Prohibition of executing a will involving Bid`ah

Q: I have wills for specific types of spending such as Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims), providing food in Ramadan and reading a Juz' (a 30th of the Qur'an) constantly on a daily basis. Since it is now difficult to find someone who would abide by reading a Juz' in the future (Part No. 16; Page No. 334) due to the affluence of the means of living and people's preoccupation with worldly affairs, can I spend the money assigned to reading Qur'an on a more useful charitable work?

A: A similar question was asked to His Eminence Mufty Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim (may Allah be merciful to him), so the Committee will content itself with the content of his answer for answering this question. This condition is Bid`ah (innovation in religion), so it is not permissible. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Any condition that is not in the Book of Allah is null even if they were a hundred conditions. He (peace be upon him) also said, He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected. He (peace be upon him) also said, Anyone who does any act for which there is no sanction on our behalf, that is to be rejected. Based on the invalidity of this condition, the money assigned to reading Qur'an of the yield of one-third takes the ruling of the interrupted Waqf (endowment), and it is to be given to the progeny of the donor, i.e. his closest relatives. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.