What Is the Ruling on Reciting the Quran for the Souls of the Deceased?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

What is the ruling on reciting the Quran for the souls of the deceased?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

It is permissible to recite the Quran for the souls of the deceased. The basis for this is that a person can dedicate the reward of his actions to others, whether it be prayer, fasting, charity, recitation of the Quran, remembrance of Allah, circumambulation of the Ka‘ba, pilgrimage, Umra, or any other act of worship. This is supported by the verse where Allah (Most High) says:

“And pray, ‘My Lord! Be merciful to them as they raised me when I was young.’” [Quran, 17:24]

The method for this is to recite the Quran and then pray to Allah to grant the reward of this recitation or act of worship to the deceased. It does not matter whether you intend at the time of recitation or act of worship that its reward be for someone else or if you perform it for yourself and then later dedicate its reward to someone else.

Hanafis

The Hanafi jurists permitted reciting the Quran for the souls of the deceased. They justified this by stating that it is a doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a that a person can dedicate the reward of his actions to others and that this reward will reach them.

They cited the hadith of Khath‘amiyya narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas, in which a woman came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, “My mother died and she had an obligatory fast to complete. Should I fast on her behalf?” He said: “If your mother had a debt, would you pay it off for her?” She said: “Yes.” He said: “The debt owed to Allah is more deserving to be paid off.” [Bukhari; Ahmad]

They also referenced the narration in which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) sacrificed two rams, saying for the first,

“This is on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad,” and for the second, “This is on behalf of those in my Ummah who believe in me and testify to my truth.” [Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir; Darqutni, Sunan; Bayhaqi, Shu‘ab al-Iman; Abu Ya‘la, al-Musnad]

This indicates that he dedicated the reward to his Umma.

Furthermore, it is narrated from Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that a man said to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace),

“O Messenger of Allah, my mother passed away suddenly and did not leave a will. I think that if she could have spoken, she would have given charity. Will she have a reward if I give charity on her behalf?” He said: “Yes.” [Muslim]

By the Grace of Allah (Most High)

It is not inconceivable in reason that the reward of recitation and other acts can reach the deceased because granting reward from Allah (Most High) is an act of grace, not something He is obliged to do. Thus, He (Glorified and Exalted be He) may graciously give the reward to the one on whose behalf the act was performed, just as He may graciously give reward without any action at all.

[Kasani, Bada’i‘ al-Sana’i‘; Mawsili, Ikhtiyar ; Halabi, Majma‘ al-Anhur; ‘Zayla‘i, Tabyin al-Haqa’iq, Hashiyat al-Shalabi; Kamal Ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir; Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; ‘Aqila, al-Ziyada wa al-Ihsan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Reward and Fulfilling the Obligation

According to the Hanafis, physical acts of worship cannot be deputized on behalf of others absolutely, based on the verse where Allah (Most High) says:

“And that each person will only have what they endeavored towards.” [Quran, 53:39], except what has been specified by evidence. Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar used to be asked:

“Can someone fast or pray on behalf of someone else?” He would reply: “No one can fast on behalf of someone else, nor can anyone pray on behalf of someone else.” [Malik]

This prohibition pertains to fulfilling the obligation (the removal of the duty of prayer from the one for whom it was prayed), but in terms of reward, it is permissible.

If someone fasts, prays, or gives charity and dedicates the reward to another, whether deceased or alive, it is permissible, and the reward reaches them, according to Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a.

It is narrated that Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubada said to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace):

“My mother has died; shall I give charity on her behalf?” He said: “Yes.” [Ahmad; Bukhari]

From the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) until today, Muslims have practiced visiting graves, reciting the Quran over them, shrouding the deceased, giving charity, fasting, praying, and dedicating the reward to the deceased.

[Kasani, Bada’i‘ al-Sana’i‘; Mawsili, Ikhtiyar ; Halabi, Majma‘ al-Anhur; ‘Zayla‘i, Tabyin al-Haqa’iq, Hashiyat al-Shalabi; Kamal Ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir; Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; ‘Aqila, al-Ziyada wa al-Ihsan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Some notes regarding this,

1. Hanafi Response:

The Hanafi jurists responded to those who deny the reward of recitation to the deceased by citing the verse: “And that each person will only have what they endeavored towards.” [Quran, 53:39] and the saying of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace): “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.” [Muslim] They argued:

• The verse was revealed concerning the statement: “Or has he not been informed of what is in the Scripture of Moses, * and (that of) Abraham, who (perfectly) fulfilled (his covenant)?” [Quran, 53:36-37]. Therefore, it is informing about their legislation, which does not necessarily apply to us because it was for the people of Ibrahim and Musa. As for this ummah, they have what they strove for and what was strived for on their behalf.
• It is said that the verse is abrogated by the statement of Allah (Most High): “As for those who believe and whose descendants follow them in faith, We will elevate their descendants to their rank, never discounting anything (of the reward) of their deeds.” [Quran, 52:21], where He admits the descendants to Paradise due to the righteousness of the parents.
• It is narrated from Rabi‘ Ibn Anas that the “person” referred to here is the disbeliever, whereas the believer has the reward of what he strove for and what was strove for on his behalf.
• The preposition “for” in the verse “And that there is not for man except that (good) for which he strives” can be understood as “against” (i.e., on behalf of), as in the statement of Allah (Most High): “A day when apology of the unjust will bring them no benefit, and on them shall be the curse.” [Quran, 40:52], meaning they will have the curse against them. Thus, it is as if He said: “And that there is not against man except what he strives for.” This reconciles the verse with the hadiths.
• The verse “And that each person will only have what they endeavored towards” can mean that he strove to make the reward of his deeds for others; thus, he has what he strove for according to the verse.
• Striving can be of various types: through his actions and words, due to his kinship, by a friend striving on his behalf, or through good and righteous deeds and matters of religion that people love him for, pray for him, and dedicate the reward of their deeds to him, all of which are due to his striving.

2. Cessation of Deeds:

As for the hadith, it implies the cessation of the deceased’s own deeds, and there is no dispute about that. The discussion is about the reward of another’s deeds reaching him, and the hadith does not negate that. Additionally, people have unanimously accepted this, making it good based on the hadith.

[Mawsili, Ikhtiyar ; Halabi, Majma‘ al-Anhur; ‘Zayla‘i, Tabyin al-Haqa’iq, Hashiyat al-Shalabi; Kamal Ibn al-Humam, ‘Ayni, al-Binaya; Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq]

The apparent generality of the Hanafis’ statement regarding the reaching of the reward to the deceased implies that there is no difference whether what you gift to the deceased is an obligatory act or a voluntary one.

If someone prays an obligatory prayer and dedicates its reward to another, it is valid, but the obligation does not revert to the donor’s responsibility because the absence of the reward does not necessitate that the duty is not discharged from his liability. [Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq wa Minhat al-Khaliq wa Takmilat al-Turi]

Ibn Nujaym, the Hanafi scholar, mentioned that if one recites the Quran, fasts, prays or gives charity, and dedicates the reward to another, whether deceased or alive, it is permissible, and the reward reaches them according to Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a. [Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq wa Minhat al-Khaliq wa Takmilat al-Turi]

3. Abu Hanifa’s Position:

Imam Abu Hanifa disliked reciting the Quran at graves because the people in the graves were decaying corpses and because he did not find any authentic narration from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) regarding this practice. However, Imam Muhammad did not consider it disliked, and the Hanafi scholars issued fatwas in favor of it due to the benefit it provides to the deceased, as various reports suggest the recitation of Ayat al-Kursi, Surat al-Ikhlas, and Surat al-Fatiha at graves. [Mawsili, Ikhtiyar; Halabi, Majma‘ al-Anhur fi Sharh Multaqa al-Abhur]

4. Shafi‘is:

The early Shafi’i scholars did not permit reciting the Quran for the souls of the deceased, arguing that it is a physical act of worship that does not accept deputization. They based this on the verse: “And that each person will only have what they endeavored towards.” [Quran, 53:39], and the hadith of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace): “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, a Shafi‘i scholar, stated: “Their statement that the deceased should not be recited upon is based on what the early scholars declared that the recitation does not reach the deceased because its reward is for the reciter, and the reward resulting from an act cannot be transferred from the one who performed that act. Allah (Most High) says: ‘And that each person will only have what they endeavored towards.’ The reaching of supplication and charity is established by the text, so an analogy cannot be made with them.

Therefore, their statement that the deceased should not be recited upon is reasonable…” He then added that the later scholars permitted this: “When the later scholars considered that the recitation reaches the deceased, based on detailed evidence established in its proper place, Ibn al-Rif‘a and others took the apparent meaning of the report that it is recited upon him after his death while he is laid out. Some of our scholars also allowed reciting it at the grave.” [Haytami, al-Fatawa al-Fiqhiyya al-Kubra]

Ibn ‘Abidin stated: “Our scholars’ statement that one can dedicate the reward of his actions to others includes the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), as he is more deserving of this since he saved us from misguidance. In this, there is a type of gratitude and acknowledgment of his favor, and the perfect one is capable of receiving additional perfection…” [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Advice

Finally, the disagreement over the permissibility of the reward of recitation reaching the deceased is an old and contemporary issue. Therefore, this disagreement should not be a cause for division among the umma or for enmity and hatred to enter hearts. It is an ijtihadi matter with differing opinions. Whoever is correct receives two rewards, and whoever errs receives one reward.

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa

Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.

He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.

He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.

Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.