Do both the deceased and the person giving charity receive reward?
2026-10-13
F216 · Selected fatwas
Shaykh Ibn Bāz
الشيخ عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز
Original Q&A · Complete published question and answer
Complete published question and answer, including both follow-up questions. Statements of hoped-for reward remain statements of hope, not guarantees. The Shaykh's correction that relative merit varies with circumstances is retained.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
يسأل سؤالا آخر ويقول: إن أنا تصدقت عن والدي، فهل يصيبني نفس الأجر، حيث أن والدي متوفى، وأرجو بيان الأوجه التي يمكن الإنفاق فيها عن الميت، وهل الدعاء أفضل من هذا كله؟
الجواب
الصدقة عن الميت مشروعة ومفيدة ونافعة للميت، وقد ثبت في الصحيحين عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه سئل عن ذلك قال له رجل: «يا رسول الله! إن أمي ماتت أفلها أجر إن تصدقت عنها، قال: نعم فالصدقة تنفع الميت، ويرجى للمتصدق مثل الأجر الذي يحصل للميت؛ لأنه محسن متبرع، فيرجى له مثل ما بذل، كما قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعله.
فالمؤمن إذا دعا إلى خير، أو فعل خيرا في غيره يرجى له مثل أجره، فإذا تصدق عن أبيه، أو عن أمه، أو ما أشبه ذلك، فللمتصدق عنه أجر وللباذل أجر، وهكذا إذا حج عن أبيه أو عن أمه فله أجر ولأبيه وأمه أجر، ويرجى أن يكون مثلهم أو أكثر؛ لفعله الطيب وصلته الرحم وبره لوالديه، وهكذا أمثال ذلك فضل الله واسع.
وقاعدة الشرع في مثل هذا أن المحسن إلى غيره له أجر عظيم، وأنه إذا فعل معروفا عن غيره يرجى له مثل الأجر الذي يحصل لمن فعل له ذلك المعروف، وقد قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث: صدقة جارية، أو علم ينتفع به، أو ولد صالح يدعو له.
فأنت -يا عبد الله- في صدقتك عن والديك، وفي إحسانك إلى عباد الله بما تفعله من المعروف لك فيه أجر عظيم، ولمن أحسنت إليهم بأن علمتهم وقبلوا منك، وأرشدتهم وقبلوا منك، ودللتهم على الخير وقبلوا منك لهم أجر أيضا ولك مثلهم. نعم.
المقدم: طيب.. طيب جزاكم الله خيرا، يسأل هل الدعاء يقوم مقام الصدقة شيخ عبد العزيز؟
الجواب: الدعاء مستقل، الدعاء فيه خير عظيم، ولكن لا يقوم مقام الصدقة، فالصدقة مشروعة والدعاء مشروع، والدعاء عام للوالدين ولغير الوالدين، وهكذا الصدقة، فالصدقة نوع من البر والخير والعبادة والدعاء كذلك فلا يغني هذا عن هذا، وينبغي للولد ونحوه أن يفعل هذا وهذا يدعو لوالديه ويتصدق، وهكذا عن أقاربه، وهكذا عن أحبابه وأصدقائه الطيبين يدعو لهم ويتصدق عنهم كله طيب.
المقدم: جزاكم الله خيرا، إذا ليس الدعاء أفضل من العمل وليس العمل أفضل من الدعاء.
الشيخ: هذا يختلف قد يكون الدعاء في حال أفضل وقد تكون الصدقة في حال أفضل، والدعاء ميسور بحمد الله ما يكلف شيئا، الدعاء ميسور والصدقة قد تكلف، فقد يكون أجرها أكبر، ولاسيما إذا وقعت في محلها في الفقراء والمحاويج وعند الحاجة، فأجرها عظيم مع الدعاء مع الدعاء. نعم.
المقدم: جزاكم الله خيرا.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
He asks another question: If I give charity on behalf of my father, who has died, do I receive the same reward? Please explain the ways in which one can spend on behalf of the deceased. Is supplication better than all of this?
Answer
Giving charity on behalf of the deceased is prescribed, beneficial and useful to him. It is established in the two Ṣaḥīḥ collections that the Prophet ﷺ was asked about this. A man said to him: ‘Messenger of Allah, my mother has died. Will she have a reward if I give charity on her behalf?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ Charity therefore benefits the deceased. It is hoped that the giver will receive reward like that which the deceased receives, because he is doing good and giving voluntarily; it is hoped that he will have a corresponding reward for what he gives. As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Whoever guides to good has a reward like that of the one who does it.’
When a believer calls to good or does good for another, it is hoped that he will receive a reward like the other's. If he gives charity on behalf of his father or mother, for example, the person on whose behalf it is given receives reward, and the giver receives reward. Likewise, if he performs Hajj on behalf of his father or mother, he receives reward and his father or mother receives reward. It is hoped that his reward will be like theirs or greater, because of his good deed, maintaining kinship and being dutiful to his parents. The same applies to similar cases. Allah's favour is vast.
The principle of the religious law in such matters is that someone who does good to another has a great reward. When he does a good deed on behalf of someone else, it is hoped that he will receive reward like that received by the person for whom the deed was done. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘When a child of Adam dies, his deeds cease except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge from which benefit is obtained, or a righteous child who prays for him.’
So, servant of Allah, you have a great reward for your charity on behalf of your parents and for the good you do for Allah's servants. Those to whom you do good—by teaching them and their accepting it, guiding them and their accepting it, or directing them to good and their accepting it—also receive reward, and you receive the like of it. Yes.
Presenter: Very well, may Allah reward you. He asks: Does supplication take the place of charity, Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz?
Answer: Supplication is a distinct deed. It contains great good, but it does not take the place of charity. Charity is prescribed and supplication is prescribed. Supplication is for parents and for others, and the same applies to charity. Charity is a kind of dutifulness, goodness and worship, and so is supplication, so one does not dispense with the other. A child, and others in a similar position, should do both: pray for his parents and give charity. The same applies to relatives and to good loved ones and friends: praying for them and giving charity on their behalf are both good.
Presenter: May Allah reward you. So supplication is not better than deeds, and deeds are not better than supplication?
Shaykh: That varies. Supplication may be better in one situation and charity better in another. Supplication is readily available, praise be to Allah; it costs nothing. Supplication is readily available, while charity may involve a cost, so its reward may be greater, particularly when it reaches those who need it—the poor and needy—and at a time of need. Its reward is great, together with supplication, together with supplication. Yes.
Presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source and editorial notes
Official Ibn Bāz website, fatwa 17230
الموقع الرسمي للشيخ عبد العزيز بن باز
Official Ibn Bāz website
Complete published Arabic question and answer checked against the official source, including follow-up exchanges and closing words where present. Arabic diacritics omitted, directional formatting marks removed and honorific glyphs expanded for display. Source footnotes are kept separate.