The reward of an ongoing charity from inherited money Fatwa No: 72983
- Fatwa Date:1-4-2013
Should the ongoing charity that benefits the deceased be one of his deeds before his death? Or is it permissible that after his death his family establishes an ongoing charity and offers its reward to him although in his life he had a sufficient amount of money to give charity but he did not? I heard from a scholar that the reward of this charity does not reach the deceased person but it reaches the one who offers it. What is the religious viewpoint on this?
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
Ongoing charity may be offered from the wealth of the owner during his life such as building a Masjid and it may be after his death whether offered by a relative or a stranger. If the adult inheritors of the deceased person give charity from the inheritance, its reward reaches him. If they build a Masjid intending that he receives the reward; then, it is an ongoing charity and its reward reaches him by the consensus of scholars.
Allaah Knows best.