Question:
Is Sadaqah Jaariyah (ongoing charity) what a person gives during his lifetime,
or what his family gives on his behalf after his death?
Answer:
The apparent meaning of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “except
from an ongoing charity” is that it refers to what the deceased himself did,
not what his children do for him after his death. This is because what comes
from the child was explained by the Messenger ﷺ when he
said: “or a righteous child who supplicates for him.”
So, if the deceased, during his life, made a will for
something to be ongoing charity, or established an endowment that becomes
ongoing charity, then he will benefit from it after his death. The same applies
to knowledge, because it is from his own earning. And likewise, the child, if
he supplicates for him.
As such, if we were asked: “Is it better that I pray
two rak‘ahs for my father, or that I pray two rak‘ahs for myself and make du‘aa
for my father in them?” We would say: It is better that you pray two rak‘ahs
for yourself and make du’aa for your father in them, because this is what the Prophet
ﷺ guided us to, when
he said: “or a righteous child who makes du’aa for him.” And he did not say: “performs
prayer for him” or “does another deed for him.”
Source: Fataawaa Arkaan al-Islaam, p. 296, Q389
by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)
The Shaykh رحمه الله was asked:
Does ongoing charity and donated wealth reach the deceased?
He replied رحمه الله:
We must know that ongoing charity is that which the
deceased himself did before he died. Like a man who built a masjid — this is
ongoing charity. A man who made a water cooler as waqf. A man who dug a well to
give people water to drink — this is ongoing charity. A man who repaired rough
roads to make them easy for people — this is ongoing charity. As for charity
given by some relatives after a person dies — this does reach the deceased and
benefit him, but it is not what is meant by the statement of the Messenger of
Allah ﷺ: “ongoing charity.”
The question then remains: What is better and more
virtuous for a person — to give charity on behalf of his parents, or to pray on
their behalf, or to fast on their behalf after their death, or is it better to
make du’aa for them? The answer: The best is to make du’aa for them, acting
upon the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
That is when he said: “When the son of Adam dies, his
deeds are cut off except from three: ongoing charity, or beneficial knowledge,
or a righteous child who makes du’aa for him.”
Source: Majmoo’ Fataawaa wa Rasaail vol. 2, by Shaykh
Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah jave mercy on him)