What is your opinion of one who does not pray over the dead on the grounds that he does not know the state of the deceased?
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The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, this questioner says: What is your opinion of one who does not pray over the dead on the grounds of ignorance of the deceased's state? He says, perhaps the deceased is from the innovators, or that he abandoned prayer. So what is your response to these people?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. My response to these people is that they should repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for their bad opinion of the Muslims. Because if he were told, "Do you testify that this man does not pray?" he would not be able to say, "Yes." It is merely a delusion or a defective suspicion. And I say to this man, what if you were the deceased and one of the people had a bad opinion of you and said, "Do not pray over this man"? Would you be pleased? And the answer? He would never be pleased. So this deceased who is presented before us in an Islamic land, that we should intercede for him to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), we refuse to intercede for him. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And he said: Sahih Muslim 948. So it is not permissible for a person to have a bad opinion of his Muslim brothers to this extent, to the point of refraining from praying over them. But if it happens that this suspicion has indicators that a person knows, then there is a matter by which he can fulfill what is obligatory upon him regarding this deceased man and be safe from its consequences between him and Allah, and that is the condition, the condition. That he says: "O Allah, if he was a believer, then forgive him and have mercy on him, and the Knower of the Unseen (Exalted and Majestic is He) knows whether he is a believer or not. If he was a believer, He will forgive him if He answers your supplication, and if he was not a believer, He will not forgive him." The exception in supplication is mentioned in the Qur'an. The exception in supplication is mentioned in the Qur'an. Allah the Exalted said in a verse, the verses of mutual cursing, He said: [An-Nur 24:6-7] What is it? [An-Nur 24:7-8] Meaning, regarding the woman, the punishment which is the punishment of zina [An-Nur 24:8-9] What is it? [An-Nur 24:9] So the exception in supplication is valid. So this man who is presented before you, and you have indicators that you fear he may be a disbeliever, say: What is it? Answer. "O Allah, if he was a believer, then forgive him and have mercy on him and grant him well-being, and so on." And by that, you fulfill what is obligatory upon you regarding your brother if he was a believer, and you clear your conscience between you and Allah if he was not a believer.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book "I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in", the famous book which every judge should hold firmly, because it is based on the book of the Commander of the Faithful 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) to Abu Musa regarding judgment, in which he said: "Indeed, the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) found some issues of the religion difficult for him, and Allah the Exalted provided for him the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who issued a ruling for him". He provided him and issued a ruling for him. And this provision is not like the provision of the Sufis who claim that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) associates with them at night, and when they say what they say of dhikr and supplications, they stand up saying, "Welcome, welcome to the presence." Who came? They say: "The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came." No, rather Allah provided for Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he saw him in a dream. And whoever sees the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream in his known description has truly seen him, because Satan does not take his form. He said, so he asked him about these things. He asked, meaning Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) about things, among which was: that funerals are brought to him and he doubts their Islam, funerals of the people of innovation, and he doubts their Islam. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Stick to the condition, O Ahmad." Who is Ahmad? Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). "Stick to the condition, O Ahmad." Allahu Akbar! This man found the issue difficult, so Allah, Lord of the Worlds (Mighty and Majestic), provided for him to see his Messenger who issued a ruling for him. But it is not that whenever something was difficult for him, the Messenger issued a ruling for him; rather, this was a specific case, once. And this which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw, Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) saw it and sought a ruling from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) regarding it. This is correct, and the Qur'an indicates it. I mentioned to you a verse, what is it? The verse of mutual cursing. Good. So we say to these brothers: Fear Allah in yourselves, pray over the Muslims, and if you have indicators that necessitate doubt about the faith of this deceased, then stick to the condition. And the matter, praise be to Allah, is broad. Yes.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. My response to these people is that they should repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for their bad opinion of the Muslims. Because if he were told, "Do you testify that this man does not pray?" he would not be able to say, "Yes." It is merely a delusion or a defective suspicion. And I say to this man, what if you were the deceased and one of the people had a bad opinion of you and said, "Do not pray over this man"? Would you be pleased? And the answer? He would never be pleased. So this deceased who is presented before us in an Islamic land, that we should intercede for him to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), we refuse to intercede for him. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Intercede and you will be rewarded
اشفعوا تؤجرواIf any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him.
ما من رجل مسلم يموت فيقوم على جنازته أربعون رجلا لا يشركون بالله شيئا إلا شفعهم الله فيهthen the witness of one of them [shall be] four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful. (7) And the fifth [oath will be] that the curse of Allah be upon him
فشهادة أحدهما أربعة شهادات بالله إنه لمن الصادقين والخامسة أن لعنة الله عليهif he should be among the liars. (8) But it will prevent punishment from her
إن كان من الكاذبين * ويدرأ عنها العذابif she gives four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the liars. (9) And the fifth [oath will be] that the wrath of Allah be upon her
أن تشهد أربعة شهادات بالله إنه لمن الكاذبين والخامسة أن غضب الله عليهاif he was of the truthful.
إن كان من الصادقينIbn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book "I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in", the famous book which every judge should hold firmly, because it is based on the book of the Commander of the Faithful 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) to Abu Musa regarding judgment, in which he said: "Indeed, the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) found some issues of the religion difficult for him, and Allah the Exalted provided for him the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who issued a ruling for him". He provided him and issued a ruling for him. And this provision is not like the provision of the Sufis who claim that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) associates with them at night, and when they say what they say of dhikr and supplications, they stand up saying, "Welcome, welcome to the presence." Who came? They say: "The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came." No, rather Allah provided for Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he saw him in a dream. And whoever sees the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream in his known description has truly seen him, because Satan does not take his form. He said, so he asked him about these things. He asked, meaning Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) about things, among which was: that funerals are brought to him and he doubts their Islam, funerals of the people of innovation, and he doubts their Islam. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Stick to the condition, O Ahmad." Who is Ahmad? Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). "Stick to the condition, O Ahmad." Allahu Akbar! This man found the issue difficult, so Allah, Lord of the Worlds (Mighty and Majestic), provided for him to see his Messenger who issued a ruling for him. But it is not that whenever something was difficult for him, the Messenger issued a ruling for him; rather, this was a specific case, once. And this which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw, Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) saw it and sought a ruling from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) regarding it. This is correct, and the Qur'an indicates it. I mentioned to you a verse, what is it? The verse of mutual cursing. Good. So we say to these brothers: Fear Allah in yourselves, pray over the Muslims, and if you have indicators that necessitate doubt about the faith of this deceased, then stick to the condition. And the matter, praise be to Allah, is broad. Yes.