A man whose father passed away some time ago, but after he was prepared for burial, one of his relatives called him to bid farewell to his father, who was shrouded and being prepared for burial, so I did not bid him farewell with a greeting or a kiss or anything else
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The questioner : He says that his father passed away a short time ago, but when he was being prepared for burial, or after he was prepared, one of the relatives called me to bid farewell to my father. However, at that time, he was shrouded and prepared, and I did not bid him farewell with a greeting or a kiss or anything else. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah in this matter, knowing that, praise be to Allah, I was dutiful to him, and he called me and my brothers before his death and prayed for us with success and achievement? Do we have any obligation? Please advise us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Bidding farewell to the deceased after his death is not a recommended practice (sunnah) that is sought, but the scholars said: there is no blame on kissing the deceased after his death, based on the action of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when he entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death, and he was lying on a cloth, so he uncovered his face and then kissed him and said to him:.
As for what some people do today in bidding farewell to the deceased, where they place him in a location and then his relatives and friends pass by him, this is a religious innovation (bid'ah) that was not known in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or the time of his Companions. I have not known that anything was done in this occasion beyond what happened with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). In fact, when the deceased died, they hastened to prepare him, including washing, shrouding, praying over him, and burying him, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 3181Sahih (Al-Albani).
And on this occasion, I would like to point out something that people have started to do regarding funerals, which is delaying the burial of the deceased until his family, relatives, and friends arrive from a distant place. Perhaps he remains for a day or two without being prepared, and this is an error. If the deceased is a believer, the most beloved thing to him is to be brought to what Allah has prepared for him of bliss. Therefore, when they take the man out of his house and he is righteous, his soul says: Bring us forward, bring us forward.
So what the family of the deceased should do is hasten to prepare him, pray over him, and bury him. There is no blame on waiting for an hour or two or a similar short duration to wait for a relative who may be affected if he does not attend his funeral.
Then, even if the relative did not attend his funeral, there is no blame on him if he goes to the cemetery and prays over his grave, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did with the woman who used to clean the mosque, meaning she cleaned it of trash. She died at night, and they disliked informing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about it for fear of burdening him, as if they diminished her status, may Allah be pleased with her. When he asked about her, they informed him that she had died, so he said:, meaning "Did you not inform me of that?" Then he said: , so they directed him to her grave, and he prayed over her, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him.
So if a relative or friend misses the prayer over the deceased before burial, he prays over him after burial, even if a long time has passed.
The Shaykh : Bidding farewell to the deceased after his death is not a recommended practice (sunnah) that is sought, but the scholars said: there is no blame on kissing the deceased after his death, based on the action of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when he entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death, and he was lying on a cloth, so he uncovered his face and then kissed him and said to him:
By my father and mother you are! You were good in life and in death, and Allah will not gather two deaths upon you.
بأبي أنت وأمي! طبت حياً وميتاً ، والله لا يجمع الله عليك موتتينAs for what some people do today in bidding farewell to the deceased, where they place him in a location and then his relatives and friends pass by him, this is a religious innovation (bid'ah) that was not known in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or the time of his Companions. I have not known that anything was done in this occasion beyond what happened with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). In fact, when the deceased died, they hastened to prepare him, including washing, shrouding, praying over him, and burying him, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
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 صالحةً فخير تقدمونها إليه ، وإن تك سوى ذلك فشر تضعونه عن رقابكمAnd on this occasion, I would like to point out something that people have started to do regarding funerals, which is delaying the burial of the deceased until his family, relatives, and friends arrive from a distant place. Perhaps he remains for a day or two without being prepared, and this is an error. If the deceased is a believer, the most beloved thing to him is to be brought to what Allah has prepared for him of bliss. Therefore, when they take the man out of his house and he is righteous, his soul says: Bring us forward, bring us forward.
So what the family of the deceased should do is hasten to prepare him, pray over him, and bury him. There is no blame on waiting for an hour or two or a similar short duration to wait for a relative who may be affected if he does not attend his funeral.
Then, even if the relative did not attend his funeral, there is no blame on him if he goes to the cemetery and prays over his grave, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did with the woman who used to clean the mosque, meaning she cleaned it of trash. She died at night, and they disliked informing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about it for fear of burdening him, as if they diminished her status, may Allah be pleased with her. When he asked about her, they informed him that she had died, so he said:
Why did you not inform me?
هلا كنتم آذنتمونيShow me her grave.
دلوني على قبرهاSo if a relative or friend misses the prayer over the deceased before burial, he prays over him after burial, even if a long time has passed.