The Situation of the Deceased's Relatives Offering Food and Drinks in Condolences
Authors: Ergüven Nizamettin 
Published: December 2022

It is a law of Almighty Allah that every living thing will drink the sherbet of death. Death is not an extinction, but a gateway to an eternal life. Every separation is a cause of sadness for their relatives and loved ones. People naturally want to see their relatives and loved ones next to them on days of joy and sadness. The religion of Islam regards people as honorable. Just as the living thing is blessed, so is the dead. The responsibilities of a deceased believer over the remaining believers are determined by the responsibilities of equipment, takfin, prayer and burial. In addition, there is a responsibility to share the grief of the relatives of the deceased, to console them, and to offer condolences to alleviate their distress. The main aim is not to add to their troubles, but to alleviate their troubles. The Messenger of Allah recommended taking food to their homes to lighten the burden of their deceased relatives. Over time, these recommendations were abandoned in some areas, and instead of bringing food to the relatives of the deceased, the owners of the deceased prepared meals for those who came to offer condolences. Without exception, it was seen by scholars as an act contrary to the practice of the Messenger of Allah and accepted as makruh. If this food is made from the property of an orphan, it is haram to eat this food. In some hadiths from the Companions, it is accepted as niyaha for the relatives of the dead to prepare food for the condolences. Final action; In many narrations from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), it is reported that he was cursed by Almighty Allah, inflicted a great torment in the hereafter, and is a tradition of ignorance. Some of the reasons that lead the dead owners to prepare food are as follows; expectation of goodness, fear of being accused, becoming a custom, abandoning the custom of bringing food to the dead, increasing the number of places of condolence, fear of embarrassment, etc. can be said. In order to prevent the custom of offering food to condolences by the dead owners, it seems essential to carry out the following activities: First of all, in a Muslim society, it is a duty of everyone who is responsible for this issue, so that the condolences do not expect to be offered food and drink at the condolence house. It should try to impose on the culture of the society that not giving food in condolences is not a bad behavior. One should know that the good of the deceased relative is not met by giving food to the guests. Making efforts to establish the awareness in the society that those who give food should be aware that what they are doing is not good, but on the contrary, that they are doing a deed that is considered religiously despised, and that the good of their deceased relative will only be realized by delivering them directly to the hands of the poor, not in this way. In the detached places opened for condolences, this should be taken into account during the construction phase so that the sections where the condolences can eat and the sections where the condolences sit is separate. Not coinciding with meal times to go to condolences. Condolences should be kept short so that condolence houses do not turn into chat houses. Only if the need for food and shelter cannot be met by neighbors and friends for first-degree relatives and other close relatives of the deceased who come from distant lands and cannot return immediately; Special funds for this issue within the body of non-governmental organizations, municipalities or other institutions and special venues should be made where necessary.