The ruling on praying for the absent and on one who has not yet been buried

Q: What is the ruling on the prayer for the absent? Is it permissible to pray for one who has not yet been buried?

A: The prayer for the absent involves a distinction: some scholars hold that one does not pray for the absent if he has already been prayed for in his own land, while others hold that one should pray for him. However, if the absent person has a significant standing in Islam, such as the Negus (may Allah have mercy on him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Negus when he died in his land, and the Companions were informed of this, and he prayed for him as the prayer for the absent. It is not established that he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for anyone else in this manner. So, if the absent person is a just and righteous leader, the one in authority should order the prayer for the absent to be performed for him. Likewise, if scholars of truth and callers to guidance are prayed for as the prayer for the absent, this is good, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Negus.
As for ordinary individuals, the prayer for the absent is not prescribed for them; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray for every absent person, but only for one individual, the Negus; because he had a long history in Islam, and because he sheltered the emigrating Companions who migrated to Abyssinia; he sheltered them, supported them, protected them, and treated them well, and he had a great hand in Islam. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for him when he died, and the Companions prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So, whoever is of this standing and has a long history in Islam is prayed for, just as the Muslims in this land prayed for Zia ul-Haq, the President of Pakistan (may Allah have mercy on him); because of his good Islamic stances, the one in authority ordered that he be prayed for in the two Holy Mosques, and he was prayed for; because he was worthy of that, due to his noble stances and his care for the implementation of the Shari'ah and his command for it and his eagerness for it. We ask Allah for pardon and forgiveness for us and for him.
The point is that if someone of this standing among the rulers of the Muslims and the scholars of the Muslims dies in a foreign land or in their own land, it is prescribed for the Muslims who are absent from them to pray for them as the prayer for the absent, due to the story of the Negus mentioned above. And success is from Allah.