The preferred place for the funeral prayer: inside the mosque or outside in a separate prayer area
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 19974 )
Q: If we are praying the 'Isha' prayer in Ramadan and a funeral arrives, should we pray tarawih or pray over the funeral immediately after 'Isha'? Also, is it better to pray over the funeral inside the mosque or outside in a separate prayer area near the cemetery? May Allah protect you and guide your actions.
A : The Sunnah is to hasten in preparing the deceased after his death, and to hasten as well
in praying over him after his preparation, so that he is hastened to good if he is among the people of good, or so that people are relieved of him if he is not. This is indicated by what Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:Sunan Abi Dawud 3181Sahih (Al-Albani) It was reported by Imam Ahmad in (al-Musnad), al-Bukhari and Muslim in (their Sahihs), and by the compilers of the Sunan. It is also indicated by what al-Tabarani narrated with a good chain from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Mishkat al-Masabih 1717 , and because hastening with him is more protective for him from changing, decomposing, and causing discomfort to people. Accordingly, the better course is to begin with the funeral prayer immediately after performing the obligatory 'Isha' prayer, and before the tarawih prayer; for this realizes the Sunnah of hastening the deceased to his grave, and because the funeral prayer is short and does not affect the delay of the tarawih prayer, nor is there any harm in that. As for the place of praying over the deceased, the predominant practice of the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was that he used to pray over the deceased outside the mosque, so he would pray over him in the prayer area, so that this would help those who attended the funeral prayer to also attend the burial and thus secure the reward of two qirats: the reward of one qirat for praying over him and the reward of one qirat for attending his burial; for what Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: Sahih Muslim 946a It was reported by Imam Muslim , and because the one who
prays over him in the cemetery takes many steps and is rewarded for that, unlike the one who prays over him in the mosque, for the predominant case is that he returns to his family and does not witness the burial. There is no harm in praying over the funeral in the mosque, for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he prayed over a funeral in the mosque; for what 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, she said:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 11:149 It was reported by Imam Muslim and al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud . In another narration: 'A'ishah was ordered to have the funeral of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas passed through the mosque so she would pray over him, and the people disapproved of that for her, so she said: Sahih Muslim 973a . And it is established that he prayed over Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) in the mosque, and no one among the Companions disapproved of that. In this time, people have become accustomed to praying over the deceased in the mosque, and that has become the predominant practice of their actions, and perhaps that is more convenient for them, and because of the large number of people praying over the deceased, which increases the reward of the deceased, as people's engagements have increased in this time, and they have become lazy about performing the recommended practices and have lost interest in them, except for whom Allah wills,
and accordingly, whichever of the two people do—praying over the deceased in the cemetery or in the mosque—it is permissible; for both matters are established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: If we are praying the 'Isha' prayer in Ramadan and a funeral arrives, should we pray tarawih or pray over the funeral immediately after 'Isha'? Also, is it better to pray over the funeral inside the mosque or outside in a separate prayer area near the cemetery? May Allah protect you and guide your actions.
A : The Sunnah is to hasten in preparing the deceased after his death, and to hasten as well
in praying over him after his preparation, so that he is hastened to good if he is among the people of good, or so that people are relieved of him if he is not. This is indicated by what Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:
Walk quickly with a funeral, for if the dead person was good it is a good condition to which you are sending him on, but it he was otherwise it is an evil of which you are riding yourselves.
أسرعوا بالجنازة فإن تك صالحة فخير تقدمونها إليه، وإن تك سوى ذلك فشر تضعونه عن رقابكمWhen one of you dies do not keep him long, but take him quickly to his grave
إذا مات أحدكم فلا تحبسوه وأسرعوا به إلى قبرهHe who offered prayer for the dead, for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who attended its burial, he would have two qirats as his reward. And qirat is equivalent to Uhud.
من صلى على جنازة فله قيراط، فإن شهد دفنها فله قيراطان القيراط مثل أحدprays over him in the cemetery takes many steps and is rewarded for that, unlike the one who prays over him in the mosque, for the predominant case is that he returns to his family and does not witness the burial. There is no harm in praying over the funeral in the mosque, for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he prayed over a funeral in the mosque; for what 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, she said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed over Suhayl ibn Bayda' in the mosque.
صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على سهيل بن بيضاء في المسجدHow soon the people have forgotten that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered not the funeral prayer of Suhail b al-Baida' but in a mosque.
ما أسرع ما نسي الناس، ما صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على سهيل بن البيضاء إلا في المسجدand accordingly, whichever of the two people do—praying over the deceased in the cemetery or in the mosque—it is permissible; for both matters are established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.