A man said: Messenger of Allah, my mother has died ; will it benefit her if I give sadaqah on her behalf ? He said: Yes. He said: I have a garden, and I call you to witness that I have given it as sadaqah on her behalf.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 18, Hadith 21
← Previous Hadith A woman said: Messenger of Allah, my mother suddenly died; if it had not happened, she would have given sadaqah (charity) and donated (something). Will it suffice if I give sadaqah on her behalf? The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Yes, give sadaqah on her behalf.

Sunan Abi Dawud Book 18, Hadith 20 Next Hadith → On his father's authority, said that his grandfather told that Al-'As ibn Wa'il left his will that a hundred slaves should be emancipated on his behalf. His son Hisham emancipated fifty slaves and his son Amr intended to emancipate the remaining fifty on his behalf, but he said: I should ask first the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He, therefore, came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: Messenger of Allah, my father left in his will that a hundred slaves should be emancipated on his behalf and Hisham has emancipated fifty on his behalf and fifty remain. Shall I emancipate them on his behalf? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Had he been a Muslim and you had emancipated slaves on his behalf, or given sadaqah on his behalf, or performed the pilgrimage, that would have reached him.

Sunan Abi Dawud Book 18, Hadith 22