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Can one transfer good deeds

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:

Salam sir,


By reciting surah-e-Fatiha or any portion from the Quran or by doing any good deed and dedicating (broadcasting...) the "SAWAB" of it to who ever we Will(like) whether living or dead! Do really sawab share in this way?? Do we or can we ALTER the people DEEDS ACCOUNT which has or being recorded in the Supreme and just court of Allah!


we know from Quran that Prophet Ibrahim also Dua for himselve,his future offspring and his parents. (14.39,40,41)

Its All right! Even we should pray for guidance of All mankind whether Muslims or non=Muslims! But in the light of Quran Is it correct to assume that Sawab of my recitation goes into the account of whom i will?Who make me the manager of Deeds Account?

Kindly clarify! 

 

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Answer:

 

Can one transfer good deeds

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.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 53 Surah Najm verses 38-41:

38      Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;

39      That man can have nothing but what he strives for;

40      That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight;

41      Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete.

 

Your Question: By reciting surah-e-Fatiha or any portion from the Quran or by doing any good deed and dedicating (broadcasting...) the "SAWAB" of it to who ever we Will(like) whether living or dead! Do really sawab share in this way??

Dear and Beloved Brother, the principle in Islam is that man can have nothing except that for which he himself strives for. 

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow,  in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

 

There is no person who walked on this planet earth who worshipped Allah Subhanah better than the Last and Final Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws).  Thus, when it comes to determining whether an act of worship or doing any deed will earn ‘thawaab’ or the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah, it is absolutely obligatory upon the believers to determine whether the act of worship was done or endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws).  If the deed of worship was endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws), then indeed it would earn the Pleasure and Good Will of the Lord Most Merciful; and if the deed was not endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws), then it cannot be included as an act of worship in Islam, but rather it would be regarded as a man-made and self-invented innovation; and every innovation in this perfect deen of Islam has to be an error.

 

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885     Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon:  “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran;  and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws).   The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

 

There is absolutely no evidence in the practice or Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) recited the Quran and transferred the reward to anyone else; nor did he (saws) ever endorse or encourage the believers to do so!

 

Even logically this prevalent system of transferring ‘thawaab’ does not make sense!  Just as one cannot commit a sin and transfer its punishment to another, it just does not make logical sense that one does a good deeds and transfers its rewards to someone else who has absolutely nothing to do with it!

 

Your Question: Do we or can we ALTER the people DEEDS ACCOUNT which has or being recorded in the Supreme and just court of Allah!
In light of the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), there are a few specific exceptions when although the deeds are not actually done by a person, but he still receives a full reward for it. 

 

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, 'When a person dies all his good deeds cease, except for three:

  1. a continuous act of charity,
  2. beneficial knowledge, and
  3. a righteous son who prays for him.'''

Narrated by Muslim, and Abu Dawood.

 

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.'”

Narrated by Ibn Majah.

 

Another companion reported: "The Prophet (saws) said: 'Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam will get its reward and the rewards for all those who follow these practices after him, without any loss to their reward.  And whoever introduces a bad practice in Islam will acquire its sin and the sins of all those who practice it, without any decrease in their sins."

 

Narrated Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas that a woman of the Juhainah tribe came to the Prophet (saws), and said,  'My mother had vowed to perform pilgrimage (Hajj),  but she died before she could fulfill her vow.  Should I do it on her behalf?'   The Prophet (saws) said,  'Yes. Perform Hajj on her behalf.   Would you not pay the debt of your mother if she had owed someone?   Fulfill it.  Allah is more deserving of receiving payment for what is due to Him'."

 

If one studies the above narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), one will note that the person receiving the reward ‘in absentia’ had at least some role to play in the doing of these good deeds, whether it was the pain and sacrifice of growing up of good righteous children, or starting a good practice which was carried on by other people, or intending to do a good deed but were not able to do so, etc. 

 

Thus if one had started the practice of a good deed by building a mosque, or an orphanage, or a well, or planting a tree, or propagating good advice or knowledge, or taken the pain and sacrifice to grow good righteous children, etc….. even if the ones who take advantage of these facilities without the intention of transferring the rewards to the person who initiated the good deeds, the Just and Perfect Accounting of Allah Subhanah  is such that Allah Subhanah will appropriate the full and due reward to the account of the person.

 

But the deeds done by one person with the sole intention of transferring the rewards to another who had absolutely nothing to do with the doing of that deed is not an accepted principle in Islam. 

 

Your Statement: But in the light of Quran Is it correct to assume that Sawab of my recitation goes into the account of whom i will?Who make me the manager of Deeds Account?

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, Allah Subhanah Alone is the Sustainer and Cherisher of the worlds, and He Alone it is Who is sufficient to Manage and Account for the deeds of each and every one in His creation! 

 

Allah Subhanah created man and bestowed upon him intelligence and a ‘free will’ to do deeds as he pleases; and Allah Subhanah Alone it is Who keeps and has full access to the Book of Records of each and every one in creation.  None can add or subtract anything from this Book of Records without the Precise Permission and Command and Will of Allah Subhanah, not even the Angels who are appointed to record the deeds, nor even the person who does the deeds!

 

The simple procedure regarding this Book of Records is as follows:

  1. Man intends to do a deed, and only if Allah permits and allows, he does the deed.
  2. The appointed Angels of Allah record every single deed of man, good or evil.
  3. Allah Subhanah Alone it is Who Accounts, Manages, and Determines the rewards and/or punishments for each deed. 

 

None can alter, add, subtract, transfer, revise, delete, or bring about any change whatsoever in this Book of Records in the least, except with the Precise Permission and Command of Allah Subhanah Alone.  

 

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

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

Burhan

 


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