What avails a person after his death?

When a person dies and his soul goes to its Creator, nothing will avail him but the righteous deeds he did during his life.

When a person dies, his actions end and nothing will be left for him except what his relatives do in his behalf.

The Shari`ah texts (the Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him)) have confirmed that the dead benefit from the pious actions of their relatives; of these righteous actions:

First, paying his debts:

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The soul of the deceased believer remains pending on account of the debt till it (the debt) is repaid." [1]

Ibn Al Amir Al San`any (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "This Hadith is a proof that a dead person is occupied by his debt even after his death. So, the Hadith exhorts people to get rid of debt before death because it is the most important right. If this is about the debt that was taken by the content of its owner, how about the money that was taken by force or stolen?! [2]

There is no difference whether the debt was paid by the heirs from the deceased's inheritance or from any other source, or the creditor drops it, or someone donates to pay it.

Salamah ibn Al Akwa` (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "A dead person was brought to the Prophet (peace be upon him) so that he might lead the funeral Salah for him. He asked, "Is he in debt?" When the people replied in the negative, he led the funeral Salah. Another dead person was brought and he asked, "Is he in debt?" They said, "Yes." He (refused to lead the prayer and) said, "Lead the prayer of your friend." Abu Qatadah said: "O Allah's Messenger! I undertake to pay his debt." Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) then led his funeral Salah. [3]

Second, hasting to prepare the dead:

Because of the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Hurry up with the dead body for if it was righteous, you are forwarding it to welfare; but if it was otherwise, then you are putting off an evil thing down your necks." [4]

Part of preparation is to wash, shroud, and offer Salah for him, then bury him.

Third, offering Salah for him:

Especially, a group of people should offer Salah upon him.

Kurayb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a son of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas died in Qadid or Sa`fan. [5] He said: "O Kurayb, see as to how many people had gathered there for his (funeral). He (Kurayb) said: So I went out and I informed him about the people who had gathered there. He (Ibn `Abbas) said: Do you think they are forty? He (Kuraib) said: Yes. Ibn `Abbas then said to them: Bring him (the dead body) out for I have heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him." [6]

`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is none among the Muslims who dies and a section of the Muslims numbering up to a hundred pray over him and intercede for him, without their intercession being accepted." [7]

There is no contradiction between this Hadith and the previous one because the number, which was mentioned in the Hadith, is not an evidence according to the most correct view or that Allah informed him of the one hundred men who came to perform Salah for him then Allah granted His Favor for those for whom 40 men offered Salah, so the Prophet informed the people with that.

Ibn Al Amir Al San`any (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: Al Qady said: It was said that these Hadiths were reported as a response to questioners who asked some questions and the Prophet (peace be upon him) answered each one of them according to his question.

It is possible that the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed the people with the acceptance of intercession from these numbers; and there is no contradiction between them because the number is not important as long as the text is authentic and active, and intercession is accepted from the minimum number." [8]

So, if forty righteous men or more offer Salah for the dead and devote their invocation to them, that will benefit the dead after their death and their intercession shall be accepted.

Fourth, invoking Allah for him:

Invocation is confirmed in several situations, of which:

1- At burying him in his grave. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "When the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed the dead in the grave, he said: In the name of Allah, and following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)." [9]

2- After burying him. `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: After the burial of a dead man, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would stand by the grave and say: "Ask Allah to forgive your brother and supplicate for him for steadfastness because he is being questioned (about his deeds) now." [10]

Ibn Al Amir Al San`any (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "The Hadith indicates that the dead benefits from the living who asks forgiveness for him." [11]

3- Upon visiting the cemetery because of the Hadith of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: Whenever it was her turn to spend with Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he used to go to the Baqi` (graveyard in Al-Madinah) at the last part of night and say: "May you be safe, O abode of the believing people. What you have been promised has come to you. You are tarried till tomorrow and certainly we shall follow you if Allah wills. O Allah, forgive the inmates of the Baqi` Al Gharqad." [12]

It was reported from the Hadith of Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach them (i.e., the Companions) whenever they came out to visit the graveyard to say: "As-salamu `alaikum ahlad-diyyari minal-Mu'minina wal-Muslimina, wa inna in sha' Allahu bikum lahiqun. As'alul-laha lana wa-lakumul- `afiyyah (May you be safe, O inmates of the abodes of the believers and the Muslims, and if Allah pleases, we shall follow you, we pray to Allah for well-being for ourselves and for you)." [13]

And the Hadith of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "O Messenger of Allah, how should I pray for them (How should I beg forgiveness for them)? He said: Say: Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you." [14]

4- Invocation of Muslims to the dead in particular and all the dead Muslims in general because of Allah's Saying: "And those who came after them say: "Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful." [Surat Al Hashr].

Abu Ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say:"The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: Amen! May it be for you, too." [15]

5- Those upon whom the dead bestowed favors should invoke Allah for him more than others, such as: His wife, children and so on.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When a person dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit, pious son who prays for him." [16]

Abu Hurayrah (peace be upon him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah (Glory be to Him) will raise the degree of a righteous person in Paradise.

The person will say: O Lord, how did I get that status? He says: By the forgiveness of your children to you."[17]

Al Munawy (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "The Hadith is a proof that seeking forgiveness erases sins and increases ranks. Seeking forgiveness of children to their parents is like seeking forgiveness for themselves because children are the offspring of parents." [18]

Fifth, keeping his promises:

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a woman came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "My mother vowed to perform the Hajj but she died before performing it. Should I perform the Hajj on her behalf?" He said, "Yes! Perform the Hajj on her behalf. See, if your mother had been in debt, would you have paid her debt?" She said: "Yes." He said, "So you should pay what is for Him as Allah has more right that one should fulfill one's obligations to Him." [19]

This applies to vowing for pious actions, but if the vow was made for a sin, it will not be permissible.

Sixth, making up his missed days of fast:

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, "O Allah's Messenger! My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month (for her missed Ramadan). Shall I fast on her behalf?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied in the affirmative and said, "Allah's debts have more right to be paid." [20]

And because of the Hadith of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever died and he ought to have fasted (the missed days of Ramadan) then his guardians must fast on his behalf." [21]

As-San`any (may Allah bestow mercy on him) said: "The Hadith is a proof that it is permissible for a person to fast in behalf of the dead who died while he missed some days of obligatory fast. The meaning is: A person should fast for the dead. The general rule is obligation but he claimed that the consensus said fasting in this case is mandatory." [22]

Ibn `Uthaimayn (May Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "It means: If a person died and he had missed some days, his guardian should fast for him. If a person did not fast Ramadan because he was on a journey then did not make up that fast and died, his heirs should fast for him desirably and not compulsory. However, if the heir does not fast for him, he may feed one needy person for every day he missed. Likewise, if he did not pay an expiation and died before paying it while he was able to fast, his heirs should fast for him, and likewise vows." [23]

Seventh, paying charity in his behalf:

`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that A man said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): "My mother died suddenly [24] and I thought that if she had lived she would have given alms. So, if I give alms now on her behalf, will she get the reward?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied in the affirmative." [25]

An-Nawawy (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "This Hadith is a proof on the permissibility of paying charity in behalf of the dead and confirmed that its reward benefits the dead as well as the payer; this has been agreed upon by all Muslims" [26]

Al Amir As-San`any (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "The Hadith is a proof that charity which is paid by the children of the deceased benefits the dead and this is not contradictory to Allah's Saying: "And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad)." [Surat An-Najm: 39] because the Hadith of "your children are part of your earnings" [27] and the Hadith of "or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased)." [28] are authentically proved "

Some Hadiths were reported on the permissibility of paying charity in behalf of the dead and that the dead benefit from it.

The proof to that is the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the mother of Sa`d ibn `Ubadah died in his absence. He said: "O Allah's Messenger! My mother died in my absence; will it be of any benefit for her if I give Sadaqa on her behalf?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Yes," Sa`d said, "I make you a witness that I gave my garden called Al Makhraf [29] in charity on her behalf." [30]

And the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: A person said to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him): My father died and left behind property without making any will regarding it. Would he be relieved of the burden of his sing if I give sadaqa on his behalf? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes. [31]

And the Hadith of `Amr ibn Shu`ayb from his father from his grandfather that Al `As ibn Wa'il vowed in the Pre-Islamic Period to slaughter one hundred camels and that Hisham ibn Al `Asy slaughtered his share of fifty camels and that `Umar asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about that.

He replied: As for your father, if he had admitted the oneness of Allah and you fasted and paid charity in his behalf, it would have benefitted him." [32]

Eighth, performing Hajj and `Umrah:

`Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Al Fadl (his brother) was riding behind Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and a woman from the tribe of Khath'am came and Al-Fadl started looking at her and she started looking at him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) turned Al-Fadl's face to the other side. The woman said, "O Allah's Messenger! The obligation of Hajj enjoined by Allah on His devotees has become due on my father and he is old and weak, and he cannot sit firm on the Mount; may I perform Hajj on his behalf?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "Yes, you may." That happened during the Hajj-al-Wida' (of the Prophet (peace be upon him)). [33]

And because of the Hadith of Razin Al `Uqayly (May Allah be pleased with him) who said: I came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "My father is a very old man and does not have strength to perform Hajj (pilgrimage) or `Umrah or Azh-Zha`n [34].'' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Perform Hajj and `Umrah in behalf of your father.'' [35]. That would be after a person performs Hajj for himself.

Ibn Al Amir As-San`any (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "The Hadith is a proof on the permissibility of performing Hajj in behalf of the competent person if he cannot perform Hajj by himself, such as being very old or have incurable disease such as sanity, but if the disease is curable, it will not be permissible." [36]

If performing Hajj and `Umrah is permissible for the living who has incurable disease such as old age, performing Hajj in behalf of a dead person is more entitled.

I ask Allah to bestow mercy upon our deceased, and peace be upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), his family, and all his Companions.