Question:
My husband was a Hindu, and I am a Muslim. My husband accepted Islam and underwent circumcision according to Islamic practice and married me. So, the husband was a Hindu, and the wife is a Muslim. They both married each other by mutual consent. He accepted Islam before the marriage. Both families agreed to the marriage. Now, he has passed away. Immediately after his death, the wife’s family performed all the funeral rites according to Islamic practices. However, the husband’s family members—although he had accepted Islam—may not have accepted Islam. His father, mother, brothers, and relatives might still follow their previous religion. They performed rituals according to their own religious customs, such as placing his photograph and conducting memorial rituals (like death anniversary rites): “Will this affect my husband?
Answer:
It will not affect him.
The reason is that we must understand a basic principle in Islam: Allahﷻ does not hold one person responsible for another person’s wrongdoing. Will Allahﷻ question my child for my mistakes? No. Will Allahﷻ question me for my child’s mistakes? No. The fundamental principle in Islam is that no one will bear another person’s burden.
So why would Allahﷻ hold your husband responsible for what others did? He has already passed away. These rituals are being performed by others after his death. Does your husband even know about them? Did he approve them? Was he present when they were done? No.
Therefore, why would Allahﷻ hold him accountable? The Qur’an clearly states in several verses that no person bears the burden of another. This concept appears in multiple places in the Qur’an, including verses 6:164, 35:18, 39:7, and 53:38. All these verses emphasize that no one carries another person’s sins.
Since that is the case, the sins committed by your husband’s family will not be borne by your husband. Allahﷻ will only question him about his own actions, not about actions performed by others in his name.
Therefore, it will not cause him any harm.
