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What is the ruling on eating food in the house of the deceased's family, even if one is from their relatives?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The preparation of food by the family of the deceased at the time of death is not from the Sunnah; it is considered a reprehensible innovation (bid'ah makruhah), and may even reach the level of being forbidden (haram) if it is done as a form of wailing (niyahah). If the food is prepared from the inheritance of the deceased, it is not permissible to deduct the share of the absent, the minor, or the mentally incompetent. Eating from the food after it has been prepared is permissible if it is from the family of the deceased, or if it is prepared by relatives and neighbors for them without a gathering, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Prepare food for the family of Ja'far, for indeed that which preoccupies them has come upon them." Eating from food that is prepared in a manner contrary to the Sunnah may be forbidden or reprehensible.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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