Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (317): "Ruling on Deducting the Expenses of Receiving Mourners from the Estate of the Deceased"

Date Added : 04-01-2023

Resolution No. (317): "Ruling on Deducting the Expenses of Receiving Mourners from the Estate of the Deceased"

Date: (21 Jumada al-Ula, 1444 AH), corresponding to (15/12/2022 AD).

 

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

In its fifteenth meeting held on the above date, the Board of Iftaa` reviewed question No.(224170) sent to the electronic website of the Iftaa` Department. It reads as follows:

Are the expenses of hospitality for receiving mourners, such as dates, water, chairs, and the like, to be taken from the estate of the deceased?

After deliberating, the Board decided what follows:

Expenses for preparing the deceased for burial should be paid from the estate whether he/she left wealth or not. As of the debts, they should be paid off from the deceased`s estate if he/she left any. If he/she didn`t , then it is recommended for the heirs to pay off the debts to clear the deceased from liability before Allah.

Other hospitality expenses-rented chairs, dates, water, food-shouldn`t be deducted from the estate of the deceased save with the approval of the adult discerning heirs since the approval of the minor heirs isn`t considerable. Otherwise, such expenses are to be covered by those receiving mourners and treating them with hospitality. In fact, honoring mourners isn`t among the rights to be collected from the estate of the deceased. However, it is part of good character and the strongest form of dutifulness to the deceased. The evidence on this is that the Abdullah b. Umar reported Allah's Apostle (PBUH) as saying: "The finest act of goodness is that a person should treat kindly the loved ones of his father." {Transmitted by Muslim}.

In any case, we recommend economizing expenses of receiving mourners so as not to make things difficult for the family of the deceased and deprive them from gifting the reward of good deeds to the deceased. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

 

Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member

Prof. Mahmoud Al-Sartawi/ Member

Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member

Prof. Amjad Rasheed/ Member

Prof. Adam Nooh Al-Qhodah/ Member

Dr. Jameel Khatatbeh/ Member

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Younes al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What are the valid excuses for abstaining from congregational prayer in the mosque?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Concessions (Rukhsah) are granted to abstain from congregational prayer in the mosque due to general excuses, such as: rain that causes hardship in going out, strong winds at night, heavy mud that cannot be traversed without the risk of soiling oneself, hot winds, and extreme heat or cold. There are also specific individual excuses, such as: illness that makes walking as difficult as walking in the rain, severe drowsiness, evident hunger or thirst, the suppression of bodily wastes (urine, stool, or gas), and fear for one's life, limb, physical faculty, wealth, or honor, among other valid excuses. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

I have a brother who is harsh in his dealings [with me], and many problems have occurred between us, and I do not intend to reconcile with him. What is the ruling of Islamic Law on that?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to abandon or boycott his fellow Muslim brother for more than three days. This is based on the saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "It is not lawful for a Muslim to forsake his brother for more than three [days], meeting each other but one turns away and the other turns away, and the better of the two is the one who initiates the greeting (salam)." (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
A Muslim must strive to end such estrangement (hajr), so as not to fall under the prohibition mentioned in the hadith. If he takes the initiative to reconcile but the other party does not respond, then there is no sin upon him. We remind [ourselves] of the saying of Allah, the Exalted: "And let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (An-Nur/22). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

When is a child instructed to fast?

A child is instructed to fast at the age of seven if they are capable of fasting and have reached the age of discernment, by analogy to prayer. They should be encouraged but not forced, so they can become accustomed to it. It is obligatory for their guardian, whether a father or another, to instruct them.

Is it permissible to purchase the Udhiyah on installments?

It is permissible to purchase the sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyyah) on installments or by borrowing its price. However, it is not recommended for the poor to do so, because they are not required to offer a sacrifice, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. If doing so would lead to negligence in providing for one's dependents (nafaqah wājibah), then giving precedence to obligatory maintenance over borrowing to buy the sacrifice is appropriate. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "It is sufficient sin for a person to withhold food from those whom he is responsible to support."
 
Furthermore, the sacrifice is valid from one who has a debt, but it is preferable (awlā) to repay the debt first, especially if the debt is due immediately (ḥāll). And Allah Almighty knows best.