The Permissibility of Swalat al-Janazah al-Ghayb

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The permissibility of performing the funeral prayer in absentia, for Muslims who passed away elsewhere in the world, rests on the following ahadits narrated by Imam ‘Asakir ad-Din Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (r.a.), in his Swahih, Kitab al-Jana’iz, mentioned below. 

Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) announced to the people, the death of the Negus, Sayyidina Aswhamah ibn Abjar an-Najashi (r.a.) on the same day that he passed away.  Then he went outside with them, to the place of prayer, and said “Allahu Akbar” four times. 

Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi (r.a.) said, in his Sharh Swahih Muslim, that Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i (r.a.), and those who agree with him, see in this hadits a proof for praying over the absent dead.  There is, in the hadits, an evident miracle of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) due to his proclamation of the Negus’ (r.a.) death on the same day that the latter passed away in Abyssinia.  There is also, in the hadits, the desirability of proclaiming the death of someone, but not in the pre-Islamic fashion which means to glorify and so forth. 

He also said that Imam Abu Hanifah Nu’man ibn Tsabit (r.a.) may have cited the words, “he came outside to the place of prayer”, as proof that the funeral prayer is not prayed inside the mosque.  However, the opinion of the Shafi`i, and that of the great majority of the scholars, is that it is permissible to perform it inside the mosque.  The coming out is interpreted to signify greater publicity and to show the people this great miracle of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.).  There is also the desirable increase in the number of worshippers.  It offers no proof whatsoever that the prayer cannot be prayed inside the mosque.  What the scholars have considered prohibited is to bring the remains into the mosque. 

In another narration, Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) announced to the people the death of the Negus (r.a.), the leader of the Abyssinians, on the same day that he passed away, saying, “Ask forgiveness for your brother.”  Imam Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Shihab az-Zuhri (r.a.) said that Imam Abu Muhammad Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib (r.a.) also narrated to him that Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) narrated to him that the Prophet (s.a.w.) arranged them in rows in the place of prayer, and prayed, saying “Allahu Akbar” four times. 

Sayyidina Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Answari (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) prayed over Sayyidina Aswhamah the Negus (r.a.), saying, “Allahu Akbar” four times.  Imam an-Nawawi (r.a.) wrote that Imam Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Qutaybah ad-Dinawari al-Marwazi (r.a.) said that the meaning of “Aswhamah”, in Arabic, is “‘Athiyyah”.  The scholars have said that “an-Najashi”, “the Negus, is the title of every king of the Abyssinians, while “Aswhamah” is the name of the righteous king that lived in the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Imam Abu ‘Umar Yusuf ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (r.a.) said, “The ijma’ has taken place around four takbirat.  That is the agreement of the jurists and those who give legal decisions in all Muslim countries, based on the sound narrations.” 

Sayyidina Jabir (r.a.) reported that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Today, one of the righteous servants of Allah has passed away: Aswhamah.”  Sayyidina Jabir (r.a.) continued, “Then he rose, and led us in prayer over him.” 

Sayyidina Jabir (r.a.) also reported that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “A brother of yours has passed away.  Therefore, rise and pray over him.”  Sayyidina Jabir (r.a.) continued, “We stood up, and he arranged us in two rows.” 

Imam an-Nawawi (r.a.) wrote, the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) words, “Therefore, rise and pray over him”, indicate the wujub, obligation, of the funeral prayer, which is a fardh al-kifayah, collective obligation, according to the ijma’, consensus.  The correct position of the Shafi’i is that the obligation of the funeral prayer is fulfilled by the prayer of a single man.  It has also been said that the condition of fulfillment is that two men offer it; some said three; some said four. 

Sayyidina ‘Imran ibn Husayn (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Your brother, an-Najashi has passed away.  Therefore, pray over him.”  Sayyidina ‘Imran (r.a.) continued, “Then he stood up, and he arranged us in rows behind him, and he prayed over him.”  Imam Muslim (r.a.) recorded it.  Imam an-Nawawi (r.a.) wrote that the number of salam was not mentioned in Imam Muslim’s (r.a.) narrations.  However, Imam Abu Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Umar ad-Daraquthni (r.a.) mentioned it in his Sunan, and the ijma’ of scholars has been to refer to the latter.  Their majority said that one gives a single salaam.  Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Sufyan ibn Sa’id ats-Tsawri (r.a.), Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.), Imam ash-Shafi’i (r.a.), and a number of the Salaf said that one gives two salaam. 

The scholars differ whether the imam says the salam aloud. Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.), and Imam ash-Shafi’i (r.a.) say the former, while two opinions are narrated from Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Malik ibn Anas (r.a.).  The scholars also differ on whether the hands are raised for each takbir.  The school of Imam ash-Shafi’i (r.a.) stipulates the raising of the hands in each one.  This is what Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Mundzir an-Naysaburi (r.a.), who adheres to this, reported from Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (r.a.), Imam ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (r.a.), Sayyidina ‘Atha’ ibn Yasar (r.a.), Imam Salim ibn ‘Abdullah (r.a.), Imam Qays ibn Abu Hazim (r.a.), Imam ibn Shihab az-Zuhri (r.a.), Imam Abu ‘Amr ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Amr al-Awza‘i (r.a.), Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.), and Imam Abu Ya’qub Isḥaq ibn Ibrahim al-Hanzhali (r.a.).  On the other hand, Imam ibn al-Mundzir (r.a.) reported from Imam ats-Tsawri (r.a.), Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.), and the latter’s school that the hands are raised only in the first takbir.  From Imam Malik (r.a.) are reported three opinions: the hands are raised in all four; the hands are raised in the first only; the hands are not raised in any of the four.