Prayer: If a Deceased Person’s Only Asset Is the Family Home, Must It Be Sold to Fulfill Qadā’ Prayers and Fasts?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Prayer: If a Deceased Person’s Only Asset Is the Family Home, Must It Be Sold to Fulfill Qadā’ Prayers and Fasts?

English:

Question #543:

Someone dies while owning only a house where his children live and he has some missed prayers and fasts to perform. His oldest son cannot do so for him because of his daily occupations, is it obligatory to sell the house and have his missed prayers and fasts performed?

Answer #543:

In the given case, it is not obligatory to sell the house. But the performance of the missed prayers and fasting, which were obligatory for the father, is the duty of his eldest son in all cases except if the deceased person ordered in his will that someone be hired by the third of his estate for that purpose and that amount is sufficient for all of the prayers and fasts that are obligatory for him. In this case, it will be obligatory to spend one third of the property left for this purpose.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Prayer