Q 1: What is the ruling on drinking coffee or eating something when visiting a sick person or offering condolences? (Part No. 7; Page No. 420

A: There is nothing wrong with eating something or drinking a cup of coffee when visiting a sick person, and this does not affect the reward of visiting the sick, provided that this does not cause embarrassment to the sick, and particularly if the sick wishes so. As for eating something or drinking coffee and the like when offering condolences to the family of the deceased, if the family of the deceased do this with the intention of giving a banquet for people, it is not permissible to eat any of it. This is because preparing food for the people offering condolences comes under the ruling of wailing, based on the Hadith reported on the authority of Jarir ibn `Abdullah Al-Bajaly: We used to consider sitting with the family of the deceased and making food for mourners after burial as a sort of wailing. [Related by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (Hadith compilation), vol. 2, p. 204, and Ibn Majah in his Sunan (Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes), Book on Funerals through authentic Isnad (chain of narrators)]. If the family of the deceased do not intend so, or if the food is prepared by other people, there is no harm in eating or drinking from it and this will not decrease the reward of condolences.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.