Does the reward for reciting the Quran reach the deceased when the recitation's reward is dedicated to them?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Funerals
Primary text
When the Quran is recited for the deceased or its reward is dedicated to them, the reward accrues to the reciter, and the deceased is considered present, making mercy for them hoped for. This position is supported by the consensus of Muslims across all eras and lands who gather to recite the Quran and dedicate the reward to their deceased without censure. Additionally, it is established in an authentic Hadith that the deceased is afflicted by the weeping of his family, indicating that God, who is more generous, would transmit the punishment for sin but withhold the reward for devotion.
Supporting text
The counter-argument posits that the Hadith establishing the cessation of deeds (except for three things) implies that rewards for recitation, which is not among those three, do not reach the deceased. However, this argument is refuted by asserting that the Hadith only proves the cessation of one's *own* action, and even if it implied otherwise, it would be restricted to what was explicitly mentioned, leaving other matters, like Quran recitation, open to analogy with permitted acts.