Fatwa ID: 09012
Answered by Mufti Sakib Shadman
Question:
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
Is there any benefit in doing isal al-thawab for individuals (such as parents, teachers, the Prophet ﷺ etc) instead of just doing it for the entire living and dead ummah?
For example, a person sacrifices a large animal for qurbani. Would there be any benefit for him in specifying different shares to different groups of people, or would it be best to just do every share for the entire ummah? (since the reward reaches everyone equally anyway)
«حاشية ابن عابدين = رد المحتار ط الحلبي» (2/ 357):
«وفي التتارخانية عن المحيط الأفضل لمن يتصدق نفلا أن ينوي لجميع المؤمنين والمؤمنات؛ لأنها تصل إليهم ولا ينقص من أجره شيء اهـ والله تعالى أعلم»
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
As per your citation from Raddul-Muhtar, it is most virtuous to send reward (Isaal-e-Sawaab) of your charity/Qurbani to the believing Muslims.
However, there is a separate virtue in sending rewards specifically to individuals such as your parents, teachers, the Prophet ﷺ, etc.
For example, by sending a reward specifically to your parents, you are fulfilling their rights, maintaining ties (Silah) with them [4], and expressing gratitude for their sacrifices in raising you. [3] There is a greater presence of heart when you send a reward to your parents, as you focus your intention on specific revered individuals.
Finally, in the same section of Raddul-Muhtar, it is mentioned that if you send reward to multiple individuals, it will be divided between them, thus your parents will only receive a small portion of the reward if you dedicate your sacrifice to the whole Ummah. However, the author Ibn Abidin (may Allah Ta’ala have mercy on him) agrees with Ibn Hajar Al-Makki (may Allah Ta’ala have mercy on him) that each individual will receive the full reward. [2]
In any case, targeting specific individuals for Isaal-e-Sawaab carries an added virtue and benefit, such as Birrul-Walidayn (dutifulness to one’s parents) in the case of parents. Hence, when Nuh (عليه السلام) made Dua, he specifically asked forgiveness for himself and his parents before generalising and asking forgiveness for those believers who entered his house.
رَّبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيۡتِيَ مُؤۡمِنٗا وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارَۢا
My Lord, forgive me and my parents, and whoever enters my house, a believer, and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction.” (Surah Nuh, verse 28) [1]
Thus, you may dedicate all seven shares of your Qurbani sacrifice to the believing Muslims, as a maximum number of people will benefit from the sacrifice. You may also specify shares of the Qurbani sacrifice for your parents and other blessed individuals, with the remaining shares dedicated to believing Muslims. Both options are beneficial, and your reward correlates to the sincerity and generosity behind your intention. [5]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Sakib Shadman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
{رَبّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ} كَانَا مُؤْمِنَيْنِ {وَلِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِي}مَنْزِلِي أَوْ مَسْجِدِي {مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَات}إلَى يَوْم الْقِيَامَة {وَلَا تَزِدْ الظَّالِمِينَ إلَّا تَبَارًا} هَلَاكًا فَأُهْلِكُوا
Tafsīr al-Jalālayn, Dār al-Maʿrifah, n.d., p. 770.
Accessed via al‑Maktabah al‑Shāmilah – 05‑05‑26.
[2]
وَيُوَضِّحُهُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ أَهْدَى الْكُلَّ إلَى أَرْبَعَةٍ يَحْصُلُ لِكُلٍّ مِنْهُمْ رُبُعُهُ فَكَذَا لَوْ أَهْدَى الرُّبُعَ لِوَاحِدٍ وَأَبْقَى الْبَاقِيَ لِنَفْسِهِ اهـ مُلَخَّصًا
قُلْت: لَكِنْ سُئِلَ ابْنُ حَجَرٍ الْمَكِّيُّ عَمَّا لَوْ قَرَأَ لِأَهْلِ الْمَقْبَرَةِ الْفَاتِحَةَ هَلْ يُقْسَمُ الثَّوَابُ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ يَصِلُ لِكُلٍّ مِنْهُمْ مِثْلُ ثَوَابِ ذَلِكَ كَامِلًا
Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al Mukhtār (Ḥāshiyat Ibn ʿĀbidīn), Ṭ. al-Ḥalabī, n.d. (Vol. 2), p. 243.
Accessed via al‑Maktabah al‑Shāmilah – 05‑05‑26.
[3]
{ووصينا الإنسان بوالديه حسنا} وَفِي قِرَاءَة إحْسَانًا أَيْ أَمَرْنَاهُ أَنْ يُحْسِن إلَيْهِمَا فَنَصَبَ إحْسَانًا عَلَى الْمَصْدَر بِفِعْلِهِ الْمُقَدَّر وَمِثْله حَسَنًا {حَمَلَتْهُ أُمّه كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا} أَيْ عَلَى مَشَقَّة
Tafsīr al-Jalālayn, Dār al-Maʿrifah, n.d., p. 668.
Accessed via al‑Maktabah al‑Shāmilah – 05‑05‑26.
[4]
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ حَفْصَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ الرَّائِحِ، عَنْ سَلْمَانَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ عَلَى الْمِسْكِينِ صَدَقَةٌ وَعَلَى ذِي الرَّحِمِ اثْنَتَانِ صَدَقَةٌ وَصِلَةٌ ” .
Sunan an‑Nasāʾī 2582
[5]
الدليل الثاني: يمكن أن يُستدل بقوله ﷺ: “إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى” (٣).
وجه الدلالة: كون الأمور بمقاصدها
Al-Masāʾil al-Fiqhiyyah allatī ʿalayhā al-Fatwā ʿinda Mutaʾakhkhirī al-Ḥanafiyyah (Jamʿan wa Dirāsah), n.d., p. 130.
Accessed via al‑Maktabah al‑Shāmilah – 05‑05‑26.