What Benefits the Deceased After Death

Question: If a person dies who, during his lifetime, never prayed at all—or prayed on and off, abandoning the prayer at times—may the prayer be performed on his behalf after his death? If that is not permissible, will giving charity on his behalf or reciting the Quran for him avail him? In general, what are the deeds from which the deceased may still benefit once he has passed away?

Answer:

First: No one may perform the prayer on behalf of another person. Prayer is a purely bodily act of worship, and proxy is not accepted in it—neither for the living nor for the dead.

Second: Whoever deliberately abandons the prayer and persists in that state until he dies is, rulingly, a disbeliever—Allah’s refuge is sought. It is impermissible to invoke mercy for him, supplicate for him, or give charity on his behalf, because he died upon disbelief.

As for the deeds that do reach a person after his death, the Prophet ﷺ said: “When a human being dies, all his deeds come to an end except for three: an ongoing charity, knowledge from which others benefit, or a righteous child who prays for him.” These, then, are the matters that benefit the deceased:

• If he established a charitable endowment (waqf) that continues to serve good causes after his death, the reward reaches him for as long as that endowment remains.

• Likewise, if he imparted beneficial Islamic knowledge, every time those students benefit people after him, the reward returns to him while he is in his grave, for he taught them goodness.

• Similarly, if he authored works from which Muslims derive benefit, the reward accrues to him for as long as those writings endure.

(continued)