[Q 600] Isal-e-Sawab to Living People

QUESTION:

Salam mufti saab mera swal hai k kaya hum jo kuch quran e pak ko tilawat krty hai ya apni naik amal ka sawab zinda logo kk bhi kr sakty hai is k bary mai kio hadees hai to bata dy pls

ANSWER:

Indeed, one can convey (īsāl – conveying) the reward (sawāb – reward) of one’s good deeds to living people, rather even to all the Muslims who will come until the Day of Judgement. As mentioned in narrations, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, during his apparent life, would offer one قربانی (qurbānī – sacrifice) on behalf of himself and his family, and another on behalf of his Ummah (ummah – الأمة – Muslim community). Rather, after his passing, he also instructed Mawlā ʿAlī رضي الله تعالى عنه to do the same, and this was indeed īsāl al-thawāb (sending reward).

Note: In various narrations, the Ummah includes those who were alive at that time as well as those who were to come later, not only those who had already passed away with faith(Imaan). The better method is that, through the tawassul (tawassul – واسطہ / intercession) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, the reward should be conveyed to all the Prophets عليهم الصلوٰۃ والسلام, the Ṣaḥābah عليهم الرضوان, the Awliyā’ عليهم الرحمة, and all Muslims until the Day of Judgement.

In Sunan Ibn Mājah, it is reported:

”عن أبي هريرة، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان “إذا أراد أن يضحي، اشترى كبشين عظيمين، سمينين، أقرنين، أملحين موجوءين، فذبح أحدهما عن أمته، لمن شهد لله، بالتوحيد، وشهد له بالبلاغ، وذبح الآخر عن محمد، وعن آل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم“

Translation: Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله تعالى عنه narrates that when the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم intended to perform sacrifice, he would purchase two large, healthy, horned, spotted, castrated rams. He would sacrifice one on behalf of his Ummah—those who testify to the oneness of Allah and to his conveying of the message—and the other on behalf of Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم and the family of Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.

(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Book of Sacrifices, Vol. 2, Pg. 1043, Ḥadīth 3122, Dār Iḥyā’ al-Kutub al-ʿArabiyyah)

In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, it is narrated from Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله تعالى عنها:

”أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر بكبش أقرن يطأ في سواد، ويبرك في سواد، وينظر في سواد، فأتي به ليضحي به، فقال لها: “يا عائشة، هلمي المدية”، ثم قال: “اشحذيها بحجر”، ففعلت: ثم أخذها، وأخذ الكبش فأضجعه، ثم ذبحه، ثم قال: “باسم الله، اللهم تقبل من محمد، وآل محمد، ومن أمة محمد، ثم ضحى به.”“

Translation: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ordered for a horned ram… then he sacrificed it and said: “In the name of Allah. O Allah, accept this from Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, the family of Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, and from the Ummah of Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.”

(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Vol. 3, Pg. 1557, Ḥadīth 1967, Dār Iḥyā’ al-Turāth, Beirut)

Under this ḥadīth, in Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ, it is stated:

”ومن أمة محمد. قال الطيبي: المراد المشاركة في الثواب مع الأمة لأن الغنم الواحد لا يكفي عن اثنين فصاعدا“

Translation: “From the Ummah of Muḥammad”—ʿAllāmah Ṭībī states that what is meant is sharing in the reward with the Ummah, because one animal does not suffice on behalf of multiple individuals.

(Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ, Vol. 3, Pg. 1079, Dār al-Fikr, Beirut)

In explanation of this, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عليه رحمة الرحمن states:
“This shows that one can convey the reward of one’s farḍ (fard – obligatory) and wājib (wājib – necessary) acts to others, and it does not decrease. This ḥadīth is a strong proof for īsāl al-thawāb even when food is placed in front, as the animal is present and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is conveying its reward to his family and Ummah.”

(Mir’āt al-Manājīḥ, Vol. 2, Pg. 360, Qādrī Publishers, Lahore)

In Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah, it is stated:
“The Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, through his blessing, can include all Prophets, Awliyā’, believing men and women—those who have passed, those present, and those to come until the Day of Judgement—and this is الأفضل (afḍal – الأفضل / most virtuous).”

(Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah, Vol. 9, Pg. 622, Riḍā Foundation, Lahore)

Answered by: Qazi Muteeb Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Translated answer
Date: 27th March 2026.