Question:
What is the origin of the forty-day anniversary?
Answer:
The origin of this is a Pharaonic custom which was practised by the Pharaohs before Islam, then it spread from them to other nations. It is a reprehensible bid’ah which has no basis in Islam, and it is be rejected as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (Islam) which is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” (Sahih – agreed upon).