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:

Assalama Alaikum,

my question is ......we can pray salah for any one who is not keeping well? and if we cannot pray for any reason we can do sadaqah for that?

please reply back.......

(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:

Can one pray and give charity for another

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Dear and beloved sister in Islam, just as one cannot commit a sin and transfer the penalty of the sin to another…..one cannot do a good deed with the intention to transfer the reward of that good deed to another!

The acts of Salaah and giving ‘sadaqah’ are forms of worship in Islam…and they only benefit the one who actually does them himself.

If a loved one is not keeping well, the absolute best thing one can and should do other than physically visiting them and attaining to their needs, is to guide them towards faith, patience, and constancy; and above all, make supplications to their Lord Most Gracious to have Mercy on their loved one, forgive them their sins and their short-comings, and grant them an early recovery.

The offering of ‘salaah’ or the giving of ‘sadaqah’ by one will not by itself benefit or relieve the illness or suffering of their loved one…..nor is there any example in the authentic and established Sunnah whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) would offer ‘salaah’ or give ‘sadaqah’ when his loved ones fell ill. The Messenger of Allah (saws) encouraged the believers to visit their loved ones when one amongst them is afflicted with an illness, offer them assistance in fulfilling their needs, guide them towards faith and patience, and make sincere supplications for them.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.4

Topic: Visiting the Sick

It is recommended that the visitor pray for the recovery and health of the patient and that he should urge him to endure his trouble patiently. He should say nice words to cheer him up and keep his spirits high. The Prophet (saws) said: "When you visit a sick person, give him hope for a long life. This will not avert anything (from his decreed destiny), but will please the patient and give him comfort." When the Prophet (saws) visited a sick person he used to say to him: "Do not worry! It is a means of cleansing (you) of sins, Allah Willing."

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."

Abu Hurairah reports that Allah's Messenger (saws) said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins."

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