Can We Give Charity on Behalf of the Deceased?
Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani
Question
What is the ruling on giving charity on behalf of the deceased?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.
May Allah have mercy on your deceased and ours!
Permissibility of Giving Charity for the Deceased
It is permissible to give charity on behalf of a deceased Muslim, regardless of whether the person giving charity is a relative or not, a stranger or familiar, male or female.
Charity can be given on behalf of a single deceased person, a group of deceased people, or even for all deceased Muslims, and it can also be done on behalf of the living.
Prophetic Example of Charity on Behalf of the Deceased
It has been established that Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubada’s mother passed away, and he asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! My mother has died; shall I give charity on her behalf?” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Yes.” Sa‘d asked, “What is the best charity?” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied: “Providing water.” [Nasa’i]
This hadith encourages giving charity on behalf of the deceased.
Dedicating Rewards to the Deceased
Scholars in the Hanafi school have explicitly stated that a person can dedicate the reward of their actions—be it prayer, fasting, charity, or other deeds—to another person. It is preferable for someone giving charity voluntarily to intend the reward for all believers, both men and women, as it will reach them without diminishing the giver’s reward in any way. [See: Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
An example of this is found in the hadith where the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was brought a ram to sacrifice. He laid it down, slaughtered it, and said:
“In the name of Allah, O Allah, accept this on behalf of Muhammad, the family of Muhammad, and the Ummah of Muhammad,” then he offered the sacrifice. [Muslim]
From this noble text, we understand that members of the Umma of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), including those who have passed away, were included in the sacrificial charity. This indicates the permissibility of offering charity on behalf of the deceased.
The Virtue of Ongoing Charity (Sadaqa Jariya)
I encourage you to be enthusiastic about giving charity for the deceased, especially ṣadaqa jariya (ongoing charity), which has lasting benefits. Its impact extends beyond time and place, benefiting others long-term and remaining in your balance of good deeds as long as it continues. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“When a person dies, their deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them.” [Muslim]
We ask Allah to inspire us and you to give charity on behalf of both the living and the deceased in acts of goodness.
[Shaykh] Bassem Itani
Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.
From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.
His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.
