Resolution No. (317): "Ruling on Deducting the Expenses of Receiving Mourners from the Estate of the Deceased"
Date: (21 Jumada al-Ula, 1444 AH), corresponding to (15/12/2022 AD).
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
In its fifteenth meeting held on the above date, the Board of Iftaa` reviewed question No.(224170) sent to the electronic website of the Iftaa` Department. It reads as follows:
Are the expenses of hospitality for receiving mourners, such as dates, water, chairs, and the like, to be taken from the estate of the deceased?
After deliberating, the Board decided what follows:
Expenses for preparing the deceased for burial should be paid from the estate whether he/she left wealth or not. As of the debts, they should be paid off from the deceased`s estate if he/she left any. If he/she didn`t , then it is recommended for the heirs to pay off the debts to clear the deceased from liability before Allah.
Other hospitality expenses-rented chairs, dates, water, food-shouldn`t be deducted from the estate of the deceased save with the approval of the adult discerning heirs since the approval of the minor heirs isn`t considerable. Otherwise, such expenses are to be covered by those receiving mourners and treating them with hospitality. In fact, honoring mourners isn`t among the rights to be collected from the estate of the deceased. However, it is part of good character and the strongest form of dutifulness to the deceased. The evidence on this is that the Abdullah b. Umar reported Allah's Apostle (PBUH) as saying: "The finest act of goodness is that a person should treat kindly the loved ones of his father." {Transmitted by Muslim}.
In any case, we recommend economizing expenses of receiving mourners so as not to make things difficult for the family of the deceased and deprive them from gifting the reward of good deeds to the deceased. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member
Prof. Mahmoud Al-Sartawi/ Member
Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member
Prof. Amjad Rasheed/ Member
Prof. Adam Nooh Al-Qhodah/ Member
Dr. Jameel Khatatbeh/ Member
Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member
Dr. Mohammad Younes al-Zou`bi/ Member