of reducing the grief felt over that loss is to constantly benefit the deceased through Isal al-Thawab, which means: to dedicate the reward of a particular nafl deed to someone; deceased or alive. Isal al-Thawab (to perform a virtuous act and dedicate the reward to any person, alive or deceased) is permissible and in fact (Mustahab) meritorious. There are basically 2 forms of Isal al-Thawab: 1. The conveying of the reward of (voluntary) charitable deeds. 2. The conveying of the reward of (voluntary) physical deeds that do not entail wealth, e.g. salat, fasting, dhikr, recitation of the holy Quran, tawaf of the Kaabah, etc. The first form is unanimously acceptable by the Ahl al-Sunnah Wal-Jamaah. The second form is correct according to the Hanafi and Hanbali Madhab and several Shafii and Maliki scholars as well. As for the reward of dua (which is separate from the above), there is also unanimity of the scholars in its reward reaching and benefiting the deceased. (Refer al-Adhkar of Imam Nawawi) Hafiz ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah states that if one accepts the charitable form of Isal al-Thawab and refutes the physical form, he should be asked: What is the proof to show that the recitation of the holy Quran does not reach the deceased? Allamah Qurtubi says, Just as the reward of charitable deeds benefit the deceased, similarly, the recitation of the holy Quran, Dua and Istighfar (seeking forgiveness)also do the same, because all of these are regarded as sadaqah (charity) in Shariah. (al-Tazkirah, pg.71) He thereafter mentioned two narrations recorded in Sahih Muslim which prove that even salat and dhikr of Allah (tasbih, takbir and tahlil) were all classified as sadaqah by Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam. Hence, there remains no dispute in whether the reward of Quranic recital benefits and deceased or not. Besides the above, we will now for academic reasons, mention some proofs that substantiate both forms of Isal al-Thawab. 1. Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam slaughtered sheep during his farewell Hajj and made intention for himself and all those (alive, deceased and to come) who bring faith on his prophethood. (Sahih al-Bukhari) 2. Imam al-Bukhari has reported on the authority of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radiyallahuanhu that Sayyiduna Sad ibn Ubadah radiyallahuanhu was away when his mother passed away. When he returned, he asked Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam, Will it be of any benefit if I give charity on her behalf? Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam replied in the affirmative. (Sahih al-Bukhari hadith2762)

Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani rahimahullah states in his monumental commentary of Sahih alBukhari entitled, Fath al-Bari, this hadith proves the permissibility of charity on behalf of the deceased and that the reward will reach him. (Fath al-Bari vol.5 pg.477 Hadith2761) 3. Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radiyallahuanhu reports a man once asked Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam, O Prophet of Allah! My father has passed away and he did not perform Hajj, can I perform Hajj on his behalf? Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam enquired of him, If your father had any debt, would you have paid it? The man replied, Yes. Upon this, Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam said, In that case, the deen of Allah has more right. (Sunan al-Nasai hadith 26331) 4. A separate incident of a similar nature has been recorded by Imam al-Bukhari in his Sahih (hadith 6698). Hafiz Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah, the famous student of Hafiz Ibn Taymiyah rahimahullah, after quoting the above hadiths, states: These quotations all concur with the fact that when the living carry out any deed on behalf of the deceased, the reward will reach him (benefit him) (Kitab al-Ruh pg.161) 5. Sayyiduna al-Lajlaj radiyallahuanhu, a companion of Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam, had bequeathed his son that after he leaves this world, he should recite the beginning and end of Surah al-Baqarah at the head side of his grave. Sayyiduna al-Lajlaj radiyallahuanhu then mentioned that he heard this from Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam. (al-Mujam al-Kabir of Imam al-Tabrani; Hafiz al-Haythami has regarded the narrators of this tradition as reliable refer Majmu al-zawaid vol.3 pg.44) 6. This has also been recorded to be the practice of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radiyallahuanhu. (Sunan al-Kubra of Imam al-Bayhaqi vol.4 pg.56). This narration has been classified as hasan (sound) by Imam al-Nawawi and Hafiz ibn Hajar (rahimahullah). (al-Adhkar pg.212 Hadith493; al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyyah vol.3 pg.194) 7. An incident of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal has been recorded by Imam Abu Bakr al-Khallal in his Kitab al-Jami as well as in his booklet entitled, Amr bil Maruf Wa Nahi An al-Munkar, and according to this, Imam Ahmad had approved of the recitation of the beginning and end of Surah alBaqarah. (Refer Athar al-Hadith of al-Muhaddith Shaykh Muhammad Awwamah pgs.162-163) 8. Allamah al-Qurtubi rahimahullah states that, Some of our Ulama have based the permissibility of Isal al-Thawab of the recitation of the Quran on the hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari (hadith 216, 1361) and Sahih Muslim wherein there is mention of Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam placing fresh branches on 2 graves and He sallallahualaihi wasallam said, Perhaps their punishment will be lightened through it as long as the branches do not dry up. (The Ulama explain the reason for the punishment being repelled was the tasbih that those fresh branches will recite). This is also echoed by Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah) in his commentary of Sahih Mulim. (vol.1 pg.141.) Allamah al-Qurtubi further states, If the tasbih of trees can benefit the deceased, then why not the recitation of the Quran by a believer inAllah? (Al-Tazkirah pg.70) 9. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has mentioned in a reply to a query of whether the reward of recitation of the Quran reaches the deceased, that; it is mustahab (meritorious) for one to do this form of (Isal al-Thawab) abundantly. (refer Tawdih al-Bayan li wusul thawab al-Quran of Shaykh Abdullah Siddiqui al-Ghumari pg.2) Besides these there are numerous other narrations of this nature.

It thus becomes abundantly clear through the abovementioned ahadith that Isal al-Thawab is totally permissible in all its forms and is in fact a very virtuous deed. This is the view of the overwhelming majority of the classical scholars (Muhaddithin and Fuqaha) of Islam. (Refer Kitab al-Ruh of Ibn Qayyim pg.153; Fath al-Bari vol.5 pg.477 hadith2761; Sharh al-Sudur of Allama Suyuti pgs.402, 403 Dar ibn Kathir; al-Hidaya vol.1 pg.296-297; Fath al- Qadir vol.3 pg.65-66; Rad al-Muhtar vol.2 pg.243 HM Saeed) 10. If after understanding the above, one still denies the validity of the physical form of Isal alThawab, then the following method can in no circumstance be refuted. That is that after one carries out a physical form of worship (i.e. Salat, fasting, recitation of the holy Quran, etc.), he should make a dua to Almighty Allah that Allah, firstly, accepts this noble deed and he should thereafter ask Allah to grant the reward to so and so person. In this way, if Allah accepts the dua, the reward will automatically be conveyed to that specific person alive or deceased. This method has been prescribed by great scholars like Imam Nawawi and Hafiz ibn Hajar rahimahumallah so as to remove all differences of opinion. It has already mentioned that there is no doubt in the deceased benefiting from the Duas of the living. In a narration of Sahih Muslim, Rasulullah sallallahualaihi wasallam has mentioned that one of the three things that will benefit the deceased is: the Dua of ones pious children. (Sahih Muslim pg.4199) Lastly, I would like to mention that this issue is not something connected to beliefs, instead it is a secondary issue which is open to difference of opinion. (Fatawa ibn al-Salah vol.1 pg.149). Hence, no one can claim that either party is guilty of perpetrating an act of bidah (innovation), bearing in mind that the majority of the scholars accept all forms of Isal al-Thawab. (Refer Kitab al-Ruh) And Allah Taala Knows Best