The Manner of the Funeral Prayer and Its Ruling for Men and Women
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This is also a question about the manner of the funeral prayer, its ruling, and whether it is prescribed for women as it is for men?
Answer:
The funeral prayer is prescribed for everyone, men and women, and it is a collective obligation. If one person performs it, that is sufficient and it is accepted, but the recommended practice is for a large group to pray over the deceased. It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 948 In another wording, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. So the larger the gathering, the better it is for him, as they supplicate for him and seek mercy for him.
Its manner is that the imam says the takbir four times.
He stands at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman. As for the statement of some jurists: at the chest of the man, that is a weak opinion with no basis. The recommended practice is to stand at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman. This is what the Sunnah brought in the hadith of Samurah ibn Jundub regarding standing at the middle of the woman, and in the hadith of Anas regarding standing at the head of the man and the middle of the woman.
The established Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates that the imam stands at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman, then he says the takbir: Allahu Akbar. Then he recites al-Fatihah. He seeks refuge in Allah from Satan, he mentions the name of Allah, and he recites al-Fatihah.
There is no opening supplication in it, most likely, because it is based on ease.
The presenter: Is the recitation done quietly? Yes.
The Shaykh: He recites seeking refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, he mentions the name of Allah, and he recites al-Fatihah quietly. If he raises his voice a little so that those behind him know that he is reciting, and so that they benefit, that is sometimes good, as Ibn Abbas did for the sake of teaching. He recites a short surah with al-Fatihah, as it came in many hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 822 meaning: so recite more. If he recites an additional surah, and it came in some narrations that he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited al-Fatihah and a surah, that is better. If he limits himself to al-Fatihah, that is sufficient. If he recites with it al-Asr, and like [al-Ikhlas:1] and the like of that, it is good, so that he combines al-Fatihah with an addition.
Then he says the second takbir: Allahu Akbar, and he sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) just as he does in the prayer:Sahih Muslim 405 The point is that he sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) just as he does in the prayer.
Then he says the third takbir and supplicates for the deceased, and he brings the prescribed remembrances, the prescribed supplications:Sunan Ibn Majah 1498Hasan (Darussalam).
Riyad as-Salihin 935 and expand for him in his grave, and light for him in it Sunan Ibn Majah 1498Hasan (Darussalam).
And if he adds supplications like:Muwatta Malik 16:18, or says: O Allah, forgive him and firm him with the firm word, or the like of that of good supplications, all of it is good.
Then he says the fourth takbir, and he remains silent for a little while; because this came in some narrations from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he says the salam once. This is what is preserved from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this manner.
The Shari'ah is general for women and men in prayer; but going out with the funeral to the cemetery is specific to men, and likewise visiting graves is specific to men. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 945a It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two qirats? He said: And this indicates a great virtue. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: Bulugh al-Maram 569 And this is a great virtue.
Going out with the funerals contains comforting the bereaved, consoling them, and sympathizing with them. For if one goes out with them, he comforts their hearts and consoles them with both his action and his words. For this reason, Allah prescribed the prayer over the dead and following the funerals for these many benefits: doing good to the deceased and supplicating for him, comforting the bereaved and sympathizing with them; and to remember death and what happens after death of wonders, terrors, and dangers, so that the believer prepares for death and what comes after it.
We ask Allah for everyone well-being and safety. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with the best reward, and may He do you good.
This is also a question about the manner of the funeral prayer, its ruling, and whether it is prescribed for women as it is for men?
Answer:
The funeral prayer is prescribed for everyone, men and women, and it is a collective obligation. If one person performs it, that is sufficient and it is accepted, but the recommended practice is for a large group to pray over the deceased. It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
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 مسلم يصلي عليه أربعون رجلًا لا يشركون بالله شيئًا إلا شفعهم الله فيهThere is no Muslim man over whom a nation of people reaches one hundred, all of whom intercede for him, except that Allah will intercede for him through them.
ما من رجل مسلم يصلي عليه أمة من الناس يبلغون المائة كلهم يشفعون فيه إلا شفعهم الله فيهIts manner is that the imam says the takbir four times.
He stands at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman. As for the statement of some jurists: at the chest of the man, that is a weak opinion with no basis. The recommended practice is to stand at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman. This is what the Sunnah brought in the hadith of Samurah ibn Jundub regarding standing at the middle of the woman, and in the hadith of Anas regarding standing at the head of the man and the middle of the woman.
The established Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates that the imam stands at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman, then he says the takbir: Allahu Akbar. Then he recites al-Fatihah. He seeks refuge in Allah from Satan, he mentions the name of Allah, and he recites al-Fatihah.
There is no opening supplication in it, most likely, because it is based on ease.
The presenter: Is the recitation done quietly? Yes.
The Shaykh: He recites seeking refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, he mentions the name of Allah, and he recites al-Fatihah quietly. If he raises his voice a little so that those behind him know that he is reciting, and so that they benefit, that is sometimes good, as Ibn Abbas did for the sake of teaching. He recites a short surah with al-Fatihah, as it came in many hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
the prayer is not valid I one does not recite fatihat al-kitab and something more
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب فصاعدًاSay, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌThen he says the second takbir: Allahu Akbar, and he sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) just as he does in the prayer:
0 Allah, bless Muhammad and the members of his household as Thou didst bless the mernbers of Ibrahim's household. Grant favours to Muhammad and the members of his household as Thou didst grant favours to the members of the household of Ibrahim in the world. Thou art indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious
اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد، كما صليت على آل إبراهيم، وبارك على محمد، وعلى آل محمد، كما باركت على آل إبراهيم في العالمين إنك حميد مجيدThen he says the third takbir and supplicates for the deceased, and he brings the prescribed remembrances, the prescribed supplications:
Allahummaghfir lihayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha’ibina, wa saghirina wa kabirina, wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaitahu minna fa'ahyihi ‘alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawaffahu ‘alal- iman.
اللهم اغفر لحينا وميتنا وشاهدنا وغائبنا وصغيرنا وكبيرنا، وذكرنا وأنثانا، اللهم من أحييته منا فأحيه على الإسلام، ومن توفيته منا فتوفه على الإيمانAbu 'Abdur-Rahman 'Auf bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered a funeral prayer and I memorized his supplication. He (ﷺ) prayed: "Allahummaghfir lahu, warhamhu, wa 'afihi, wa'fu 'anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi' mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma'i wath-thalji wal-baradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataya, kama naqqaytath-thawbal-abyada minad-danasi, wa abdilhu daran khairan min darihi, wa ahlan khairan min ahlihi, wa zawjan khairan min zawjihi, wa adkhilhul-Jannata, wa a'idh-hu min 'adhabil- qabri, wa min 'adhabin-nar [if the dead person is a woman, one should change the ending of certain words in this supplication from hu to ha] (O Allah! Forgive him, bestow mercy upon him, pardon him, accord him a noble provision and make his grave spacious, wash him with water, snow and hail, purify him from sins as You have purified the white garment from soiling, give him a better abode in place of his present one, and a better family in exchange of his present one, and a better spouse in place of his present wife; admit him to Jannah and protect from the trial in the grave and punishment in the Hell)." (After hearing this supplication of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Abu' Abdur-Rahman 'Auf bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I wished I had been that dead man. [Muslim] .
اللهم اغفر له وارحمه، وعافه واعف عنه، وأكرم نزله ووسع مدخله، واغسله بالماء والثلج والبرد، ونقه من الخطايا كما ينقى الثوب الأبيض من الدنس، اللهم أبدله دارًا خيرًا من داره، وأهلًا خيرًا من أهله، اللهم أدخله الجنة وأعذه من عذاب القبر، ومن عذاب النارO Allah, do not deprive us of his reward, and do not let us go astray after him
اللهم لا تحرمنا أجره، ولا تضلنا بعده، واغفر لنا ولهAnd if he adds supplications like:
O Allah, if he acted well, then increase for him his good action, and if he acted wrongly, then overlook his wrong actions.
اللهم إن كان محسنًا فزد في إحسانه، وإن كان مسيئًا تجاوز عن سيئاتهThen he says the fourth takbir, and he remains silent for a little while; because this came in some narrations from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he says the salam once. This is what is preserved from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this manner.
The Shari'ah is general for women and men in prayer; but going out with the funeral to the cemetery is specific to men, and likewise visiting graves is specific to men. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who attends the funeral till the prayer is offered for (the dead), for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who attends (and stays) till he is buried, for him is the reward of two qirats
من شهد الجنازة حتى يصلى عليها فله قيراط، ومن شهدها حتى تدفن له قيراطانLike two great mountains
مثل الجبلين العظيمينAl-Bukhari related on the authority of Abu Hurairah, “Whoever accompanies the funeral of a Muslim, seeking the reward only from Allah, the Almighty, and he stays with it until he offers the funeral prayer and the burial is completed, will return back with two Qirat, each Qirat is equal to the mount of Uhud.”
من تبع جنازة مسلم إيمانًا واحتسابًا، وكان معها حتى يصلى عليها، ويفرغ من دفنها، فإنه يرجع بقيراطين، كل قيراط مثل جبل أحدGoing out with the funerals contains comforting the bereaved, consoling them, and sympathizing with them. For if one goes out with them, he comforts their hearts and consoles them with both his action and his words. For this reason, Allah prescribed the prayer over the dead and following the funerals for these many benefits: doing good to the deceased and supplicating for him, comforting the bereaved and sympathizing with them; and to remember death and what happens after death of wonders, terrors, and dangers, so that the believer prepares for death and what comes after it.
We ask Allah for everyone well-being and safety. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with the best reward, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.