Feeding People on Behalf of the Deceased

Question

On a fixed day, or without fixing [a day], a meal is given to relatives and the general public with the intention of [conveying] reward to the deceased; if someone is not fed, he takes offence. However, according to the statement of a certain scholar, this food is only for the poor, if there are means; feeding a rich person will earn no reward. Furthermore, [he says:] instead of such an intention of [conveying] reward, one should, as far as possible, make the intention for one of the obligations (fara’id)

Answer

If some charity is given for isal al-thawab (conveying reward to the deceased), it should be given to the poor. Gathering relatives in the form of a function and feeding them is a wrong method: this form is not established from the best generations (khayr al-qurun); generally it is done for renown and pride.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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