#1052: On Burial Parties

“Question: Please what is the ruling concerning burial parties to invite people to gather and eat, exchange pleasantries after the dead of a loved ones. Is appropriate for Muslims to do this in the name of tribal custom which does not contradict Islam.?”

ANSWER:

Alhamdulillah

The Question been asked is one about which there is no doubt is Haraam as parties that are organized for the purpose of celebrating the dead are not sanctioned by Islam and are an emulation of the Kuffaar who do not see in death what the Muslims see as the aftermath of life after death.

There are many forbiddances in this matter.

The first, it is a form of emulation of the Kuffaar. Any form of emulating them that is not sanctioned in the Shariah is Haraam by consensus.

The second, it goes against the Shariah that stipulates that food be made by friends and neighbors and sent to the family of the the dead. This is the Sunnah.

Imam Ash-Shaafi’i said in Al-Umm:

“And it is beloved of the neighbors of the dead or those who are close to him that they make for the family of the dead on the Day of his death and its night some food that will suffice them because this is Sunnah and a kind remembrance, and it is the deed of the People of Good before and after us.”

And this is because the Rasul salallahu alayhi wasallam commanded that food be made for the family of Ja’afar when he died.

The third, the majority of the Ulama have held that it is disliked for the family of the bereaved to make food for those that come to visit them to greet them for their loss.

This position was held by the four Madh’habs.

Ibn Humaam Al-Hanafi in Fat’hu Al-Qadir, Al-Hattaab Al-Maaliki in Mawaahibu Al-Jalil, An-Nawawi in Rawdatu At-Taalibin, Ibn Qudaamah in Al-Mughni and Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu’ Al-Fataawah.

Why then should such parties be organized by a Muslim simply because it is known to be done in a particular tradition or culture?

Barakallahu fikum

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