Question:

What are the conditions of Sadaqtul-Jariyah and how is it supposed to be done in accordance with the sunnah?

Answer:

Shaikh Ibn ul-Uthaymeen rahimahullah said:

“Sadaqtul-Jariyah means a person gives something in charity and this thing continues [to benefit]. The best of what sadatul-Jariyah can be is building Masaajid because the reward of the one who built it will continue as long as the masjid is established night and day and the Muslims remain in the Masaajid for prayers, recitation [of the Quran], learning and teaching of knowledge. And other than that of the sadaqatul Jariyah like a person leaving an endowment such as real estate or gardens or the likes for the poor and the Masaakeen or for the students of knowledge or for those who struggle in the path of Allah. Or what resembles that of the sadaqatul-Jariyah. Or that a person publishes beneficial books for the Muslims to read and benefit from whether it is the contemporary authors or those authors of the past. What is important is that the books are beneficial for the Muslims after him. From sadaqtul-Jariyah is repairing the street. For verily if a person repairs the streets and removes the harm, the people continue to benefit from it. So that is from the sadaqtul-Jariyah. The principle for sadaqtul Jariyah is every righteous deed which continues [to benefit] the person after his death”

[Sharh Riyaadus-Saliheen (5/438)]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

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Question:

There is something translated by Akhi Faisal about sadaqtul jaariyah by sheikh Uthaymeen, and in it he says that it can be books that are authored and benefited by the people after one dies. Wouldn’t this fall under knowledge that is benefited based on the hadith:

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit, pious son who prays for him.”

[Muslim].

So is the part ‘knowledge by which people derive benefit‘ from fall under ongoing charity?

Answer:

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen mentioned the publishing of those books is a sadaqahtul Jaariyah, not the authorship of them or teaching the knowledge. The person who simply publishes them has done a Sadaqatul Jariyah but the knowledge is not attributed to him. So, there is a difference between him and the one who actually taught the knowledge

Answered by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan