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Hadhrat Sa’ad Radhiyallahu Anhu enquired from Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam that, as his mother had passed away, what type of Sadaqah would be best? (for inviting Divine blessings for her soul). Rasulullah Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam replied that water was the best of all. On that, Hadhrat Sa’ad had a well dug, so that his mother should receive the blessings.
A Hadith says that Hadhrat Sa’ad Radhiyallahu Anhu told Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam that his mother, who had died, had money and also helped her relatives and other people from his wealth. He then asked whether she would receive any returns for all these actions if he continued to perform it on her behalf. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied, “Yes she will”
Another Hadith has: A woman told Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam that her mother had died suddenly and had not been able to give Sadaqah as she would have done in the case of a normal death. She then asked whether her mother would get any benefit if she (the daughter) gave Sadaqah on her behalf. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied, “yes, do so, infact, for all the relatives, particularly those who leave property for us after their death., like parents, husband or wife, brothers and sisters, or those who might have done us favors, like teachers and holy personages, one should regularly give Sadaqah and do other good deeds and pray for the transference of the rewards to their account. It will be highly improper to go on benefitting from the wealth they left behind, or from favours done by them, and yet forget them when they are in need of gifts and benefactions from the living ones. When a person dies his own actions comes to an end; unless he leaves behind a perpetually rewarding virtue or any deed of that kind, he remains dependent on transference of blessings and prayers from the living ones.
A hadith says that a dead man in his grave feels like a drowning person who keenly desires help, from all directions, that his father, brother or a friend may send him aid in the form of a prayer. And if something is received, it becomes the dearest thing for him in that world.
Bashar Ibne Mansoor Rahmatullahi Alaihi says that once, during an epidemic of plague, a person busied himself very often in offering funeral prayers for the dead and in the evening he would stand at the gate of the graveyard and supplicate:
“May Allah Ta’ala change your dreadful life into a pleasurable one, have mercy on your loneliness, overlook your faults and bless all your good deeds with acceptance”.
He would then return home. One day it so happened that he returned home without offering the Du’aa. At night he saw in his dream that large crown of people approached him. When he asked them who they were and why they were there, they replied that they were the dwellers of the graveyard, and they used to receive gifts from him every evening. He asked them, ‘What kind of gifts?’ They said that the Du’aa that he used to make every evening would be turned into gifts that reached every one of them. Thereafter the man never forgot to make that Du’aa.
Bashaar Ibne Ghalib Rahmatullahi Alaihi Najrani says that he used to make Du’aa most frequently for Rabi’ah Basriah Rahmatullahi Alaiha. Once he saw her in a dream and heard her saying, “Bashaar, your gifts reach us in the trays if ‘Nur’ and covered with a silken cover and presented to the dead person concerned, who is told that it is a gift for him from so and so.
Imaam Nawawi Rahmatullahi writes in his interpretation of Muslim’s collection of Ahaadith that there is no difference of opinion among Muslims regarding the dead receiving the rewards of Sadaqah given on their behalf. This is the correct belief!
Virtues Of Spending Page 99
