Ruling on gathering to offer condolences to the family of the deceased

The custom of people staying in the house to receive
condolences was not known at the time of the righteous salaf, hence some of
the scholars have stated that it is an innovation (bid’ah). 

It says in al-Iqnaa’ wa Sharhahu: It is makrooh to sit
and wait for condolences, i.e., when the bereaved sits in a place to receive
condolences. When discussing the ruling on making food for the family of the
deceased he said: That should be intended for the family of the deceased,
not for those who gather at their house. That is makrooh because it is
helping to do something that is makrooh, namely gathering at the house of
the bereaved family. Al-Marwazi narrated from Ahmad that this was one of the
actions of the Jaahiliyyah, and he denounced it strictly. Then he mentioned
the hadeeth of Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who
said: We used to regard gathering with the family of the deceased and making
food after the burial as (equivalent to) wailing for the deceased. Al-Nawawi
said in Sharh al-Muhadhdhab: With regard to sitting for condolences,
al-Shaafa’i, al-Musannaf and all our companions stated that it is makrooh.
This was quoted by Abu Haamid in al-Ta’leeq and by others from the
text of al-Shaafa’i. They said: That means when the family of the deceased
gather in a house and those who want to offer condolences come to them. They
said: Rather they should go about their business and whoever happens to meet
them should offer condolences to them. 

Moreover, if the family
of the deceased open the door for people to come and offer their
condolences, it is as if they are saying to the people: We have been
bereaved so come and offer us condolences. Placing an announcement in the
newspaper, stating the place where condolences are to be offered is the same
as verbally inviting everyone to come and offer condolences.