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Showing posts with label Sadaqah Jariya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sadaqah Jariya. Show all posts

Tuesday 3 January 2023

What Rewards continue to reach a Man even after his Death (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Death: A word least liked by every living human being. Yet it is a reality which has to dawn on every living being. 
Death is when our bodies, minds, works, ambitions, the things that we have built up, the things that we want to do, the things that we have not finished, the things that we have been trying to finish – there is an end of all these when death comes. [1]

That is, it is period between the birth and cessation of earthly life is thus a time wherein one can decide what kind of future he will shape for himself when the world comes to an end and every man is paraded before his Lord for rewards and awards. 

Yet, there are three things that continue to benefit a dead man and add up to his reward points till the Day of Resurrection as told by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (The Book (#25) of Wills - كتاب الوصية / Chapter # 3 What Reward Reaches A Man After His Death / باب مَا يَلْحَقُ الإِنْسَانَ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ ) as Hadith number # 1631 as under:

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ - وَابْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - هُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ ‏"‏ ‏
"When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased)."

Recurring charity, known as the Sadaqah Jariyah (Arabic: صدقة الجارية), though looks a small word, encompasses in itself a volume of acts that fall into its fold. Sadaqah Jariya is a constant source of ongoing reward. This not only benefits us in this life but also in the hereafter. It is one of the most rewarding acts we can do in our lives as the benefits of giving this type of charity can be reaped in this lifetime and long after we have passed. However, it must be remembered that Sadaqah Jariyah is a private donation between the donor, Allah (SWT) and those who have received the kind gesture. This should not be boasted about by the donor as this means that it is not truly altruistic because this is seen as seeking praise from others.
“Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind, and all things We have accounted for in a clear register.” (Qur’an, Surah 36 Ya Seen :12)
Some of the acts of recurring charity / Sadaqah Jariyah may include:
  • Installation of a water provision facility for a community where no regular water supply exists
  • Donating a wheel chair to a handicapped or to a hospital for use by patients unable to walk
  • Building a masjid 
  • Donating books to a library
  • Writing and spreading the word of Allah. As long as people get benefitted from one's literary work for the progression of Islam, the reward of each word being read will be given to the originator. 
These are some of the means by which one can ensure recurring of one's donation that will continue to reward him even after his death. We will publish a separate post deliberate in depth on this type of rewarding charity in time.

As for the knowledge by which people can benefit, it may include publishing of books of knowledge, or preparing people to carry on with the knowledge you have and continue to spread it even after one's death.

And the last type of recurring charity is the prayers by the faithful and pious children of the deceased who continue to remember their parents and continue to pray for their forgiveness. 
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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