Dua after Janaza prayer

The Janaza prayer itself is a dua for the deceased. Making dua after the Janaza prayer was not the practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) and his companions (Radiyallahu Anhum). Based on this, the jurists have deemed it prohibited to make dua after offering the Janaza prayer. This is regardless of whether dua is made individually or collectively i.e. in both cases it will be prohibited.

Therefore, the practice of not making dua after the Janaza prayer is the correct practice; and the practice of making dua after the Janaza prayer is incorrect and must be denounced and abandoned.

Making dua after burying the deceased:

Making dua individually after the burial of the deceased is established from the hadith. Consider the following hadith:

Uthman Ibn Affaan (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that when the Messenger (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) would finish burying the deceased, he would stand near him (i.e. his grave) and would say (to his companions) “Ask for forgiveness for your brother and pray for steadfastness for him, as he is now being questioned.” (Abu Dawud, hadith 2804)

Hence, it is permissible to make dua individually after the deceased has been buried.

However, making dua collectively after burying the deceased – as is the custom in some places – was not the practice of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and his companions (Radiyallaahu Anhum). The scholars have deemed collective dua after the burial to be an innovation in religion. It is therefore prohibited to make collective dua after the burial; and it is compulsory to denounce and abandon such a custom.

To sum up: Making both individual and collective dua after Janaza prayer is prohibited. After burying the deceased, making individual dua is permissible, whereas making collective dua is prohibited.

(Ahsanul Fatawa: 1/336, 351-353, 4/233; Imdaadul Ahkaam 1/194; Fatawa Usmani: 1/108; Aap Ke Masail: 3/178 )

Mufti Faizal Riza
19/10/2011