Among the most common questions Muslims ask after losing a loved one is: what can I do for them now? The answer from the Qurʾān, Sunnah, and the Hanafī school is both clear and comforting — there is much we can do. This article covers the permissibility of duʾāʾ for the deceased and Įsāl al-Thawāb.
The Qurʾānic Evidence
“And those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith.”
Sūrah al-Ḥashr (59:10)
This verse establishes that praying for forgiveness on behalf of deceased Muslims is not only permitted but is a quality of the believers. Imām al-Qurṭubī notes this verse proves the living can benefit the dead through duʾāʾ.
The Prophetic Evidence
“When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except three: Ṣadaqah jāriyah (ongoing charity), knowledge from which others benefit, and a righteous child who prays for him.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 1631
This hadith explicitly confirms that duʾāʾ of a child reaches the deceased parent — meaning the deceased can receive benefit from the living after death. This is the unanimous position of all four schools.
What Can Be Sent as Įsāl al-Thawāb?
- Duʾāʾ and Istighfār — unanimous agreement across all schools
- Recitation of Qurʾān — valid and recommended in the Hanafī school
- Ṣadaqah on their behalf — explicitly confirmed in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
- Voluntary fasting on their behalf — permitted by Ḥadīth
- Hajj and ʿUmrah on their behalf — explicitly permitted by the Prophet ﷺ
- Dhikr gatherings with intention of reward for the deceased — valid in Hanafī fiqh
Recommended Duʾāʾ for the Deceased
Allāhummaghfir liʿl-ḥayyi waʿl-mayyit, waʿl-shāhidi waʿl-ghāʾb, waʿl-ṣaghīri waʿl-kabīr, waʿl-dhakari waʿl-unthā.
“O Allah, forgive the living and the dead, the present and the absent, the young and the old, the male and the female.” (Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī)
The door of benefit for our deceased loved ones remains open through duʾāʾ, ṣadaqah, and good deeds. May Allah ﷻ accept our efforts for them and reunite us with them in His mercy. Āmīn.
