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Impermissible to Give Charity or Ask Forgiveness for Someone who Died Upon Disbelief

Question

Can i make dua and sedeqah for my parents who died with out islam?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu`alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The Sharia stipulates that whoever dies as a non-Muslim, it is not permissible to supplicate for him with mercy and forgiveness. If that were permissible for anyone, it would be for Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and Allah forbade the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) from seeking forgiveness for his uncle. Allah Says (what means): {It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.} [Quran 9:113]

It was reported that‘Ali  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: “I heard a man seeking forgiveness for his parents who were polytheists, so I said to him: ‘You seek forgiveness for your parents while they are polytheists?’ He said: ‘Did Ibrahim not seek forgiveness for his father, and he was a polytheist?’ So, I mentioned that to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and (the following verse) was revealed: {It is not for the Prophet nor those who believe, that they should seek forgiveness for the polytheists…} [Quran 9:113] [Musnad Ahmad and Sunan at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasa’i]

Besides, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “I sought permission to beg forgiveness for my mother, but He did not grant it to me. I sought permission from Him to visit her grave, and He granted it (permission) to me.” [Muslim]

The scholars have unanimously agreed that it is not permissible to seek forgiveness for one who died as a polytheist. An-Nawawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said in al-Majmoo’: “As for supplicating for the disbeliever and asking forgiveness for him, it is forbidden by the text of the Quran and consensus of the scholars.

Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqiyah reads about seeking forgiveness for the non-Muslim who died upon disbelief: “The jurists agreed that asking forgiveness for the disbelievers is prohibited. Rather, some scholars have even exaggerated on this matter and said:” Asking forgiveness for the non-Muslim necessitates the kufr of the one who did it because it involves denial of the texts that indicate that Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him and that whoever dies as a disbeliever will be among the people of Hellfire.” [End of quote]

The Sharia stipulated that whoever dies as a disbeliever does not benefit from giving charity on his behalf. Amru ibn Al-‘Aas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him wanted to give charity on behalf of his father, Al-‘Aas ibn Wael Al-Sahmi, may Allaah be pleased with him, – and he had died as a disbeliever – so he asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) about this. The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Had he been a Muslim, and you had emancipated slaves on his behalf, or given charity on his behalf, or performed the pilgrimage, that would have reached him.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

Allah knows best.

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