⚠️Ruling on Collecting Donations from Friends (or Family) of the Deceased for a Charitable Project

Question: May Allah bless you. The questioner states: A colleague at work died suddenly while he was healthy. Is it in accordance with the Sunnah to collect money (as a charity) for him and invest it in building a mosque or digging a well in his name?

Answer
“No, no. You should make duʿā for him. Whoever wants to do him a favor by offering him charity should do so privately. However, do not invite people to do this. Do not say to them, "O people, come and let’s donate to him." If you have a desire to do him a favor, just donate without inviting others.”

— Shaykh ʿAbdur-Raḥmān Al-Barrāk (source)
~ Galandān 🖋



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[Notes] Likewise, Shaykh Al-ʿUthaymīn was asked about collecting funds for such a project, and he replied: “...As for this method that you mentioned, that funds are collected for the deceased and put into a property that is considered charity, I do not see this as appropriate; I do not see this as appropriate [in terms of Sunnah]. Verily, amongst the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, there were great men who died and upon whom the Ummah had a right, including the caliphs and others, and they did not collect donations for them in order to give charity on their behalf...” (Source) As for Al-Fawzān he said that this matter is “a bidʿah.” (Source). And ʿAzīz bin Farḥān Al-ʿAnzī replied similarly, saying “This, in reality, was not what the Salaf were upon. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was not upon this. This did not come about except in recent times, with the start of social media platforms.” (Eng/Source)