Is It Permissible For The Relatives Of The Deceased To Serve Treats Like Food To The Attendees Of Funeral Ceremony?

Is it permissible for the relatives of the deceased to serve treats like food to the attendees of funeral ceremony?

It is seen makruh for the relatives of a deceased person to prepare and serve food to the guests who come to give condolences as they are already in grief and sadness and this will be an additional rush and hardship for them (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, III, 148). Instead, it is sunnah for the neighbors or friends to bring food for the family of the deceased person and the guests (Tirmidhi, Jana’iz, 21).

Besides, the relatives’ distributing such foods like halwa and bread in the cemetery or at home has no religious ground. Although it can be said that it is permissible to do it by not considering it as a religious requirement, there is a risk that such practices may be interpreted as a religious ruling on funeral. Therefore, if these treats are served as a religious obligation, they are deemed as bid’ah.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWA