The funeral prayer: ruling and conditions

Rulings of Funeral Funeral Prayer and Its Related Rulings

• Funeral prayer is a collective obligation (Fard Kifayah).
• There are two types of conditions for funeral prayer. The first type relates to the person performing the prayer, such as purity (being clean), covering of the private parts, facing the Qiblah, and having the right intention. However, time is not a condition for this prayer, and in cases where it’s feared that the prayer will end before performing ablution, using Tayammum (dry ablution) is allowed. This is not the case for other prayers. The second type of conditions relates specifically to the deceased, such as the deceased being Muslim, the body and shroud being pure, the private parts being covered, the body being present, and the body being placed in front of the person offering the prayer. The body or the thing on which it lies should be on the ground. The imam performing the prayer should be an adult. If the deceased is an apostate, has not been washed, or the shroud is impure, or if the deceased is completely naked, or the body is missing, or if the deceased is behind the one praying, or placed on a vehicle, or the imam is a minor, then the funeral prayer is not valid.
• The funeral prayer has two main elements: first, Saying “اَللّٰہُ اَکبَر” (Allah is the Greatest) four times, and second, standing while offering the prayer.
• There are three Sunnah actions in the funeral prayer: reciting praises and glorifications of Allah, sending blessings on the Prophet (peace be upon him), and making supplications.
• The Recommended and Preferred Method of Funeral Prayer:

• It is recommended that the funeral prayer be performed in three rows, even if there are only seven people present. In that case, one person should act as the Imam, with three people in the first row, two in the second, and one in the third.
• If the Imam says more than four Takbirs, the followers should not follow the extra Takbirs. They should remain silent and stand still. When the Imam finishes and gives the Salaam, the followers should also give the Salaam.
• If someone arrives during the funeral prayer when the Imam has already said one or two Takbirs, they should not immediately join the prayer. Instead, they should wait for the Imam to say the Takbir and then join in by Saying the Takbir at the same time. This Takbir will count as the opening Takbir for them. After the Imam finishes the prayer and gives the Salaam, this person should make up for the missed Takbirs (and also recite the supplications if there is no fear that the body will be taken away).
• If someone arrives after the prayer has already begun, and some Takbirs have already been said, they do not need to wait for the Imam’s Takbir. They should immediately join the prayer by Saying the Takbir and continue with the prayer.
• The right to lead the funeral prayer belongs primarily to the king, then to the city ruler, followed by the judge, then the deputy judge. If none of these people are present, then the local Imam has the right to lead, unless someone in the family of the deceased is more qualified. In that case, the family member, or the person authorized by them, should lead the prayer. If there are many relatives, the person who is closest to the deceased should be the one to lead the prayer. If two relatives are equally close, the one who is older should be given preference. For a woman, the family members have priority. If no family member is present, the husband has the right to lead the prayer. If someone else has led the prayer without the permission of the rightful leader, the person who has the right to lead can decide whether the prayer should be repeated. However, once the prayer has been led by the rightful person, the family does not have the right to ask for it to be repeated.
• The funeral prayer becomes invalid for the same reasons as other prayers, such as talking or doing anything that disrupts the prayer. However, in the case of the funeral prayer, laughing does not invalidate the wudu (ablution), and standing next to a woman does not invalidate the prayer.
• It is not permissible to perform the funeral prayer while sitting or riding without an excuse.
• The funeral prayer should not be performed inside a mosque, unless there is a valid excuse like rain or other similar reasons.
• If several funerals occur at the same time, it is preferable to perform a separate prayer for each. However, it is also permissible to perform one prayer for all of them. In this case, the bodies should be arranged in a line, either by placing one in front of the other (facing the Qibla) so that all heads are on the same side, or with the feet of one body placed near the head of the other. The best arrangement is the first one, where the chests of all the deceased are aligned with the Imam. In other arrangements, the Imam should stand in front of the body of the most senior or distinguished deceased. If the bodies are of different types (e.g., men, women, children), they should be arranged accordingly: men closest to the Imam, then boys, followed by deceased females, with adult women and then young girls.
• It is prohibited to perform the funeral prayer at the times when the sun rises, sets, or is at its peak (noon). The prayer is allowed at all other times.
• If a funeral arrives during the time of a required prayer and the congregation is ready, it is better to first perform the required prayer and then the funeral prayer, as long as there is no risk of the body deteriorating. Alternatively, the funeral prayer can be offered first.
• If a funeral arrives during the time of the Eid prayer, the Eid prayer should be performed first, and after that, the funeral prayer should be done. The Eid sermon should come after both the Eid and funeral prayers.
• If a funeral arrives during a solar or lunar eclipse, the funeral prayer should be performed first, followed by the eclipse prayer.
• A congregation is not a requirement for the funeral prayer; even if one person performs it, the obligation is fulfilled, whether the person is male or female.
• If a deceased person is buried without a prayer, but the grave has not yet been filled with soil, the body should be removed from the grave and the funeral prayer should be performed. If the soil has already been placed, the prayer can be performed at the grave, as long as there is no fear that the body may deteriorate.
• If a body is partially decomposed, the funeral prayer should be performed if more than half of the body or half with the head is still intact; otherwise, the prayer is not necessary.
• For a child who dies immediately after birth, no funeral prayer should be performed. The child should be washed, wrapped in a clean cloth, and buried.
• A funeral prayer cannot be performed on a body without washing or performing tayammum (dry ablution). However, after the body is buried, the prayer can be offered at the grave.
• It is obligatory to perform the funeral prayer for every Muslim, even if they were sinful or immoral. However, the Islamic ruler has the authority to forbid the funeral prayer for a notorious sinner to serve as a lesson for others to refrain from sin.
• If a person kills one of their parents (mother or father), no funeral prayer should be performed for them, as a punishment. Similarly, a bandit who is killed during a robbery should not receive the funeral prayer, and they should not be washed.
• A child whose father or mother is Muslim will be considered a Muslim, and the funeral prayer will be performed for them.
• Once the funeral prayer is completed, the body should be taken immediately to the graveyard and buried.

The Supplement Guidelines for the Funeral Prayer (Salat al-Janazah)

1. The funeral prayer is a communal obligation (fard kifayah).
2. There are two types of conditions for the funeral prayer. The first type relates to the person praying and includes the same conditions as regular prayers: purification, covering the private parts, facing the qibla, and making an intention. However, time is not a condition for this prayer. Additionally, tayammum (dry ablution) is permitted if one fears the funeral will end before being able to perform wudu. The second type of conditions relates specifically to the deceased:

• The deceased must be Muslim.
• The body and shroud must be pure.
• The deceased’s body should be covered if female.
• The body must be present, placed in front of the congregation, and laid on the ground.
• The Imam should be an adult.
• If the deceased is a disbeliever or apostate, has not been washed, or is without a shroud, the prayer is invalid. Similarly, if the deceased’s body is absent, placed behind the congregation, carried on a stretcher, or the Imam is a minor, the prayer is invalid.

1. The essentials (fard) of the funeral prayer are two:

• Saying the four takbirs (Saying "اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَرْ" four times).
• Standing while praying.

1. There are three sunnahs in the funeral prayer:

• Reciting praise (hamd wa thana).
• Reciting blessings on the Prophet (Durud).
• Making a supplication (du'a).

1. It is recommended to arrange the attendees in three rows for the funeral prayer. If there are only seven people, one should lead as the Imam, three should stand in the first row, two in the second, and one in the third.
2. The one most entitled to lead the funeral prayer is, first, the ruler, then the city judge, followed by the judge’s assistant, and the local Imam. Among family members, the closest relative is prioritized. If two are equally close, the elder has priority. For a woman, her closest male relative leads the prayer; if no male relative is present, her husband does. If an unauthorized person leads the prayer without permission from the rightful family member, the family has the right to repeat the prayer.
3. The funeral prayer can be invalidated by the same actions that invalidate regular prayers, except laughing out loud does not nullify ablution, nor does standing next to a woman invalidate it.
4. The funeral prayer should not be performed in a mosque where regular congregational prayers are held unless there is a reason, such as rain.
5. If either parent of a deceased child is Muslim, the child is considered Muslim, and a funeral prayer is performed for them.
6. The funeral prayer should be performed for any Muslim, even if they were a sinner, provided they died in Islam. However, a Muslim ruler has the authority to instruct that no prayer be performed for an evildoer to deter others from such actions.

Rulings of Prayer (Salah) 22. The Funeral Prayer (Namaz-e-Janaza)

1. Namaz-e-Janaza is Fard Kifaya (a communal obligation).
2. The conditions for Namaz-e-Janaza are of two types:

One set of conditions relates to the person performing the prayer. These are the same as for other prayers, such as purification, covering the 'awrah, facing the Qiblah, and having the intention (niyyah). However, there is no time limit for this prayer, and tayammum is allowed if there is a fear that the prayer will end before the person can perform wudu (ablution). This rule does not apply to other prayers.

The second set of conditions pertains to the deceased, and they are:

• The deceased must be a Muslim.
• The body and shroud of the deceased must be pure.
• The body of a woman must be properly covered.
• The deceased must be physically present.
• The deceased must be in front of the person leading the prayer (the imam).
• The body or platform on which the body is placed must be on the ground.
• The imam must be an adult. If the deceased is an apostate, has not procreated, the shroud is impure, the body is completely naked, the body is absent, or if the body is being carried in a vehicle or by hand, or if the imam is a minor, the prayer will not be valid.

1. The key actions in Namaz-e-Janaza are: first, four takbirs (Saying "اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَرْ" four times), and second, two qiyams (standing during the prayer).
2. The Sunnahs of Namaz-e-Janaza include: reciting al-Hamd (praise of Allah), reciting Durud Sharif (salutations upon the Prophet, peace be upon him), and making du'a (supplication) for the deceased.
3. The recommended and preferred way to perform the Janaza prayer is as follows: The imam should stand facing the deceased with the body in front of him. Both the imam and the followers (muktadi) should make the intention for the Janaza prayer. Then, raise both hands (as in Takbir al-Tahreemah) to the ears and say اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَرْ. After this, lower the hands and place them just below the navel, as in regular prayer. Then, recite Thana:

1. It is recommended to form three rows for the congregation in the Janaza prayer. If there are only seven people, one should become the imam, with three people standing in the first row, two in the second, and one in the third.
2. If the imam says more than four Takbirs, the muktadi should not follow the extra Takbirs. They should remain silent, and when the imam finishes the Salam, they should also perform the Salam.
3. If a person arrives late to the Janaza prayer and the imam has already said one or two Takbirs, they should not immediately join the prayer by Saying Takbir. Instead, they should wait for the imam’s next Takbir and join the prayer with it. This Takbir will count as their Takbir al-Tahreemah. After the imam finishes the Salam, they should perform any missed Takbirs. If there is no fear of the body being taken away, they can also make Du'a.
4. If a person arrives at the beginning of the prayer and has missed some Takbirs, they should not wait for the imam's next Takbir. Instead, they should immediately join the prayer by Saying Takbir. After the imam finishes the Salam, they should perform any missed Takbirs.
5. The most entitled person to lead the Janaza prayer is the king, followed by the city governor, then the judge, then the deputy judge. If none of these are present, the imam of the locality is entitled to lead the prayer, as long as no one from the deceased’s close family is more qualified. If there are many close family members, the one most closely related should lead the prayer. If two family members are equally close, the older one should lead. In the case of a woman, the closest male relative takes precedence. If no male relative is present, the husband is entitled. If someone who is not qualified to lead the prayer does so without the permission of the family, the family has the right to ask for the prayer to be repeated. However, once the rightful imam has led the prayer, the family cannot request a repeat.
6. The Janaza prayer becomes invalid due to the same things that invalidate other prayers. However, laughing loudly (qahqaha) does not break the wudhu in the Janaza prayer, and standing next to a woman does not invalidate it either.
7. It is not permissible to perform the Janaza prayer while sitting or riding (unless there is a valid excuse).
8. The Janaza prayer should not be performed inside the mosque, except in cases of valid excuse, such as heavy rain.
9. If multiple Janazas are present at the same time, it is better to offer separate prayers for each deceased. However, it is also permissible to pray for all of them together. In this case, the rows for the deceased should be arranged as follows: one after another, with all heads facing the same direction (towards the qibla), or in a way where the feet of one deceased are at the head of the next. The first arrangement is preferred because it allows the imam to stand in front of the deceased with their chest facing the imam (as is the Sunnah). In other cases, the imam should stand in front of the deceased who is the oldest or most honorable among them. If the deceased belong to different categories, they should be arranged in order, with the male deceased closest to the imam, followed by the boys, intersex persons (khuntha), adult women, and then young girls.
10. If a deceased person is placed in the grave without the Janaza prayer being performed, but before any earth is placed over the body, it is recommended to remove the body from the grave and perform the prayer. If the earth has already been placed, the Janaza prayer should be performed at the grave, as long as there is no risk of the body decaying or bursting (some scholars estimate this risk to arise after three days).
11. If a deceased person is partially decomposed, the Janaza prayer should be performed if more than half of the body (or half with the head) remains intact; otherwise, the prayer should not be performed.
12. A stillborn child (one who dies at birth) should not have the Janaza prayer performed. Instead, the body should be washed, wrapped in a clean cloth, and buried.
13. The Janaza prayer is not valid for a body that has not been washed or for a body where tayammum was performed. However, the prayer can be offered at the grave after burial.
14. If the father or mother of a child is Muslim, the child is considered Muslim, and the Janaza prayer should be performed for them.
15. The Janaza prayer should be offered for every sinner whose end is in Islam. However, a Muslim ruler has the authority to prevent the Janaza prayer from being performed for a sinful person, as a lesson for others to refrain from evil deeds.
16. After completing the Janaza prayer, the body should be taken to the grave, where the burial can take place.