What is the jurisprudential understanding of the hadith: “Whoever prays over a funeral in the mosque, he gets nothing”?

The questioner : The last question: What is the jurisprudential understanding of the hadith: ?

The Shaykh : He gets nothing. The hadith was narrated with this wording or with another wording: . The first wording is the stronger position in terms of narration. The intended meaning is that he does not receive the reward that follows from praying the obligatory prayer in the mosque; that is, he is not included in the generality of his statement (peace be upon him): “Prayer.”

The questioner : A person’s prayer...

The Shaykh : No, , and in another narration: . This hadith does not include the one who prays the funeral prayer in the mosque; he does not receive this virtue. This is the intended meaning of the hadith. But is there a sin on him if he prays in the mosque? The answer is no. Although the Hanafi scholars dislike praying over a funeral in the mosque, this dislike is refuted by what is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in “Sahih Muslim”: “That he prayed over the son of al-Bayda’ in the mosque, the funeral prayer.” Therefore, when they brought one of the Companions in the time of Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to pray over her in the mosque, there was some disturbance. The reason is that the majority of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prayers over funerals were in the Musalla, that is, outside the Prophet’s Mosque. Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: .

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : .

The Shaykh Yes, therefore praying in the mosque is permissible, but it is better to pray it in the Musalla. When he (peace be upon him) said: ; that is, from the reward of the one who prays the obligatory prayer in the mosque, which we mentioned earlier: . This virtue is not for the one who prays the funeral prayer in the mosque, but it is permissible for him to do so; because the Messenger (peace be upon him) did so. Glory be to You, O Allah.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And with Your praise I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.