Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
The reason I ask about a funeral prayer in the absence of the deceased is because at the main masjid here, it is done quite often, especially since the war in Afghanistan and now Palestine. Is there another madhab that permits such a funeral prayer? That way I would be able to perform the funeral prayer with the congregation legitimately (of course, assuming I fulfil the conditions of that particular madhab).
Walaikum assalam,
Personally, I feel strongly about being Hanafi. I am convinced about the interpretative methodology of our school and the strength and soundness of the rulings derived using that methodology by our imams when they examined the proofs.
As such, I would not pray the funeral prayer in absence of the deceased [see discussion below]. But, because of the political importance of the happenings, I would stand with them as they pray, making dua. Nothing wrong with that.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani.