Dear MuftiMy husband recently died and i want to do sadqa jariyah for him .My children are age 6 years and 9 months old.Since they are young if i make them good muslims will they be sadqa jariyah for my husband even though he played no rolê in their upbringing. He was a many of kindness and loved to forgive i learnt this from him and Will teach my children.What other good deeds i can do on his behalf like if i donate money for water sanitation using his money Will it benefit him or the charity should be given by my children only to Benefit their father since i always read charity given by children for their parents is most beneficial. I have not read anything about wife or other people giving charity on behalf of dead that Will Benefit the stressed.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There is no doubt that the deceased will benefit from the righteousness of his children after his death, Allah willing, even if he did not have a direct role in their upbringing, because he will benefit from their supplications.
Besides, his choice of their righteous mother is considered an important role in raising them upon righteousness.
The deceased benefits from the continuous charity (charity which has a continuous benefit) whether it was donated for him, his children, his wife, or by any other strange person (a non-relative)
The Sharee’ah stipulated that the deceased benefits from the continuous charity, and it did not restrict it to be from one of his relatives.
Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “When a person dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: a continuous charity, or knowledge that benefits people, or a pious child who supplicates for him.” [Muslim]
The best charity for the deceased is the continuous charity, such as digging a well, and the like, in places where the people need water.
Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died; can I give charity on her behalf?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Yes.’ Sa’d asked: ‘What kind of charity is best?’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: ‘Providing drinking water’.” [Ahmad and others, and Al-Albaani classified it as Hassan (sound)]
Additionally, constructing mosques, Quran Memorization Centers, schools and hospitals, are all considered continuous charities.
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever builds a mosque in which the Name of Allah will be mentioned, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.” [Ahmad and others].
He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said: “Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, (even as small as) like a sparrow’s nest, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.” [Al-Albani classified it as authentic]
Also, spending charity on a needy family on behalf of the deceased; its reward will also reach the deceased. This is one of the best acts of charity as well, and it is one of the greatest in reward. Allah Says (what means): {Indeed, the men who practice charity and the women who practice charity and [they who] have loaned Allah a goodly loan – it will be multiplied for them, and they will have a noble reward.} [Quran 57:18]
So, dear sister, endeavor to raise your children on piety and righteousness, and both you and your husband –may Allah have mercy upon him –will benefit from them in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. Give charity on behalf of your husband and he will get its reward, Allah willing.
Finally, it should be noted that it is not permissible to give charity from the children’s money, who are still young and below the age of puberty, and it is not permissible to dispose of their wealth except in what is in the best of their interest.
The one who looks after the money of minors and dispose of it after the death of their father, is their grandfather or great-grandfather from their father’s side.
If the children do not have a grandfather or great-grandfather from their father’s side, then it is whoever the father of the children had appointed (in his will) to dispose of their wealth after his death. If there is none, then it is the (Muslim) judge, for the Hadeeth that reads: “The judge is the Wali (guardian) of whoever does not have a guardian.” [At-Tirmithi who classified it as Hassan, and Al-Haakim who classified it as authentic]
The departments and institutions set up by the government to take care of minors also act instead of the judge.
If there is no judge, then the guardianship transfers to the righteousness people among the Muslims. In the West, one should resort to reliable Islamic Centers run by the scholars.
Allah knows best.