Is it permissible for us to perform the prayer for the absent one for those who were martyred or for those who were killed in the massacres in Bosnia?
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The questioner: Recent events have befallen the Muslims, O Shaykh, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Somalia, in Palestine, and people have been killed.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The questioner: And Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. So I exerted myself on the basis of reviving the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) by praying for the absent one. I said, let us pray for the one who was martyred or the one who was killed in these massacres in the lands of the Muslims, as a prayer for the absent one. So what is your opinion, may Allah bless you?
The Shaykh: You are saying you are reviving the Sunnah of the Messenger.
The questioner: (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh: Where is the Sunnah of the Messenger?
The questioner: The prayer for the Abyssinian, for the Negus.
The Shaykh : And others.
The questioner: This is what I read, the prayer for the absent one.
The Shaykh: This contradicts what you are saying.
The questioner: You have taught us, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh: The prayer for the absent one is the prayer for the Negus, who died in the land of the Christians whom he was ruling.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: And there was no one there to pray for him, so this prayer is the one that is recommended.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: And how many, how many people died and were killed far from the Messenger (peace be upon him), while he was in Madinah and they were in Makkah, al-Ta'if, Yemen, and the like. And it was not narrated from him (peace be upon him) that he ever prayed for one of these people at all. So the prayer for the absent one is specific to one who died in a land where there is no one to pray for him. But today, the true prayer for the absent one has been exploited from a political standpoint. Many rulers announce the prayer for the absent one for a ruler who is an open sinner, if not a disbeliever, who does not rule by what Allah has revealed. And from a political standpoint, they announce the prayer for the absent one for such-and-such a ruler or such-and-such a prince, and the like. And some of the Islamic parties today also exploit this ruling and revive the prayer for the absent one every time one dies: "Come, pray for the absent one." This is contrary to the Sunnah.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: Well, Bosnia and Herzegovina, I mean, we observe that the Muslims, I mean, with bulldozers they put them in, or I mean, in mass graves. And we do not see or become certain that there was anyone who prayed for them. Do they not deserve from us the prayer for the absent one?
The Shaykh: ... Well, what makes you know, my brother? You are assuming that there are no Muslims there at all.
The questioner: It is a state of war there, I mean, and as soon as the killing started, it was except for the imams.
The Shaykh: Has it not reached you that many Arab Muslims are going to fight in jihad there?
The questioner: Yes, it has reached me.
The Shaykh: Well, these people, I mean, did not pray the prayer for the absent one.
The questioner: The principle is that they should pray, if Allah wills, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The questioner: And Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. So I exerted myself on the basis of reviving the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) by praying for the absent one. I said, let us pray for the one who was martyred or the one who was killed in these massacres in the lands of the Muslims, as a prayer for the absent one. So what is your opinion, may Allah bless you?
The Shaykh: You are saying you are reviving the Sunnah of the Messenger.
The questioner: (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh: Where is the Sunnah of the Messenger?
The questioner: The prayer for the Abyssinian, for the Negus.
The Shaykh : And others.
The questioner: This is what I read, the prayer for the absent one.
The Shaykh: This contradicts what you are saying.
The questioner: You have taught us, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh: The prayer for the absent one is the prayer for the Negus, who died in the land of the Christians whom he was ruling.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: And there was no one there to pray for him, so this prayer is the one that is recommended.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: And how many, how many people died and were killed far from the Messenger (peace be upon him), while he was in Madinah and they were in Makkah, al-Ta'if, Yemen, and the like. And it was not narrated from him (peace be upon him) that he ever prayed for one of these people at all. So the prayer for the absent one is specific to one who died in a land where there is no one to pray for him. But today, the true prayer for the absent one has been exploited from a political standpoint. Many rulers announce the prayer for the absent one for a ruler who is an open sinner, if not a disbeliever, who does not rule by what Allah has revealed. And from a political standpoint, they announce the prayer for the absent one for such-and-such a ruler or such-and-such a prince, and the like. And some of the Islamic parties today also exploit this ruling and revive the prayer for the absent one every time one dies: "Come, pray for the absent one." This is contrary to the Sunnah.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: Well, Bosnia and Herzegovina, I mean, we observe that the Muslims, I mean, with bulldozers they put them in, or I mean, in mass graves. And we do not see or become certain that there was anyone who prayed for them. Do they not deserve from us the prayer for the absent one?
The Shaykh: ... Well, what makes you know, my brother? You are assuming that there are no Muslims there at all.
The questioner: It is a state of war there, I mean, and as soon as the killing started, it was except for the imams.
The Shaykh: Has it not reached you that many Arab Muslims are going to fight in jihad there?
The questioner: Yes, it has reached me.
The Shaykh: Well, these people, I mean, did not pray the prayer for the absent one.
The questioner: The principle is that they should pray, if Allah wills, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.