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,

I would like to know if it is permissable for a muslim to go to a Christians funeral? When a Moslem dies, we believe we can say dua and recite quran to add to the their account, up their janazaa and maybe beyond.

Can we as Moslems do the same for non-Moslems, can we recite quran and say dua to add to their account?

Please reply as soon as possible.

Thank you.

(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 believer attend Christian funeral?

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 Question: I would like to know if it is permissable for a muslim to go to a Christians funeral?

There is absolutely no harm or restriction if one wishes to attend a non-muslim funeral or visit, help, and share the grief of the deceased’s family.

Because most funerals are performed according to the religious rites according to the belief of the deceased, the believers should be extremely careful not to participate in any way in any of the pagan religious funeral rites and rituals.

Your Question: When a Moslem dies, we believe we can say dua and recite quran to add to the their account, up their janazaa and maybe beyond.

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 offspring who supplicates for him'.''

Related by Muslim and Abu Dawood.

Even when a believing brother or sister dies, the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) only permits the surviving believers to earnestly supplicate their Lord Most Gracious to have Mercy and Forgive the sins of the deceased, make their life in the grave easy and comfortable for them, raise them to a status of honor in the Hereafter, etc.

Under no circumstances can one add anything to their account by giving charity in their name, or by reciting the Quran in their name, etc. The Messenger of Allah (saws) guided that when a person dies his Book of Records is sealed and nothing can be added to or subtracted from it except for three things:

A continuous act of charity which the deceased did before he died like a mosque he built which is still in use by the believers, or a charity hospital he built which is still in use, or a well he built which benefits people after his death, etc.

Beneficial knowledge which the deceased gave to someone before he died…for example, a Quran, or good Islamic books, or good knowledge the deceased gave someone before he died, or good advice which the deceased gave someone which brought the person to the right path, etc.

Righteous offspring and loved ones who supplicate for the deceased.

Other than the above three, nothing can be added or subtracted from the deeds of the deceased after his death.

Your Question: Can we as Moslems do the same for non-Moslems, can we recite quran and say dua to add to their account?

First and foremost, a muslim cannot even recite the Glorious Quran and transfer the reward to the deceased who was a believer; thus reciting the Quran and transferring the reward to a deceased who was a disbeliever is absolutely out of the question!

Your Question: and say dua to add to their account?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 113: It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that they should pray for forgiveness for pagans even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.

A dua or supplication is an application of mercy and forgiveness a believing slave of Allah makes for his deceased loved ones, and it does not behove and befit one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to make such an application of mercy and forgiveness for one who died in the state of disbelief; for the state of the disbelievers is declared and sealed by Allah Subhanah in the Hereafter.

There is absolutely no harm and is absolutely encouraged in Islam for a believer to make dua and supplication to the Lord Most Gracious to have mercy and guide a disbeliever who is alive…but if the person dies in the state of disbelief, it is absolutely impermissible for the believers to supplicate their Lord to have mercy upon them.

Even in this world, when one has himself confessed and is convicted of high treason, it would not behove and befit a loyal citizen who loves his nation to approach the government and seek clemency or mercy for the convicted traitor; for that would indicate that one sympathizes and loves the traitor who strove to harm one’s country, more than one loves his own country!

Disbelief and shirk are sins akin to treason in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, and no matter who or how many ask or beg the Lord to have mercy on them; those who die in the state of disbelief will not be forgiven by the All-Just Lord.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verses 79-80:

79 Those who slander such of the believers as give themselves freely to (deeds of) charity as well as such as can find nothing to give except the fruits of their labor, and throw ridicule on them, Allah will throw back their ridicule on them: and they shall have a grievous penalty.

80 Whether thou (O Prophet (saws)) ask for their forgiveness or not (their sin of disbelief is unforgivable!): if thou (O Prophet (saws)) ask (even) seventy times for their forgiveness, Allah will not forgive them: because they have rejected Allah and His Messenger; and Allah guides not those who are perversely rebellious!

Regardless of whether the disbeliever was a friend or close of kin, it is absolutely prohibited and impermissible for a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to supplicate or seek forgiveness for someone who has died in the state of disbelief and thus guilty of the absolutely heinous and unforgivable sin of having continuously committed the abomination of treason with Allah Subhanah.

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 in Islam,

Burhan