Will it be considered a sin or Bidah if we remember the death day of our beloved.
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:
Assalaamu
alaikum wa rehmathullahi barakathahu
Dear
Brothers and Sisters
Will
it be considered a sin or Bidah if we remember the death day of our beloved who
have passed away and do some charity on that eve personally according to lunar
calendar dates,Not making know anybody of our intention openly other than ALLAH
only. And solely intending that ALLAH save the soul of the dead from punishment
of grave and the hereafter.Particularly to our parents and the people who
helped us of the good Allah had bestowed on them.
Jazakkallah
Khair
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errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
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Answer:
Anniversary bida commemorate dead day
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.
The birth-day or death-day of any individual has
absolutely no significance in the deen of Islam, and never ever did the
Messenger of Allah (saws) celebrate his own birthday, nor did he (saws) ever
celebrate the birth or death anniversaries of his loved ones, nor did even his
noble companions, who loved the Prophet (saws) more than anyone else, ever
celebrate the birthday of their Noble Leader and Prophet (saws) during his
(saws) life-time, or his death anniversary after his (saws) death!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzab verse 21:
There is indeed the best example for you to
follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah
and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.
For an act, or deed, or rite or ritual of worship,
celebration or commemoration of a day or night, etc. to be considered a part of
worship in Islam, or for it to be considered acceptable and pleasing to the
Lord Creator, it is absolutely imperative that this act, or deed, or rite or
ritual of worship, or the celebration or commemoration be endorsed by Allah and
His Messenger (saws). It that act or
deed or celebration in Islam is not endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws),
then it would not constitute an acceptable or meritorious deed in the Sight of
the Lord.
Therefore if someone starts the ritual of celebrating or
commemorating the Prophet’s (saws) or any others birth or death days, thinking
of it as a rite which will bring about the Pleasure or Good Will of Allah
Subhanah, he will be inventing a thing in the deen of Islam which is not from
the deen! And that is exactly what the
Messenger of Allah (saws) termed as ‘bidah’ or innovation; and every single
innovation in the pure and perfect deen of Islam is an error, a sin, and
absolutely detestable to the Lord Most Majestic.
Aisha narrated that
the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘If somebody innovates something which is
not present in our religion, then that thing will be rejected.’
Related by Bukhari.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If
anyone introduces an innovation (in religion),
he will be responsible for it.
If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who
introduces an innovation (in religion),
he is cursed by Allah, by His
Angels, and by all the people.”
Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a
sermon: “The best speech is that which
is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran;
and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”
Your Question: Will
it be considered a sin or Bidah if we remember the death day of our beloved who
have passed away and do some charity on that eve personally according to lunar
calendar dates,Not making know anybody of our intention openly other than ALLAH
only. And solely intending that ALLAH save the soul of the dead from punishment
of grave and the hereafter.Particularly to our parents and the people who
helped us of the good Allah had bestowed on them.
Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet
(saws) said, 'When a person dies all his good deeds cease except for
three:
Related by Muslim and Abu Dawood.
It is not only permissible but encouraged in Islam that
one make supplications for their deceased loved ones, especially their
parents….for such supplications indeed benefit the deceased.
But the question arises why should one only supplicate or
give ‘sadaqah’ in the name of their deceased loved ones only on the ‘eve’ of
their death anniversary???.....What is possibly stopping the surviving loved
ones from making supplications and spending in ‘sadaqa’ for their deceased
loved ones every day of the week, or whenever they remember them????
Beloved brother, one may and should supplicate for their
deceased loved ones whenever they make supplications for themselves, rather
than invent a ritual whereby the deceased are remembered and commemorated only
once in a year!
But if one believes or assumes that the commemoration of
the deceased done on the ‘eve’ or ‘day’ of their death anniversary is any more
beneficial or more meritorious or more acceptable than if done on any other
day….then indeed such a belief and assumption would constitute a manifestation
of ‘bida’ or innovation in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.
If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and
commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws),
one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any
other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be
assured of being led astray.
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