Preparing food which the deceased person liked in his life

4-1-2006 | IslamWeb

Question:

Big part of Muslim majority in my country having one tradition that they are performing Faatihah (by keeping food in front of them) for their deceased ancestors. They are preparing the food which deceased persons liked when they were alive, and they believe that by doing so they can offer this food to him/her. Moreover, they believe that their ancestors will be sad if they will not receive this on some common occasion. Please provide me Fatwa in the light of Islam.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

We have already issued Fatwa 82781 clarifying that it is an innovation to read the Quran on food at funeral occasions and other occasions and that this act is not permissible. Believing that those who do so are offering food for the deceased and that the dead will be angry and unhappy at whoever does not do so, then this belief has no evidence from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet . The dead do not get angry or happy because of food, but they get happy at good deeds and unhappy at bad deeds.

Allaah Knows best.