CHAPTER TEN
FATIHA, 3 DAYS, 10 DAYS & 40 DAYS
INTRODUCTION
To pass on the reward of physical and financial ibaadat to other Muslims is permissible, and the thawaab reaches the person whom it is passed to. This is proven from the Quran, Hadith aod rulings of the Jurists (Fuqahaa). The Holy Quran has ordered Muslims to make dua for each other. Namaaz-e-Janaazah is made by Muslims for another Muslim. Hadrat Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ said to someone. “من یضمن لی منکم ان یصلی فی مسجد العشار رکعتین و یقول ھذہ لا بی ھریرۃ" Mishkaat, Baabul-Fitan. Baabu/-Malaahim, Section 2
Three important points emerge from this,
I. Completing physical ibaadat (namaaz with the intention of passing the reward, i.e. Isaal-e-Thawaab) for someone else is permissible.
2. Passing on the reward (Isaal-e-Thawaab) by mouth (i.e. saying, "O AlIah عزوجل! Give its reward to this certain individual.') is an excellent practice.
1 With the intention of blessings, to perform namaaz in Musjids associated to the pious elders is a means of reward.
With regards to financial ibaadat (e.g. Zakaat) and the collection of both physical and financial ibaadat (e.g. Hajj), if a person says to another, "Give out Zakaat on my behalf," the latter may do so. If a person with wealth does not have the strength to complete the Hajj, he may arrange for another to perform Hajj-eBadal for him. The reward of every act of worship definitely reaches the correct person. This is akin to giving my wealth to another, who then becomes the owner of it,
Yes, the difference between wealth and thawaab is that distributed wealth no longer remains with you and the amount becomes less with every added person it is shared with. However, if you pass on thawaab to a few people, each one of them receives the complete reward (including you). This can be understood through the following example - if someone teaches a few people the Holy Quran and all attain its knowledge, still too will the teacher not lose his knowledge. Refer to Shaami, Vol. I,
Discussion on the Dafn (Burying) of the Deceased. This is why taking a gift from a minor (Naa-Baaligh) child is prohibited yet taking thawaab isn't. Some people say that thawaab doesn't reach anyone because the Holy Quran states, "Only that which a person has done himself is beneficial or harmful to him," 10.1 and "A human receives only that which he himself bas done." 10.2
According to them, these Ahadith establish that the actions of others arc not beneficial to an individual. This is totally incorrect because the ' ل' here is for ownership, meaning the deeds of a human are solely in his ownership and are worthy of being trusted. Hoping that Isaal-e-Thawaab will be made and forsaking one's own deeds is incorrect. Who knows if anyone will make Isaal-e- Thawaab or not? So, trust your own deeds and do not neglect completing them. -Tafsen Khazaainul-Irfaan, etc.
Another common objection is that this order was from the scriptures (saheefas) of Hadrat Ibrahim علیہ السلام and Hadrat Musa علیہ السلام , not Islam (it was merely quoted here), or that this ayat has been made inapplicable (mansookh) by this verse, “ اتبعتھم ذر یتھم بایمان” This is the verdict of Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ which is why Muslim infants will enter Jannat through the means of their parents. Without having done any deed, they will attain rank. - Jumal, Khaazin
There are many interpretations like these for this verse. Fatiha, Teeja (Fatiha made on the 3rd day after a person's death), Daswaa (the l0th day after Chaliswaa (on the 40 day after), etc. are all branches of lsaal-e-Thawaab. Only the following transpires and makes up Fatiha: Recitation of the Holy Quran, which is a physical act of worship (ibaadat), and Charity, which is financial ibaadat. These are collected and their thawaab is passed on.
PROOF OF FATIHA
Under the ayat, “و ھذا کتاب انزلناہ مبارک” 10.4 Tafseer Roohul-Bayaan states, "It is narrated from Hadrat Aaraj رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہthat 4,000 angels say "Ameen" on the dua made after the completion of the Holy Quran's recitation. They then make dua for the reciter and ask for his forgiveness until either dawn or dusk."10.5
The above quotation appears in Imam Nawawi's رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ book, Kitaabul-Azkaar, Kitaabu-T'ilaawatil-Quran. It confirms that dua is accepted at the time of the Quran being completed (khatam). Isaal-e-Thawaab is also a dua. Thus, 1O complete the recitation of the Quran at that time is good. Ashiatul-Lam'aa states, "Charity should be given from the day the deceased pass away until seven days after." - Baabu Ziyaaratil-Quboor
The book further states. "On Thursday nights. the soul of the deceased returns to his home to see whether people give out charity on his behalf or not." -Ibid
This reveals the source of the practice in some areas of continuously giving out charity in the form of rotis from the day of demise until the seventh day after.
Constantly making Fatiha is also sourced from this. The Holy Prophet" gave out charity on behalf of Ameer Harnza رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہon the 3rd, 7th and 40th day, as well as on the 6lh and 12th month subsequent to his demise. - Anwaare-Saatia, Pg. 145. Marginal notes on the book. Khazaanatur-Riwaayat
This is the source for Fatiha on the 3" day (Teeja), after 6 months (Shashmaahi) and a full year afterwards (Barsi).
At the time of completing the Holy Quran (Khatmul-Quran), Hadrat Anas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ used to gather his family members and make dua. Hakeem ibn Utba states that Mujaahid and his slave, Ibn Ahi Luhaaha, gathered people together and said, "We have called you because we are completing the Holy Quran today and dua is accepted at the time of Khatmul-Quran." It has been authentically narrated from Hadrat Mujaahid رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that the Pious elders used to call gatherings of people at the time of Khatmul-Quran and say, "Mercy descends in this time." - KilaabulAskaor, Baabu Tilaawatil-Quran
Thus, the gatherings of Teeja (3rd Day) and Chaliswaa (40th) is the practice of the pious predecessors. Durre-Mukhtaar states. "If a person recites Surah Ikhlaas 11 times and conveys its reward to the deceased, all of the deceased equally receive the thawaab.'10.8-Baobu-Dafn, Qiraat IiI-Mayyit
Under the above extract. Shaami states, "Whatever is possible to be read from the Quran should be recited. Also, Surah Fatiha, the initial ayats of Surah Baqarah, Ayatul-Kursi, the final ayats of Surah Baqarah, Surah Yaseen, Mulk, Takaasur and Ikhlaas, either II, 7 or ) times. Should be recited and then said afterwards, ''O Allahعزوجل! Convey the reward of whatever I have recited to [so-and-so]" 10.9
These extracts explain the complete procedure of the contemporary method of malting Fatiha, which is reciting the Holy Quran from different places and then making dua for the Isaal-e- Thawaab. Lifting the hands in dua is Sunnat, so the hands should he lifted in the dua of Isaal-e-Thawaab as well. In short, the current method of Fatiha is clearly illustrated here. Fataawa Azeezia states. "Reciting the Qui-Sharif, Fatiha and Durood on the food for the niaz of Hadrat Imam Hasan رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ and Husain رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ is a means of blessings, and consuming it is good and allowed."Pg.75
Shah Abdul-Azeez Muhaddith Dehlwi رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ writes, "If maleeda (a type of food) or milk is prepared and fed for the Fatiha of a pious person with the intention of Isaal-e-Thawaab, it is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it." Fataawa Azeezia, Pg. 41
Even the Teeja of Shah Waliyullah رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ (who the opposition accepts as their leader) took place. Shah Abdul-Azeez رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ mentions it in the following manner, "On the third day, there was such a major concentration of people that they were beyond count. There were 81 counted Khatams of the Holy Quran but definitely more than this amount. There is no estimation of how many times the Kalima Tayyiba was read." - Malfoozoat-e-Abdul-Azeez, Pg. 80
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