Feeding family on the first Sunday after a funeral

Question:-

When there is a funeral in our family, on the first Sunday thereafter, a family will order and pay for the food. They will invite all the family members to partake of the food at the deceased person’s home. A minimum of 60 people will be invited. Is this permissible?

Answer:-

If the practice (of inviting family members for a Dawat) has become an obligatory custom on every demise in the family, then one should refrain from attending the function, as this will fall in the category of an innovation. At the same time, an effort should be made to gradually correct the incorrect custom with kindness, wisdom and tolerance. However, if the practice (of inviting the family and feeding them) is not considered as necessary, rather food is cooked for the funeral home, and if any family members visit (without being invited) and are requested to partake of the meals, then it will not be considered as a Bid’ah.

من أحدث فِي أمرنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رد مُتَّفق على صِحَّته وَفِي رِوَايَة لمُسلم وعلقها البُخَارِيّ فِي صَحِيحه جَازِمًا بهَا من عمل عملا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أمرنَا فَهُوَ رد وَمعنى قَوْله فَهُوَ رد أَي مَرْدُود على صَاحبه لَا يقبل فَالْوَاجِب على أهل الْإِسْلَام التقيد بِمَا شَرعه الله والحذر مِمَّا أحدثه النَّاس من الْبدع (فتاوي مهمة لعموم الامة ص93 ج1)

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 20 Shabaan 1444 / 13 March 2023