Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

In response to your response that if a person repents not fulfilling all obligatory fasts and prayers, then repentance is enough for Allah to forgive you, infact if a person repents not fulfilling his obligation to pray, he must make qadha prayers and fasts in order to be forgiven-- this is a requirement for Allah to forgive us in any matter- we must make up for it in some way- unless we are unable to compensate for our missed obligation, in which case our sincerity in wishing we could meet that obligation is judged. Allah is forgiving, but only if we make up for our mistakes.  And regarding the comment that we cannot read Quran for a deceased person- why is there an ayah in the Quran that states: Read Quran before Quran is read for you. We may not be able to send the ajr for our deeds to some one else- however it is said that a deceased person's soul feels peace upon hearing someone recite

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Make up fasts and prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Statement: In response to your response that if a person repents not fulfilling all obligatory fasts and prayers, then repentance is enough for Allah to forgive you, infact if a person repents not fulfilling his obligation to pray, he must make qadha prayers and fasts in order to be forgiven-- this is a requirement for Allah to forgive us in any matter- we must make up for it in some way- unless we are unable to compensate for our missed obligation, in which case our sincerity in wishing we could meet that obligation is judged. Allah is forgiving, but only if we make up for our mistakes. 

At the time of the Prophet (saws), when people converted to Islam from polytheism, they were not required to pray the obligatory prayers and fasts that they had missed all their lives in their days of ignorance. And once a person accepted Islam, it was not conceivable in those times that he would not pray and fast!

But today, because of the deterioration of the practice of the deen, we are faced with a dilemna whereby people who call themselves muslims but do not pray or fast for years at end! Thus, when such people turn back to Allah in sincere repentance and Taubah, and make a solemn covenant with Allah Subhanah that they will from now on follow all the commandments of Allah and His Messenger (saws); the scholars of Islam are unanimous in their opinion that these people’s missed obligatory prayers and fasts should be treated like the missed prayers and fasts of a person who accepts Islam anew. And they have opined that such a person, who has turned back to Allah in sincere repentance and Taubah, must from now on increase the quantity of his ‘nafl’ or voluntary prayers and fasts to compensate for his missed prayers. Their opinion is that if a person, who has not prayed or fasted for years on end and then turns back to Allah, but is required to offer all his missed prayers and fasts as ‘qada’, chances are it might be too much of a burden for him, and he might turn back to unbelief!

Jabir reports that the Prophet (saws) said, "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer." (Related by Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.)

Buraidah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "The pact between us and them is prayer. Whoever abandons it is a disbeliever." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.)

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 580 Narrated by Abu Darda'

The Prophet (saws) instructed me: Don't associate anything with Allah even though you are cut into pieces and burnt; and don't abandon the obligatory prayer intentionally, for he who abandon the obligatory prayer intentionally, protection (guaranteed to him) because of his being a Muslim will be withdrawn (from him); and don't drink wine for it is the key to every evil.

There is absolutely no harm, and in fact it would be purer for a person who has missed obligatory prayers and fasts for years on end, if he could repeat these prayers and fasts as ‘qada’. He will undoubtedly receive a huge reward from Allah for his repentance and deeds. But even if a person who has disobeyed Allah Subhanah all his life, and wants to return to Allah in sincere Taubah and repentance; and makes a solemn covenant with His Lord that he will from now on obey and follow Allah and His Messenger (saws) and does righteous good deeds according to the Quran and Sunnah; it is expected that the Merciful Lord will turn to him in Mercy and forgive all his past sins.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verses 53-54:(O Prophet) say: “O My servants who have wronged their own souls….Do not despair of Allah’s Mercy! Surely, Allah forgives all sins. He indeed is the All Forgiving, All Merciful. Return to your Lord and submit to Him before the scourge overtakes you; for then you may get no help from anywhere.”

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said in an authentic narration: “Taubah (sincere repentance) removes all previous sins.”

Your Statement: And regarding the comment that we cannot read Quran for a deceased person- why is there an ayah in the Quran that states: Read Quran before Quran is read for you.

There is no such aayah in the Glorious Quran that states ‘Read Quran before Quran is read for you’!!!!

Your Statement: We may not be able to send the ajr for our deeds to some one else- however it is said that a deceased person's soul feels peace upon hearing someone recite

It may have been said by someone, but this statement was not said by the Messenger of Allah (saws) that ‘a deceased person’s soul feels peace upon hearing someone recite (The Quran)’! And for acts of worship, we must always follow what is said by Allah and His Messenger (saws). Besides, there is absolutely no evidence that the Messenger of Allah (saws), his noble ‘ahly-bayt’, or any of his noble companions ever read Quran for the ‘ajr’ or peace of any deceased person!

Abu Hurairah reported that The Prophet (saws), said, 'When a person dies all his good deeds cease except for three: a continuous act of charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous son who prays for him'.'' (Muslim, and the Sunan)

Also Abu Hurairah reported The Prophet (saws) said, 'The righteous works that continue to benefit a believer after his death include the knowledge that he taught and spread among others, a righteous son whom he leaves behind, or a copy of the Qur'an that he bequeaths to his inheritors, or a mosque that he builds, or a rest house that he builds for the wayfarers, or a canal of water that he digs for the benefit of others, or a charity that he gives out of his property during his life while he is sound of health. He will continue to receive reward for all these even after his death.' (Ibn Majah)

The Glorious Quran is a Book of Guidance revealed by Allah for the guidance of the living amongst mankind and one who is alive will definitely benefit from its recitation and from its commands of Wisdom and Knowledge. In light of the above narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), all the good deeds of a person who dies cease except for three things specifically mentioned; and the recitation of the Quran over the deceased is not one of them!

Thus gathering and the ceremonial reading of the Quran over the deceased is a clear and manifest innovation, and this act must be avoided by the believers who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan