Giving Charity behalf of deceases

📖Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhari 1388, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1004
Aisha reported: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah, my mother died suddenly without writing a will. I think if she could speak, she would give in charity. Will she have a reward if I give charity on her behalf?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Yes.

Description:
This hadith highlights the virtue of giving charity on behalf of a deceased person. The reward is for the deceased, not for the one giving it on their behalf. It demonstrates that acts of goodness and charity can benefit others even after their death, reflecting Islam’s encouragement of continuing rewards for the deceased through the deeds of the living.

Reason/Why:
The wisdom behind this teaching is to show that charity and good deeds do not have to be limited to one’s lifetime. A believer can help their loved ones attain rewards from Allah even after they have passed, fulfilling their potential goodwill and mercy. This practice strengthens family bonds and encourages ongoing benevolence.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 4:114
No good is there in much of their secret talks, except for whoever enjoins charity or goodness or reconciliation between people. And whoever does this seeking the pleasure of Allah, We will give him a great reward.

📖Quran 4:32
And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they earn, and for women is a share of what they earn. And ask Allah of His bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.

📖Quran 6:164
And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls another to carry some of its load, nothing of it will be carried, even if he should be a close relative.

These verses show clearly that a person cannot take the reward of another’s deeds – each soul is accountable for its own actions.

The practice of giving charity or performing good deeds on behalf of the deceased is not about transferring their past deeds, but rather earning new rewards that are dedicated to them. Allah, in His mercy, allows the living to perform acts that benefit the deceased, as the Prophet ﷺ taught in the hadith.

So the distinction is:

• Quran: Deeds belong to the doer; no one else carries your burden.
• Sunnah: You can perform new good deeds on behalf of the deceased, and Allah may grant the reward to them.