Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
May Allah grants you patience and strength to bear this great loss,Aameen
The deeds that can benefit a person after his death are outlined in the following Sahih Ahadith:
Anas Bin Malik reports: Allah’s Apostle said, “When carried to his grave, a dead person is followed by three, two of which return (after his burial) and one remains with him: his relative, his property, and his deeds follow him; relatives and his property go back while his deeds remain with him.” [Sahih Bukhari - Volume 8, Book 76. Hadith 521]
Abu Huraira (RA) reported Allah’s Messenger (SAW) as saying: When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased). [Sahih Muslim - Book 13, Hadith 4005]
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (SAW)) as saying: He who called (people) to righteousness, there would be reward (assured) for him like the rewards of those who adhered to it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect. And he who called (people) to error, he shall have to carry (the burden) of its sin, like those who committed it, without their sins being diminished in any respect. [Sahih Muslim - Book 34, Hadith 6470]
"When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge and righteous offspring who will pray for him." [Sahih Muslim: 3084]
Al-Nawawi [may Allah have mercy on him] said in
Sharh Muslim:
"
The scholars said: the meaning of this hadith (above) is that the deeds of the deceased come to an end when he dies, and the renewal of reward ceases for him, except in these three cases, because he is the cause of them: his offspring is counted among his earnings, as is the knowledge that he leaves behind through teaching or writing, and ongoing charity, i.e., a waqf (Islamic endowment)."
Derived from the above-mentioned sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that a dead person can only benefit from the following, provided
he died as a Muslim:
- His/her deeds that he performed during his lifetime
- Sadaqa-e-Jaaria (continuing charity)
- If he disseminated the truth to people around him and therefore helped them to lead a better life in this world and in the Hereafter.
- If the deceased person’s children prays for forgiveness, provided the deceased did not die on Shirk.