Is it permissible to wash and shroud a deceased person in their home and then carry them to the cemetery for the funeral prayer?
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The questioner : This questioner says, “O honorable Shaykh, when a person dies, we wash and shroud him in his home, then carry him to the cemetery and place him ten or twenty meters away in the cemetery, and we pray over him. Is this permissible?”
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible to pray over the deceased in the cemetery, because it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he prayed over the grave after burial. There is no difference between praying over the deceased and praying over the grave, because both are prayers over a dead person. However, the custom among most of the people we see and hear about is that the deceased is taken to the mosque, even if it is not a prayer time. This is because if they take him to the mosque and pass by the people, someone might follow them and pray over the deceased. The more people who pray over the deceased, the better, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih Muslim 948. So there may be a benefit in their passing through to the mosque, which is that people from around the mosque might follow them and pray over the deceased, increasing the number of worshippers. They also receive reward for praying over the deceased. Therefore, the best is to take him to the mosque, pray over him in the mosque, and then take him out to the cemetery.
If they take him directly to the cemetery without entering the mosque, there is no blame on them. But if someone asks, “Is it better to hasten with the burial or delay it until the prayer?” we say: if the prayer is near, it is better to delay it until the prayer, meaning the congregational prayer, because that brings more worshippers and perhaps more followers as well. But if it is a long time, then hastening with the burial of the deceased is better and more appropriate, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded to hasten with it. He said (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him)Sunan Abi Dawud 3181Sahih (Al-Albani). Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible to pray over the deceased in the cemetery, because it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he prayed over the grave after burial. There is no difference between praying over the deceased and praying over the grave, because both are prayers over a dead person. However, the custom among most of the people we see and hear about is that the deceased is taken to the mosque, even if it is not a prayer time. This is because if they take him to the mosque and pass by the people, someone might follow them and pray over the deceased. The more people who pray over the deceased, the better, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
If 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 يُشركون بالله شيئا إلا شفّعهم الله فيهIf they take him directly to the cemetery without entering the mosque, there is no blame on them. But if someone asks, “Is it better to hasten with the burial or delay it until the prayer?” we say: if the prayer is near, it is better to delay it until the prayer, meaning the congregational prayer, because that brings more worshippers and perhaps more followers as well. But if it is a long time, then hastening with the burial of the deceased is better and more appropriate, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded to hasten with it. He said (may the prayer and peace of Allah 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 صالحة فخير تقدّمونها إليه وإن تك سوى ذلك فشر تضعونه عن رقابكمThe questioner : May Allah bless you.