The imam said to the people: This deceased woman is a righteous woman, and therefore we will say five takbirs over her!

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. A questioner says: An imam led the people in the funeral prayer with five takbirs, and before the prayer he said that this deceased woman is a righteous woman, and therefore we will say five takbirs over her. What is your opinion of his action?

Answer:
This is an anomaly and is not permissible. It is not permissible for a person to deviate. The takbirs are four, as agreed upon by the scholars. After the first, one recites Surat al-Fatihah. After the second, one recites the prayer upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Ibrahimiyyah prayer. After the third, one makes du'a for the deceased, whether male or female, young or old.
After the fourth, one says the salam. This is the practice in this land, so no one should dig up opinions and matters and display them, causing confusion among the people. If he wants to act on his own, he may do as he pleases on his own, alone. But if he is an imam and follows anomalous opinions and adheres to schools of thought not practiced here, causing confusion among the people, this is not permissible and he is not fit to be an imam. He should be removed from the position of imam unless he retracts and abandons this matter. Yes.