Q: A common practice after a person dies is that friends and family get together to recite Quran and make zikr for 3 nights. Thereafter they then keep 40 nights and then 100 nights. I was told that the rooh (soul) goes through different stages on these nights. Is it a bidah (innovation) and is it wrong to practice this?
A. It is not recorded anywhere that the Rooh goes to different levels on these days, this is an incorrect belief. The custom of 07, 40, 100 days etc. is an innovation and must be avoided. Both the belief and custom must be shunned.
Mufti Siraj adds:
Please remember that all acts of Shari’ah must be proven by Qur’aan, Sunnah, or the practices of Sahaabah. Such acts cannot become part of Deen just through custom or superstitious beliefs. Rasoolullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa Sallam) said: Whoever introduces into this Deen of ours that (practice) which is not of Deen, (he or the practice) will be rejected.” (Bukhari Shareef)
Moulana Yusuf Laher