to be repaid.’” In al-Bukhārī’s version:

“My sister vowed to perform Hajj.”

In Sahīh Muslim, Buraydah reported:

“A woman said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, my mother died without having performed Hajj. Would my performing Hajj on her behalf suffice—or discharge her obligation?’ He said, ‘Yes.’”

These authentic hadiths establish “that he commanded the performance of the obligatory Hajj and a vowed Hajj on behalf of the deceased,” just as he commanded fasting. The person instructed was sometimes a child of the deceased and sometimes a brother. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) likened this to a debt owed by the deceased, and anyone may validly repay such a debt. This therefore indicates that anyone may perform these acts on behalf of the deceased; this is not restricted to their children, as the explicit mention of a brother confirms.

What is established by the Quran, the Sunnah and scholarly consensus thus constitutes detailed, clearly explained knowledge. It is therefore clear that this does not contradict His words:

“And that man will have nothing except what he strives for,”

or the statement:

“When the son of Adam dies, his deeds cease except for three.”

Rather, both are true.

As for the hadith, he said:

“His deeds cease except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge from which people benefit, or a righteous child who supplicates for him.”

The child and his supplication for his parent are specifically mentioned because one’s child is among the fruits of one’s efforts, as Allah said:

“His wealth will not avail him, nor what he earned.”

They explained that “what he earned” refers to his child. Likewise, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed,