Who should prepare food for the deceased’s (Mayyits) family?

Q. Respected Mufti Saheb. Is it prohibited for the Mayyits family to make food for the people attending the Janaazah? Who should make the food? I’ve been told that it is prohibited for the Mayyits family to make food for the people attending the Janaazah?

A. It is not prohibited for the household of the deceased to cook and prepare food for their household, their guests or for the people attending the funeral. The understanding that it is prohibited for them to do so is incorrect. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah 9/274/278)

Instead, family relatives, neighbors or associates are advised to cook and prepare food for the household of the deceased, as they will be pre-occupied in mourning the deceased.

It is reported that when Ja’far (Radiallahu Anhu) was killed, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam went to His (own) family and said: “The family of Ja’far are pre-occupied (in mourning) their deceased, so prepare food for them.” (Ibn Majah)

Note: The customary practice of burdening the household of the deceased to feed all the attendees to the funeral is contrary to Islamic principles and teachings. As far as possible, attendees to the funeral should make their own arrangements for food etc. and not burden the household of the deceased by making it into a feast.

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com