Question
Mufti Sb, What are the benefits of reading Woodcutter story (لکڑہارے کی کہانی) . Many ladies they read and consider it as a blessing.
Sumaiya Akbar, Lilongwe
Woodcutter story
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب
The famous woodcutter story regarding Niyaaz is a fabricated and unauthentic story. However, making Niyaaz is a generous and virtuous act as it is done solely in love of pious saints and sole purpose is Esaal e Sawab.
Prophet ﷺ said
المرء مع من أحب
"A person will be in the company of those whom he loves."
[Bukhari & Muslim]
Any good action performed with pure intention will be rewarded, and its Sawab can be presented to the souls of the deceased. There is no harm in it. In fact, the reward of the performer will be multiplied for remembering and gifting his court to several pious saints and his deceased ones.
Prophet ﷺ said :
عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لأبي : إذا أردت أن تتصدق صدقة فاجعلها عن أبويك فإنه يلحقهما و لا ينقص من أجرك شيئا
“Whenever you intend giving charity, then do so on behalf of your parents; for its rewards will surely reach them without your rewards decreasing in the least bit” (Shub Al-Imaan, #7533)
The Jurists of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah have fully endorsed this understanding in their books, as al-Imām al-Haskafi al-Hanafī علیہ الرحمہ states in al-Durr al-Mukhtār:
الْأَصْلُ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ أَتَى بِعِبَادَةٍ مَا،لَهُ جَعْلُ ثَوَابِهَا لغيره
“The principle is that whosoever performed any act of worship, then he may donate its reward to other than himself.”
(قَوْلُهُ بِعِبَادَةٍ مَا) أَيْ سَوَاءٌ كَانَتْ صَلَاةً أَوْ صَوْمًا أَوْ صَدَقَةً أَوْ قِرَاءَةً أَوْ ذِكْرًا أَوْ طَوَافًا أَوْ حَجًّا أَوْ عُمْرَةً، أَوْ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ
Allama Sayyid ibn ‘Abidīn al-Shāmī علیہ الرحمہ commenting on the words of al-Imām al-Haskafī said :
“(his statement: any act of worship) that is: regardless of whether that is prayer, fasting, sadaqah, recital of the Qur’an, litanies, tawaf, Hajj, Umrah or other than that.”
[“Radd al-Muhtār ala al-Durr al-Mukhtār” Vol 2 pg 596]
So people are advised not to share any such stories that have no presence in authentic Islamic literature and while making food for Esaale Sawab don't limit yourselves to your family and loved ones. Share the food with the deprived and needy to earn more rewards.
واللہ تعالٰی اعلم
دارالافتاء غریب نواز
لمبی جامع مسجد ملاوی وسطی افریقہ
Mufti Abdul Rehman Qadri
LMJ Quran Academy Malawi 🇲🇼
22-Rajjab 1447