Funeral Prayer in Absentia

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين و صلى الله على سيدنا محمد و على آله و صحبه و سلم أما بعد

Condition: Absence

Yes, it is valid to offer the funeral prayer in absentia, but on condition that the one praying be absent from the town of the deceased. As for if they are in the same town, it is not permissible to offer the funeral prayer for him in absentia. However, if the deceased is in the same town as the one praying and it is difficult for him to attend the funeral prayer because of the likes of illness or imprisonment, Shaykh Ibn Hajar has conflicting opinions in the matter. In the Tuhfa, he sanctions the impermissibility of such a person offering the funeral prayer in absentia while in the Imdad, he sanctions its permissibility. The latter was sanctioned by Shams Al-Deen Al-Ramli in the Nihaya and there is leniency in it.

Condition: Obligation of Prayer

Another of its conditions is that the one offering the prayer must be of those for whom prayer is obligatory on the day of the deceased’s passing; i.e., he or she must be a Muslim, legally responsible [1], and pure [2] at the time. From this it is known that it is not permissible in our day to offer the funeral prayer in absentia for the Prophets, Companions and others for whom we were not obliged to pray on the day of their passing.

Proof from the Sunnah

The proof for the permissibility of praying for the deceased in absentia is indicated by what is in the two Saheehs [3] on the authority of Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him), “that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) announced the death of the Negus to his companions while in Madinah and he prayed for him and they prayed behind him.” Imam Nawawi says in the Majmu’, after mentioning the hadith, “it is rigorously authenticated and there is no refutation against it; they (i.e., those that differ) have no correct rebuttal to it.”

Amjad Rasheed

(Translated by Sidi Moustafa Elqabbany )

Notes

[m:

1. i.e., Sane and having passed puberty.

2. i.e., Free of menstruation and postpartum bleeding.

3. i.e., Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim.

]

السؤال: هل تصح صلاة الجنازة على الغائب ؟ ما شروطها ؟ الجواب : نعم تجوز عندنا صلاةُ الجنازة على الغائب لكن بشرط أن يكون المصلي غائباً عن بلد الميت ، أما إن كانا في نفس البلد فلا تصح صلاة الغائب عليه ، نعم إن كان الميتُ في بلد المصلي وكان يشق على المصلي حضورُ الصلاة عليه لنحو مرض أو حبس فقد اختلف فيه كلامُ الشيخ ابن حجر والذي اعتمده في “التحفة” أنه لا يجوز له صلاة الغائب عليه ، واعتمد في “الإمداد” أنه يصلي عليه غائباً وهذا ما اعتمده الشمس الرملي في “النهاية” وفيه فسحة . ومن شروطها أيضاً أن يكون المصلي من أهل فرض الصلاة على الميت يوم موته بأن يكون المصلي حينئذٍ مسلماً مكلفاً طاهراً ؛ ومن هذا يعلم أنه لا تصح اليومَ صلاةُ الغائبِ على الأنبياء والصحابة ونحوهم ممن لم ندركهم ونحن من أهل فرض الصلاة عليهم يوم موتهم . وقد دل على جواز الصلاة على الغائب ما في “الصحيحين” عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه :” أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نعى النجاشيَّ لأصحابه وهو بالمدينة وصلى عليه وصلوا خلفه “. قال الإمام النووي في “المجموع” بعد ذكر هذا الحديث:” وهو صحيحٌ لا مطعنَ فيه وليس لهم – أي المخالفين – عنه جوابٌ صحيح “. اه