25th April 2016
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Q: 1) When does the three days Taziyyat period start? Is it after the person’s death or after burial and can one do tazi’yyat after three days?
2) Should the visitors demand food from the bereaved household members to prepare food for them?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
- Ta’ziyyat (bereavement) is for three days which begins from the person’s death and not necessarily from the burial time. Ta’ziyyat should not be made after the third day of the person’s death except if either a bereaved family member or those wanting to express their condolences were absent during those three days. [1] Other than that, Islām does not recognise extending the mourning period beyond three days.
- Visitors who come to express their condolences should not demand prepared food from the bereaved family. Scholars have condemned the culture of the bereaved family preparing food for the guests and regard it as a bid’ah (innovation) practice. [2] In fact the guests are encouraged to prepare cooked food for the bereaved family due to their engagement in the moaning of their deceased. This has been reported from the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam as an act of courteousness and compassion.[3] In today’s customary practice where the bereaved family members prepare food for the visitors on the third or fourth day is an innovation in the religion and a sin. To refrain from such practice is necessary and as such, one must avoid partaking in the meal as much as possible.[4]
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Fatāwa Hindiyyah, Kitābus Salāh, Bāb fil Janāiz, vol 1 p. 183
وَوَقْتُهَا مِنْ حِينِ يَمُوتُ إلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَيُكْرَهُ بَعْدَهَا إلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمُعَزِّي أَوْ الْمُعَزَّى إلَيْهِ غَائِبًا فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهَا وَهِيَ بَعْدَ الدَّفْنِ أَوْلَى مِنْهَا قَبْلَهُ وَهَذَا إذَا لَمْ يُرَ مِنْهُمْ جَزَعٌ شَدِيدٌ فَإِنْ رُئِيَ ذَلِكَ قُدِّمَتْ التَّعْزِيَةُ
[2] Ibn Ābideen al-Shāmi Kitābus Salāh, Bāb Salātil Janāiz, vol 3 p. 148
وَيُكْرَهُ اتِّخَاذُ الضِّيَافَةِ مِنْ الطَّعَامِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ لِأَنَّهُ شُرِعَ فِي السُّرُورِ لَا فِي الشُّرُورِ، وَهِيَ بِدْعَةٌ مُسْتَقْبَحَةٌ: وَرَوَى الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” كُنَّا نَعُدُّ الِاجْتِمَاعَ إلَى أَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ وَصُنْعَهُمْ الطَّعَامَ مِنْ النِّيَاحَةِ
[3] Mishkāt No: 1739
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا جَاءَ نَعْيُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم صانعوا لِآلِ جَعْفَرٍ طَعَامًا فَقَدْ أَتَاهُمْ مَا يَشْغَلُهُمْ
[4] Mirqāt Sharh Mishkāt Bāb al-Bukā alal Mayit, vol 3, p. 1241
قَالَ الطِّيبِيُّ: دَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ يُسْتَحَبُّ لِلْأَقَارِبِ وَالْجِيرَانِ تَهْيِئَةُ طَعَامٍ لِأَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ اهـ. وَالْمُرَادُ طَعَامٌ يُشْبِعُهُمْ يَوْمَهُمْ وَلَيْلَتَهُمْ، فَإِنَّ الْغَالِبَ أَنَّ الْحُزْنَ الشَّاغِلَ عَنْ تَنَاوُلِ الطَّعَامِ لَا يَسْتَمِرُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ يَوْمٍ، وَقِيلَ: يُحْمَلُ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مُدَّةَ التَّعْزِيَةِ، ثُمَّ إِذَا صُنِعَ لَهُمْ مَا ذَكَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يُلِحَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْأَكْلِ لِئَلَّا يَضْعُفُوا بِتَرْكِهِ اسْتِحْيَاءً، أَوْ لِفَرْطِ جَزَعٍ، وَاصْطِنَاعُهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ أَوْ قَرِيبٍ لِلنَّائِحَاتِ شَدِيدُ التَّحْرِيمِ ; لِأَنَّهُ إِعَانَةٌ عَلَى الْمَعْصِيَةِ، وَاصْطِنَاعُ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ لَهُ لِأَجْلِ اجْتِمَاعِ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ بِدْعَةٌ مَكْرُوهَةٌ، بَلْ صَحَّ عَنْ جَرِيرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: كُنَّا نَعُدُّهُ مِنَ النِّيَاحَةِ، وَهُوَ ظَاهِرٌ فِي التَّحْرِيمِ. قَالَ الْغَزَالِيُّ: وَيُكْرَهُ الْأَكْلُ مِنْهُ، قُلْتُ: وَهَذَا إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ أَوِ الْغَائِبِ، وَإِلَّا فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِلَا خِلَافٍ. (رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ) وَقَالَ: حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ نَقَلَهُ مِيرَكُ. (وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ، وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ) قَالَ مِيرَكُ: رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيُّ.