The ruling on sitting for Condolences for a week or more along with offering Food

Question :

The people of our land have taken it as a custom to sit for condolences for a week or more when a person among them dies. They exaggerate concerning this by spending a lot of money for slaughtering animals and other things. The people who give condolences are burdened with expenses and they are expected to come from great distances to offer condolences. If someone contradicts this method of condolences, the people speak ill of him, and they call him miserly and one who has abandoned what they think is obligatory concerning that.

Answer:

Offering condolences is legislated and it contains mutual assistance in encouraging patience during misfortune. However, sitting in the manner mentioned for receiving condolences, and taking that as a custom, is not from the practice of the Prophet or his Companions. What the people have taken as a custom of sitting for condolences until they think that it is something (legislated), and their spending huge sums of wealth in that is incorrect. It may be that some of this money spent in this way) is from the inheritance for the orphans (of the deceased). They neglect or suspend that which is beneficial for them (by spending on condolences). Also, they blame and criticize whoever does not participate with them in this, and does not travel to come to them, just as they would criticize whoever abandons one of the aspects of Islam (i.e., Islamic religious ceremonies).

This is from the newly invented innovations that the Messenger of Allâh rebuked in the general meaning of his statement:
"Whoever introduces into this religion of ours that which is not of it, then it is rejected."

In another Hadith he said:
"You must adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly- Guided Caliphs after me. Bite down upon it with the molar teeth. And beware of the newly invented matters. For verily, every innovation is a misguidance."

Thus, he commanded the following of his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs after him, and they were not doing this (type of condolence). He warned against innovating and introducing new things into the religion, and he explained that to do so is misguidance. Therefore, it is obligatory upon the Muslims to work together in rejecting these evil customs and stop them. This is in following the Sunnah and saving wealth and time. It is also a means of avoiding that which causes sadness and grief, (avoiding) competing in having a lot of animals slaughtered, the coming of a lot of people for condolences and lengthy sittings. It should suffice these people to do that which sufficed the Companions and As-Salaf As-Salih, such as giving condolences to the family of the deceased, consoling them, giving charity on the deceased's behalf and supplicating for forgiveness and mercy for him. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family.

Source:
The Permanent Committee
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 3 Pages 98-99-100