What is the evidence for increasing the number of takbirs in the funeral prayer beyond four?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you: It is reported in Sahih Muslim that one of the characteristics of the funeral prayer is that it consists of four takbirs. Do the scholars have any discussion regarding this?
The Shaykh : Is it?
The questioner : Do the scholars have a way of reconciling the narrations that it is four or that it is five, or is it taken that it is a recommended practice to do this and that?
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) most often said four takbirs only in the funeral prayer, but it is established that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said five, as in the hadith of Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him). Likewise, it is reported from him that he said six to seven. For this reason, the scholars said: there is nothing wrong with increasing beyond four up to seven.
The best for a person is to follow what is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes in one way and sometimes in another: sometimes four, sometimes five, sometimes six, and sometimes seven, as the Sunnah has come, but the most common is four.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Whenever the Sunnah has come in various forms, the best is to follow this one way and that another.
The Shaykh : Is it?
The questioner : Do the scholars have a way of reconciling the narrations that it is four or that it is five, or is it taken that it is a recommended practice to do this and that?
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) most often said four takbirs only in the funeral prayer, but it is established that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said five, as in the hadith of Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him). Likewise, it is reported from him that he said six to seven. For this reason, the scholars said: there is nothing wrong with increasing beyond four up to seven.
The best for a person is to follow what is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes in one way and sometimes in another: sometimes four, sometimes five, sometimes six, and sometimes seven, as the Sunnah has come, but the most common is four.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Whenever the Sunnah has come in various forms, the best is to follow this one way and that another.