The Ruling on the Prayer for the Absent over the Deceased
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
What is the ruling on the prayer for the absent? This is the second question from our Sudanese brother. And is it permissible to pray for someone who has not yet been buried?
Answer:
The prayer for the absent involves a detailed distinction:
Some scholars hold that one does not pray for the absent, while others hold that one does. However, if the absent person has a significant standing in Islam, such as the Najashi (may Allah have mercy on him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Najashi when he died in his land. The Companions were informed of this and he prayed for him the prayer for the absent. No other report is established from him regarding the prayer for the absent except this hadith. Therefore, if the absent person is a just imam and an imam of good, the prayer for the absent is performed for him. The one in authority orders the prayer for the absent to be performed for him.
Likewise, scholars of truth and callers to guidance: if the prayer for the absent is performed for them, that is good, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Najashi.
As for ordinary people, 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. He only prayed for one individual who had a standing in Islam, because he sheltered the emigrating Companions who migrated to Abyssinia. He sheltered them, supported them, protected them, and did them good. Thus, 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 for him with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
So, whoever is of this stature, having a standing in Islam, such as the Muslims in this land prayed for Zia ul-Haq, the President of Pakistan (may Allah have mercy on him), when he had 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, his care for the implementation of the Shari'ah, his command for it, and his earnestness in that. We ask Allah for pardon and forgiveness for us and for him.
The point is that if any of the Muslim rulers or Muslim scholars is of this stature, and he dies in a foreign land or in his own land, it is permissible for Muslims in other lands to pray for him. Yes.
The presenter: Our brother asks another detail, if you would be so kind, O Shaykh, regarding the prayer before burial?
The Shaykh: It is permissible to pray for him before burial. Yes, before burial and after.
The presenter: Before burial and after.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: The absent and the present are the same, Shaykh Abdul Aziz?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: The absent and the present are the same.
The Shaykh: Yes, they pray for the present; this is well known. They pray for him before they bury him. The Sunnah is to pray for him before burial. And the absent ones, if they learn that he has died, they pray for him, even before burial.
The presenter: Even before burial.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
What is the ruling on the prayer for the absent? This is the second question from our Sudanese brother. And is it permissible to pray for someone who has not yet been buried?
Answer:
The prayer for the absent involves a detailed distinction:
Some scholars hold that one does not pray for the absent, while others hold that one does. However, if the absent person has a significant standing in Islam, such as the Najashi (may Allah have mercy on him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Najashi when he died in his land. The Companions were informed of this and he prayed for him the prayer for the absent. No other report is established from him regarding the prayer for the absent except this hadith. Therefore, if the absent person is a just imam and an imam of good, the prayer for the absent is performed for him. The one in authority orders the prayer for the absent to be performed for him.
Likewise, scholars of truth and callers to guidance: if the prayer for the absent is performed for them, that is good, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for the Najashi.
As for ordinary people, 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. He only prayed for one individual who had a standing in Islam, because he sheltered the emigrating Companions who migrated to Abyssinia. He sheltered them, supported them, protected them, and did them good. Thus, 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 for him with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
So, whoever is of this stature, having a standing in Islam, such as the Muslims in this land prayed for Zia ul-Haq, the President of Pakistan (may Allah have mercy on him), when he had 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, his care for the implementation of the Shari'ah, his command for it, and his earnestness in that. We ask Allah for pardon and forgiveness for us and for him.
The point is that if any of the Muslim rulers or Muslim scholars is of this stature, and he dies in a foreign land or in his own land, it is permissible for Muslims in other lands to pray for him. Yes.
The presenter: Our brother asks another detail, if you would be so kind, O Shaykh, regarding the prayer before burial?
The Shaykh: It is permissible to pray for him before burial. Yes, before burial and after.
The presenter: Before burial and after.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: The absent and the present are the same, Shaykh Abdul Aziz?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: The absent and the present are the same.
The Shaykh: Yes, they pray for the present; this is well known. They pray for him before they bury him. The Sunnah is to pray for him before burial. And the absent ones, if they learn that he has died, they pray for him, even before burial.
The presenter: Even before burial.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.