The Prayer for the Absent Deceased
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It is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he prayed the prayer for the absent one for the Negus. The reason for this was that there was no one among the Muslims present to pray for him. The reality of Muslims today is that they die in groups, and certainly they have not been prayed for as is the case in our present time in Yugoslavia and Somalia. So I am certain that they are not prayed for?
If you are certain that they have not been prayed for, then pray for them; because the prayer for the deceased is a collective obligation. However, it is possible that their relatives prayed for them; because the prayer for the deceased is fulfilled by one person.
In any case: If you are certain that a person has not been prayed for, then you must pray for him; because it is a collective obligation, and it is necessary.
The questioner: Is the reasoning valid that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Negus?The Shaykh: Yes, this is the closest view; and that is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray for an absent person who died other than the Negus, even though they were better than us and more beneficial to Islam and the Muslims, as well as the caliphs after him.
The questioner: But is it unlikely that he would die and no one would pray for him?The Shaykh: No, if he died with him, are these people among those who knew the rituals of Islam or not? They may die without knowing anything of the rituals.
If you are certain that they have not been prayed for, then pray for them; because the prayer for the deceased is a collective obligation. However, it is possible that their relatives prayed for them; because the prayer for the deceased is fulfilled by one person.
In any case: If you are certain that a person has not been prayed for, then you must pray for him; because it is a collective obligation, and it is necessary.
The questioner: Is the reasoning valid that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Negus?The Shaykh: Yes, this is the closest view; and that is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray for an absent person who died other than the Negus, even though they were better than us and more beneficial to Islam and the Muslims, as well as the caliphs after him.
The questioner: But is it unlikely that he would die and no one would pray for him?The Shaykh: No, if he died with him, are these people among those who knew the rituals of Islam or not? They may die without knowing anything of the rituals.