Deeds that Benefit the Deceased | Through Good Deeds: Ṣadaqah and Islamic Teachings |
Losing a loved one is among the most painful and emotionally challenging experiences one can endure. The departure of someone dear to us leaves behind a deep void and often leads us to question what remains of our connection with them. Islam, however, offers a beautiful perspective that transcends the material separation brought by death.
In Islam, death is not the end but rather a transition — from the temporal world of tests and actions (Dunyā) to the eternal life of the grave and the Hereafter (Ākhirah). The separation is physical, not spiritual. Through the mercy and wisdom of Allah ﷻ, we are still able to connect with and benefit our departed loved ones in meaningful ways.
One of the most important and spiritually powerful means of benefiting the deceased is through righteous deeds, especially Ṣadaqah (charity) and Duʿāʾ (supplication). The teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah emphasize that our deeds — when done with the intention (niyyah) of benefitting others, including those who have passed away — can continue to generate ongoing reward for both the living and the deceased.
Foundational Hadith: What Benefits the Deceased
The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ clearly outlined what benefits a person after their death in the following authentic narration:
إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ: صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
Transliteration:
Idhā māta al-insānu inqaṭaʿa ʿanhu ʿamaluhu illā min thalāthin: ṣadaqatin jāriyah, aw ʿilmin yuntafaʿu bih, aw waladin ṣāliḥin yadʿū lahu
Translation:
“When a person dies, all their deeds end except for three: a continuous charity (ṣadaqah jāriyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 1631]
This hadith serves as the basis for our understanding of how the living can continue to benefit the dead — through continuous charity, spreading knowledge, and raising righteous children who remember their parents with prayer.
Understanding Ṣadaqah Jāriyah (Ongoing Charity)
What Is Ṣadaqah Jāriyah?
Ṣadaqah Jāriyah refers to a form of charity that continues to benefit others even after the donor has passed away. This could be anything that brings lasting benefit to people, animals, or the environment — as long as it was done sincerely for the sake of Allah.
What makes Ṣadaqah Jāriyah so special is that it doesn’t stop giving. Unlike one-time acts of charity that bring momentary benefit, ongoing charity continues to produce reward as long as people are benefiting from it.
Examples of Ṣadaqah Jāriyah:
- Building a water well or fountain in a place with limited access to clean water.
- Funding the construction or maintenance of a mosque, Islamic school, or library.
- Publishing Islamic literature or Qur’ān copies that others read and benefit from.
- Sponsoring an orphan and taking care of their needs.
- Planting trees that provide shade, fruit, or oxygen.
- Establishing a scholarship fund for Islamic studies or vocational training.
- Donating medical equipment to a free clinic or hospital.
- Recording and distributing beneficial Islamic lectures or digital resources.
Each of these actions creates a chain reaction of benefit. So long as people continue to use, learn from, or benefit from what was provided, the reward continues to reach the person — even after death.
Forms of Ṣadaqah Benefitting the Deceased
In addition to Ṣadaqah Jāriyah, there are numerous charitable actions that the living can carry out with the intention of benefitting the dead. The Prophet ﷺ and his companions taught us how to do this with sincerity and consistency.
1. Donating Money or Resources on Behalf of the Deceased
This is perhaps the most well-known and accessible form of charity for the dead. Whether it’s supporting a poor family, building a well, or funding an Islamic institution — the key is in the intention.
A man once came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:
“My mother died suddenly, and I think that if she had been able to speak, she would have given charity. Will she have a reward if I give charity on her behalf?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
Yes.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 2760]
This hadith proves that giving charity on behalf of someone who has passed away is not only allowed but rewarded.
2. Feeding the Poor and Hungry
Feeding others is a highly encouraged act of worship in Islam and can easily be done with the intention of sending reward to the deceased.
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًۭا وَيَتِيمًۭا وَأَسِيرًا
Transliteration:
Wa yuṭʿimūna aṭ-ṭaʿāma ʿalā ḥubbihi miskīnan wa yatīman wa asīrā
Translation:
“And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive.”
[Sūrat al-Insān (76): 8]
3. Sponsoring an Orphan or Student
Taking care of an orphan is a highly esteemed deed. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be in Paradise like this,” and he held his index and middle fingers close together.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 5304]
Sponsoring in the name of a deceased loved one is an incredible way to keep their legacy alive.
Duʿāʾ (Supplication) for the Deceased
Duʿāʾ is a direct means of spiritual connection between the living and the dead. As per the hadith earlier, a righteous child who prays for their parent is among the few acts that continue to benefit the deceased indefinitely.
General Duʿāʾ for the Deceased:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ، وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ
Transliteration:
Allāhumma aghfir lahu, warḥamhu, wa ʿāfihi, waʿfu ʿanhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassiʿ mudkhalahu
Translation:
“O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, grant him well-being, pardon him, honor his place of rest, and expand his entrance.”
This is often read during funerals or when visiting graves. However, you may recite this privately at any time.
Special Duʿāʾ for Parents
One of the most beloved acts is praying for our parents, especially after their passing.
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Transliteration:
Rabbi ighfir lī wa li-wālidayya wa lil-muʾminīn yawma yaqūmu al-ḥisāb
Translation:
“My Lord, forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day the account is established.”
[Sūrat Ibrāhīm (14): 41]
Making this Duʿāʾ regularly is a source of continuous reward for parents and builds a spiritual bond that lasts even after death.
Other Acts That Benefit the Deceased
1. Recitation of the Qur’an
While there is scholarly difference on whether the reward of Qur’an recitation reaches the dead, many scholars allow it, especially if the intention is to gift the reward (iṣāl al-thawāb). This is supported by general principles of reward-sharing in Islam.
2. Performing Ḥajj or ʿUmrah on Behalf of the Deceased
This is a highly rewarding act if the deceased had not fulfilled their obligation before death.
A woman asked the Prophet ﷺ, “My mother vowed to go for Hajj but died before she could. Should I perform Hajj on her behalf?”
He replied:
“Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 1852]
3. Observing Fast (Ṣawm) on Behalf of the Deceased
If the deceased missed obligatory fasts, a relative may fast on their behalf.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever dies and had (unfulfilled) fasts, his guardian should fast on his behalf.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 1952]
Love Beyond Death: Islam’s Spiritual Framework for Grief
Islam teaches that while our emotional bond with the deceased continues, it should inspire us toward positive spiritual action — not despair.
When we make Duʿāʾ, give Ṣadaqah, sponsor a well, or feed the poor — with the intention that the reward reaches our loved one — we are partaking in a beautiful, hopeful act that transcends the finality of this world.
Every tear shed, every prayer whispered, and every good deed done with love in their memory is, insha’Allah, counted in their scale of deeds.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Light
Islamic teachings empower us with the tools to continue loving, honoring, and serving our deceased relatives. Through Ṣadaqah, Duʿāʾ, Hajj, fasting, and beneficial knowledge, we are gifted a way to write light into their record even after their soul has departed this world.
Let us make it a habit to:
- Recite Duʿāʾ daily for our parents and loved ones.
- Regularly give charity in their name.
- Support long-lasting projects such as wells, trees, books, or mosques.
- Share knowledge that lives on after us.
May Allah accept our deeds, forgive the shortcomings of our loved ones, and unite us all in Jannah al-Firdaws. Āmīn.
