mother died; will it benefit her if I give charity on her behalf?" He said: "Yes." Narrated by Abu Dawud (24). This was also narrated (25) on the authority of Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah (26). A woman came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, the duty of Hajj prescribed by Allah reached my father when he was an old man, unable to stay steady on his mount. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?" He replied: "Do you see that if your father had a debt, would you pay it off?" She said: "Yes." He said: "Then the debt of Allah is more deserving to be paid" (27). And he said to the person
(24) In: Chapter: What has been narrated regarding someone who dies without a will and charity is given on their behalf, from the Book of Wills. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/106. It was also extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: Chapter: If one says 'my land or my garden is charity on behalf of my mother, it is valid even if one does not specify for whom it is', and Chapter: What is recommended for those whose relative dies suddenly that they give charity on their behalf, and Chapter: Testimony in endowments and charity, and Chapter: If one endows land and does not clarify the boundaries, it is valid, from the Book of Wills. Sahih al-Bukhari 4/9, 10, 13. And Muslim, in: Chapter: The reaching of the reward of charity to the deceased, from the Book of Zakat, and in: Chapter: The reaching of the reward of charities to the deceased, from the Book of Wills. Sahih Muslim 2/696, 3/1254. And Al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter: What has been narrated regarding charity on behalf of the deceased, from the Chapters of Zakat. ‘Aridat al-Ahwadhi 3/175. And Al-Nasa’i, in: Chapter: If one dies suddenly, is it recommended for his family to give charity on his behalf?, and Chapter: The virtue of charity on behalf of the deceased, from the Book of Wills. Al-Mujtaba 6/209, 210, 211. And Imam Malik, in: Chapter: The charity of the living on behalf of the dead, from the Book of Judicial Matters. Al-Muwatta 2/760. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 1/370, 5/285. (25) In the original: "wa-yuwra". (26) See its extraction by each of: Al-Bukhari, Al-Nasa’i, Malik, and Ahmad, in the previous hadith. (27) The author combined in this context the wordings of two hadiths: The first without comparing Hajj to debt, and the second with its meaning but the questioner is a man. The first was extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: Chapter: The obligation of Hajj and its virtue, from the Book of Hajj, and in: Chapter: Hajj on behalf of one who cannot stay steady on his mount, and Chapter: A woman’s Hajj on behalf of a man, from the Book of the Restricted and the Penalty of Hunting, and in: Chapter: The Farewell Pilgrimage, from the Book of Expeditions, and in: Chapter: The saying of Allah the Almighty: {O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain...} etc., from the Book of Seeking Permission. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/163, 3/23, 5/322, 8/63. And Muslim, in: Chapter: Hajj on behalf of the incapable due to chronic illness, old age, and the like, or death, from the Book of Hajj. Sahih Muslim 2/973, 974. And Abu Dawud, in: Chapter: A man performs Hajj on behalf of another, from the Book of Rituals. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/420. And Al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter: What has been narrated regarding Hajj on behalf of the elderly and the deceased, from the Chapters of Hajj. ‘Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/157. And Ibn Majah, in: Chapter: Hajj on behalf of the living if he is unable, from the Book of Rituals. Sunan Ibn Majah 2/971. And Al-Nasa’i, in: Chapter: A woman’s Hajj on behalf of a man, from the Book of Hajj, and in: Chapter: Judging by analogy and example, from the Book of Adab al-Qudah (Etiquette of Judges). Al-Mujtaba 5/90, 8/200, 201. And Imam Malik, in: Chapter: Hajj on behalf of one for whom Hajj is performed, from the Book of Hajj. Al-Muwatta 1/359. =
