Dealing with one who died prostrating to an idol

Question:
Glory be to Allah. If a person who claimed to be a Muslim died prostrating to an idol, is he to be treated as a believer or not? And is he to be prayed over and buried in the graves of Muslims?

Answer:
If he died upon shirk (associating partners with Allah)—it is reported that he called upon other than Allah or worshipped other than Allah and died upon this—we deal with him as we deal with disbelievers. We deal with him as we deal with disbelievers in this world. As for his ruling with Allah, we refer that to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Yes. But we deal with him based on what appears to us. So we do not lead his funeral prayer, nor do we bury him in the graves of Muslims, and his Muslim relatives do not inherit from him. We only judge by what is apparent; we rule upon him by what is apparent. As for his ruling in the Hereafter, and whether he is among the people of Paradise or the people of the Fire, that is with Allah.