15 Arguments of the Hanafis Regarding Surah Al-Fatiha in the Funeral Prayer

Readers have already learned about the authentic hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the practice of the Companions, and the creed of the majority of the Tabi‘in regarding the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. From these evidences, it is also completely clear that all these evidences are entirely authentic in terms of their chains of narration and specifically pertain to Surah Al-Fatiha. There is not a single evidence that is without a chain or weak. Now, readers should also examine the Hanafi evidences. Most of these evidences are either completely without chains or, if the chain exists, it does not reach the level of authenticity according to the principles of hadith scholars. Among the evidences that are authentic in terms of their chains, most are not even related to Surah Al-Fatiha. Let us observe and decide for ourselves whether the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha is prohibited or obligatory in the funeral prayer.

The chain of narration is the standard of authenticity. It is through the chain that the authenticity of a narration is known. A narration whose chain is unknown is entirely false. No Muslim can establish their religion based on such narrations. However, some Muslims knowingly, like a drowning person clutching at a straw, use such tactics to prove their self-made religion. Observe a few such efforts:

① The Unsourced Narration of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him)!

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi writes:

روي عن ابن مسعود أنه سئل عن صلاة الجنازة : هل يقرأ فيها؟ فقال : لم يوقت لنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قولا ولا قراءة، وفي رواية : دعاء ولا قراءة، كبر ما كبر الإمام واختر ما شئت، وفي رواية : واختر من الدعاء أطيبه .

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that he was asked about recitation in the funeral prayer, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not prescribe any specific words or recitation for us. In one narration, it is mentioned that no specific supplication or recitation was prescribed. When the Imam says Takbeer, you also say Takbeer, and choose whatever best words of praise and supplication you wish. In another narration, it is mentioned that you should choose the best of the best supplications.

Analysis
● This is a masterpiece of Anwar Sahib’s research that he has made a narration, mentioned without chain or source, his crown jewel. It is the duty of a researcher to provide the reference of his evidence from the primary source where its chain of narration is present.
In Al-Tabarani al-Kabir (9606, 9604), where its chain is mentioned, there is the involvement of Jabir al-Ju’fi, who is a liar, a fabricator, and a muddler.
Where is the proven Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the practice of the Companions, and where is a false statement attributed to a Companion! Is there any hearing for such things in the world of evidence?

◈ The Proven Statement of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (RA) Regarding Allah on the Throne

● It has not been established that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (RA) forbade reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in funeral prayers, but Deobandi brothers should certainly consider his authentic statement:

و الله على العرش ، ويعلم أعمالكم .

Allah Almighty is above the Throne and knows your deeds.

Those who believe in the omnipresence of the Essence of Allah everywhere and deny the Istiwa (establishment) on the Throne, what right do they have to attribute false statements to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (RA) instead of leaving the consensus of the Ummah’s correct belief which causes tension?

② The Unauthenticated Narration of Abd al-Rahman bin Awf and Abdullah bin Umar (RA)

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Sahib presents the fifth argument as follows:

روي عن عبد الرحمن بن عوف وابن عمر أنهما قالا : ليس فيها قرائة شيء من القرآن .

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf and Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that these two elders said: There is no recitation of any part of the Quran in the funeral prayer.

Analysis
● This narration is also without a chain of transmission (weak). Until now, no chain of transmission has been found in the hadith collections. If Mr. Anwar Khurshid Sahib dares to present any chain of transmission for it, he could earn praise in the field of research; otherwise, our Deobandi brothers should decide for themselves whether a jurisprudence based on weak narrations is the essence of the Quran and Sunnah or…?
● It has not been proven from Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that recitation is prohibited in the funeral prayer. However, we will present one statement from each of these elders to our Deobandi brothers. It will become clear how sincere they are in following the sayings and actions of the Companions of the Prophet. Let us observe:

◈ Sayyiduna Ibn Awf رضي الله عنه and Two Rak’ahs Before Maghrib Prayer

Zar bin Hubaysh narrates:

إن أبى بن كعب وعبد الرحمن بن عوف كانا يصليان قبل المغرب ركعتين، ركعتين .

Undoubtedly, Sayyiduna Abi bin Ka’b and Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf رضي الله عنهما both used to perform two rak’ahs of prayer before Maghrib.

Janab Anwar Sahib has presented an unsourced and baseless narration attributed to the Sahabah, whereas we have stated an act proven from the Sahabah. Will the Deobandi brothers now have the courage to follow the Sunnah of the Sahabah and perform two rak’ahs before Maghrib prayer? If not, then why?

◈ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما and One Witr

It has not been established that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما prohibited reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer; however, it is definitely established that he performed one rak’ah of Witr. He رضي الله عنهما said:

صلاة الليل مثنى مثنى ، والوتر واحدة .

The night (Tahajjud) prayer is two rak’ahs each, and Witr is one rak’ah.

If our followers truly love Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما and genuinely consider his sayings and actions as authoritative, then they should muster the courage to act upon this ruling at least once in their lifetime! If they do so, then, God willing, they will become Ahl al-Hadith. If they cannot muster such courage, then they should decide for themselves whether it is just to present his unsupported and baseless statements against us? May Allah grant us the ability to seek the truth and stand firm upon it.

③ The Majority Practice of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم!

Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi Sahib writes without any reference:

ولا ريب فى أن أكثر عمله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان على الترك .

Undoubtedly, it was the usual practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to omit Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer.

Analysis
● Allama Kashmiri Sahib has passed away, now the Deobandi brothers are requested to prove with authentic chains of narration that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) omitted Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer even once in his lifetime, let alone frequently; otherwise, they should accept that their scholars did not hesitate to make irresponsible statements about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to protect their own jurisprudence.
● No Hanafi scholar has been able to prove that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) omitted Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, whereas we have already established in the first chapter through authentic hadiths that reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is Sunnah. We invite our Hanafi brothers that until they find a hadith showing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) omitting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, they should follow those hadiths which prove from the Sunnah of the Prophet that reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is established.

④ The Unsubstantiated Practice of the Majority of the Salaf!

Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi Sahib, mentioning the practice of the majority of the Salaf regarding leaving out Surah Al-Fatiha, writes:

وصرح ابن تيمية رحمه الله أن جمهور السلف كانوا يكتفون بالدعاء، ولا يقرؤون الفاتحة.

Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, explicitly stated that the majority of the Salaf used to rely solely on supplication; they did not recite Al-Fatiha.

Analysis
● Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, did not make any absolute statement about reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer; rather, he spoke about the recitation of the Qur’an in the cemetery. He said:

لم يقل أحد من العلماء بأنه يستحب قصد القبر دائما للقرائة عنده، إذ قد علم بالاضطرار من دين الإسلام أن ذلك ليس مما شرعه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لأمته، لكن اختلفوا فى القرائة عند القبور، هل هي مكروهة أم لا تكره؟ والمسأله مشهورة، وفيها ثلاث روايات عن أحمد؛ إحداها أن ذلك لا بأس به، وهى اختيار الخلال وصاحبه وأكثر المتأخرين من أصحابه، وقالوا : هي الرواية المتأخرة عن أحمد، وقول جماعة من أصحاب أبى حنيفة والثانية أن ذلك مكروه، حتى اختلف هؤلاء : هل تقرأ الفاتحة فى صلاة الجنازة إذا صلى عليها فى المقبرة؟ وفيه عن أحمد روايتان؛ وهذه الرواية هي التى رواها أكثر أصحابه عنه، وعليها قدماء أصحابه الذين صحبوه، كعبد الوهاب الوراق وأبي بكر المروزي ونحوهما، وهى مذهب جمهور السلف كأبي حنيفة ومالك وهشيم بن بشير وغيرهم

None of the scholars have said that it is always recommended to intend a specific grave for recitation, because it is certainly known in Islam that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did not legislate this for his Ummah. However, scholars differ on whether reciting near graves is disliked or not. This is a well-known issue, and there are three types of narrations from Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, regarding this. One of them is that there is no harm in it. Meanwhile, his students and later companions hold this view. They say that this is Imam Ahmad’s final narration, and a group among the companions of Abu Hanifa hold the same position. The second narration is that reciting Qur’an near graves is disliked, to the extent that scholars even differed on whether Surah Al-Fatiha should be recited in the funeral prayer in the cemetery or not. Regarding this, two types of narrations have been reported from Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him. Most of his companions narrated the latter, and his early companions who stayed with him, such as Abdul Wahhab Warraq, Abu Bakr Marwazi, etc., hold this position (that Surah Al-Fatiha should not be recited in the funeral prayer in the cemetery). The majority of the Salaf, such as Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Hashim bin Bashir, and others, also hold this belief.

It is understood that Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, called the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer in the cemetery disliked based on a narration from Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the position of his early companions, and the majority of the Salaf. Generally, according to Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, even the majority of the Salaf do not consider Surah Al-Fatiha disliked in the funeral prayer.
● Ibn Taymiyyah’s statement about the majority of the Salaf is without chain (isnaad). He did not mention any chain or reference regarding this. We have already established with authentic chains from Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, and the majority of the Salaf the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer in the first chapter. Are not the Sahabah and the majority of the Tabi‘in considered the majority of the Salaf among the Hanafi brothers? And after establishing the position of the majority of the Salaf with authentic chains, will the Hanafi brothers continue to rely on Ibn Taymiyyah’s statement which lacks chain?
● Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah himself writes a few lines later:

ومعلوم أن القرائة فى الصلاة ليس المقصود بها القرائة عند القبر .

It is known that (in the case of funeral prayer at the grave) the recitation in the prayer does not mean recitation at the grave.

Therefore, even if it is hypothetically accepted for a moment that the majority of the Salaf considered the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha disliked in the funeral prayer in the cemetery, their statement would still be insignificant. The reason is that the cause for which they considered it disliked is absent here, because recitation in the prayer does not imply recitation at the grave.

The religion of Islam is a clear and luminous faith. It has not left any aspect of life thirsty or hidden. There is clear guidance regarding all rulings and issues. However, some people, contrary to this clarifying policy of Islam, are compelled to present such arguments to save their sinking boat of jurisprudence, which have no connection whatsoever with the actual issue. The Hanafis have also mentioned many such arguments to prevent reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. Please observe:

① The funeral prayer is actually a supplication!

The very first argument given to declare the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer as impermissible is as follows:

عن أبى هريرة أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إذا صليتم على الميت فأخلصوا له الدعاء .

Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: When you perform the funeral prayer, pray sincerely for the deceased.

Mr. Amin Okaraavi, Mr. Anwar Khurshid, and many other Hanafi scholars have cited this hadith as their very first argument. This is their strongest argument. But dear readers, after reading its analysis, decide for yourselves whether the Hanafis have been able to prove the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer from this?
Analysis
● It is repeatedly affirmed that the funeral prayer includes supplication for the deceased, but this authentic hadith in no way prohibits the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, because the funeral prayer is still a prayer. It cannot be denied as a prayer by calling it a supplication for the deceased. Even in the reliable Hanafi jurisprudence books, it is stated that the intention of prayer is necessary for the funeral prayer. Consider the wording of Fatawa Alamgiri:

وفي صلاة الجنازة ينوي الصلاة لله تعالى والدعاء للميت .

In the funeral prayer, one should intend prayer for Allah Almighty and supplication for the deceased.

The same is mentioned in Al-Ashbah wa Al-Naza’ir and others.
If the funeral prayer is a prayer, then why would the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha be prohibited in it? Therefore, the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer does not prevent sincere supplication for the deceased. Surah Al-Fatiha is recited after the first Takbeer, while the supplication for the deceased is after the third Takbeer. Even the Hanafis admit this. Mr. Okaraavi also wrote that the command for sincere supplication for the deceased relates to after the third Takbeer. He writes:
This hadith refers to the supplication that is recited between the third and fourth Takbeer in the funeral prayer.

Mr. Okaraavi also quoted this from the Hanafi book Mirqat al-Mafatih by Mulla Ali Qari and Fatawa Saadiya Ain al-Hidayah. But then why did he present this hadith as a prohibition of the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, which is only recited after the first Takbeer? Is this not baseless?
Even more ridiculous is that the violation of the hadith about sincere supplication in the funeral prayer is done by the Hanafis themselves, who perform the funeral prayer in a few seconds. The Ahl al-Hadith follow this hadith and prolong the funeral prayer to supplicate sincerely. والحمد لله على ذلك

◈ Justice of Allama Taqi Usmani Sahib

Not only we, but Allama Taqi Usmani Deobandi Sahib also has a complaint about this matter. He says:
But this reasoning is not correct because it means to pray sincerely, not that Al-Fatiha should not be recited.

● If recitation is prohibited in the funeral prayer because it is meant for praying for the deceased, then Eid prayer is also for thanksgiving, the eclipse prayer is for seeking forgiveness for our sins, and the Istisqa prayer is for requesting rain. Recitation should not be done in these prayers either because they are also for prayer and achieving special purposes.

◈ The Double Standard of the Hanafis Regarding Muhammad bin Ishaq

● The narrator who has reported the chain of this hadith is the same Muhammad ibn Ishaq who narrated the hadith about reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the Imam’s lead. Contemporary Hanafi scholars have exerted every effort to prove him unreliable and have blackened pages upon pages.

For example, Maulana Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi writes:
About ninety-five percent of the hadith scholars and experts in criticism and authentication agree that his narrations in hadith, especially in Sunan and Ahkam, cannot be considered authoritative in any way, and in this regard, the existence or non-existence of his narrations is exactly equal.

He also writes:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar made very weak and absurd attempts to interpret in order to make Ibn Ishaq credible… but all these efforts are futile and invalid.

Now, an appeal for justice is made to the honorable readers; they should observe where the existence and non-existence of his narration are considered exactly equal and completely unreliable, especially in Sunan and Ahkam, and where not only is his narration used for reasoning but it is presented as the very first proof.

Is this called fairness that when a hadith of Muhammad ibn Ishaq comes to prove the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the Imam’s lead, attempts are made to label him a liar, deceiver, and unreliable, but when the same Muhammad ibn Ishaq narrates a hadith about sincerely praying for the deceased in the funeral prayer, he is embraced, even though, by the admission of the Hanafis, this hadith does not prove the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha?

◈ Understanding of the Ancestors of the Ummah

● None of the scholars or jurists of the best generations have proven from this hadith the prohibition of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. If that were the intended meaning, then the scholars and jurists of the best generations would certainly have known it.
The scholars and jurists have strongly refuted those who present this hadith as evidence, as Hafiz Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him, 456 AH) writes:

إنه ليس فى إخلاص الدعاء للميت نهي عن القرائة، ونحن نخلص له الدعاء ونقرأ كما أمرنا .

It is certain that the command to sincerely pray for the deceased does not prohibit recitation. We sincerely pray for the deceased and also recite according to the command given to us by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

● If Surah Al-Fatiha is omitted because it does not contain a prayer for the deceased, then the Hanafis should also be prohibited from reciting Durood Sharif since it also does not contain any prayer for the deceased. Moreover, our question is: in their self-invented praise containing جل ثنائك, what prayer is there for the deceased? It neither contains a prayer for the deceased nor is it established from the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). Why do they adopt it?
This was the biggest argument of the Deobandi and Hanafi brothers, which they believe prohibits the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. It is clear from this that they do not have any authentic and explicit hadith to prove that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer or forbade it. If there were such evidence, they would certainly never have presented this hadith, which even their own researchers do not consider as evidence on this issue.

② Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما and Recitation in the Funeral!

Nafi Tabi’i narrates:

إن عبد الله بن عمر كان لا يقرأ فى الصلاة على الجنازة .

Our master Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) did not recite during the funeral prayer.

Almost all Hanafi scholars have presented this narration in their books as a strong argument against reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer.
Analysis
● In this personal practice of our master Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), there is no indication of prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. The only point is that he did not recite during the funeral prayer. There are two types of recitation in the funeral prayer. One is the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha, and the other is the recitation of a surah other than Al-Fatiha. We consider the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer necessary in the light of Shariah evidences. Even if no recitation other than Surah Al-Fatiha is made, the funeral prayer will still be valid. Which recitation did our master Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) omit? Hanafi brothers have not been able to prove to this day that our master Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) omitted the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha. It is possible that he recited slowly.

◈ The Statement of Hafiz Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him, Al-Faisal

In the fifth century Hijri, Hafiz Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him, addressed them and said:

وقالوا : … وعن ابن عمر أنه كان لا يقرأ فى صلاة الجنازة، فقلنا : ليس عن واحد من هؤلاء أنه قال : لا يقرأ فيها بأم القرآن، ونعم نحن نقول : لا يقرأ فيها بشيء من القرآن إلا بأم القرآن، فلا يصح خلاف بين هؤلاء وبين من صرح بقرائة القرآن من الصحابة رضي الله عنهم…. فبطل أن يكون لهم به متعلق .

Those (who prevent reciting Al-Fatiha) say that it is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, that he did not recite during the funeral prayer. We say that it is not proven from any one companion that they did not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. We also say that no Quranic recitation should be done in the funeral prayer except Surah Al-Fatiha. Therefore, this narration cannot be used as a basis to create a difference between Sayyiduna Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, and those companions who have clearly stated the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. Thus, this narration is of no benefit to those people.

Janab Okaraavi Sahib, while translating this narration, added the word “Fatiha” from his side. However, there is no such word in this narration that means Fatiha. According to Hafiz Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him, this act of Okaraavi Sahib is also not correct.

● Even if it is assumed that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to omit the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha, then his statement would not be credible compared to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and other companions. Hafiz Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him, expresses this point as follows:

فكيف، ولو صح عنهم فى ذلك خلاف؛ لوجب الرد عند تنازعهم إلى ما أمر الله تعالى بالرجوع إليه من القرآن والسنة، وقد قال عليه السلام : لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بأم القرآن

How can (the omission of Fatiha in the funeral prayer be inferred from the narration of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both) when even if a difference of opinion among the companions is proven on this matter, according to the command of Allah, the differences among the companions will be presented on the scale of the Quran and Sunnah. And in this matter, there is the statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, that the person who does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha has no prayer.

◈ Raising the Hands: The Explicit Practice of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with them)

● The student of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما, Rasheed Nafi Tabi’i, narrates:

إن ابن عمر كان إذا دخل فى الصلاة؛ كبر ورفع يديه، وإذا ركع؛ رفع يديه، وإذا قال : سمع الله لمن حمده؛ رفع يديه، وإذا قام من الركعتين؛ رفع يديه، ورفع ذلك ابن عمر إلى نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم .

When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما would start the prayer, he would say Takbeer and raise his hands. When going into Ruku, he would raise his hands. When saying سمع الله لمن حمده, he would raise his hands, and when rising after two Rak’ahs, he would raise his hands. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما considered this practice to be the action of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.

After the passing of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما continued to raise his hands and considered it the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. This is clear evidence that raising the hands when going into Ruku, when rising from Ruku, and when standing up for the third Rak’ah in prayer has not been abrogated; rather, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم practiced it throughout his life. Our Hanafi brothers present the practice of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما to prevent the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, even though it does not mention Surah Al-Fatiha at all. But will they be ready to adopt this clear practice of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما regarding raising the hands? If not, then they themselves should decide why their standards for accepting and rejecting differ.

◈ Is the practice of other Companions not acceptable?

● In the first chapter of the second section, we have proven with an authentic chain that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, Sayyiduna Abu Imamah bin Sahl, Sayyiduna Sahl bin Hunayf, Sayyiduna Habib bin Muslimah, and other noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, recited Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. If among the Hanafi brothers, the practice of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, is considered evidence even though it does not mention Surah Al-Fatiha at all, then why is the clear recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer by these several noble Companions not considered evidence for them? Why this double standard in religious matters?

③ The practice of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not mentioned!

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه was asked how he performed the funeral prayer. He replied:

أنا لعمر الله أخبرك، أتبعها من أهلها، فإذا وضعت؛ كبرت وحمدت الله وصليت على نبيه، ثم أقول : اللهم إنه عبدك .

By Allah, I will definitely tell you. I join the funeral from the house of the deceased. When the funeral (for prayer) is placed, I say Takbeer and then praise and glorify Allah and send blessings upon the Noble Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Then I recite this supplication: اللهم إنه عبدك

Many Hanafi scholars have taken this narration as evidence for not reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer.
Analysis
● In this narration, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه neither forbade the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer nor refrained from it himself. On the contrary, this narration mentions his praising and glorifying Allah. Surah Al-Fatiha is both praise and glorification of Allah. This is not our own fabrication, but the command of Allah Himself. The Noble Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

فإذا قال العبد : الحمد لله رب العالمين ، قال الله تعالى : حمدني عبدي، وإذا قال: الرحمن الرحيم، قال الله تعالى : أثنى على عبدي

When a servant (in prayer) says الحمد لله رب العالمين, Allah says: My servant has praised Me; and when the servant says الرحمن الرحيم, Allah says: My servant has glorified Me.

If any Hanafi brother says that praise and glorification means سبحانك الله, then it is stated that in the funeral prayer, it is not proven from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or any companion that this glorification was recited. Sayyiduna Abu Umamah bin Sahl رضي الله عنه, when describing the Sunnah method of funeral prayer, mentioned Surah Al-Fatiha after the first Takbeer.
This matter has been explained in detail in the third chapter.

◈ Absence of mention is not proof of non-existence

● If any Hanafi brother says that this narration does not explicitly mention the words of Surah Al-Fatiha, then we would request him that it is a well-known jurisprudential principle that the absence of mention is not proof of non-existence. Take this narration itself; it only mentions the first Takbir. It does not mention the second, third, or fourth Takbir. Also, this narration does not mention the turning of Salam. If the explicit absence of the mention of Surah Al-Fatiha proves its prohibition, then the Hanafis should also refrain from the other Takbirs and Salam, which is not the case. It is clear that this narration is no proof for the Hanafis. Hafiz Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) says in this regard:

وقالوا : قد روي عن أبى هريرة أنه سئل عن الصلاة على الجنازة، فذكر دعاء، ولم يذكر قراءة، وأبو هريرة لم يذكر تكبيرا ولا تسليما، فبطل أن يكون لهم به متعلق

He says that it is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he was asked about the funeral prayer, he mentioned the supplication, not the recitation… Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mention any Takbir or Salam (other than the first). It is clear that their reasoning from this narration is invalid.

◈ Recitation of the Follower; Practice Established from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA)

● Someone asked Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA): When we are praying behind an Imam, should we recite Surah Al-Fatiha? He said:

اقرأ بها فى نفسك، فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : قال الله تعالى.

Recite it in your heart. I have heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say that Allah Almighty has said…

It has not been established that Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) forbade or omitted Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, but will any Hanafi brother act upon this authentic and clear ruling of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA)?

④ Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (RA) and Al-Fatiha in the Funeral Prayer

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Sahib has also presented the hadith of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما in his argument, which we have already presented as our second major evidence in the second chapter of the first section. Presenting our arguments against us is a very clear indication that the Hanafi school is completely devoid of evidence on this issue. How just is it for Anwar Sahib to present this hadith as his proof? The honorable readers will decide this themselves by studying the second chapter of the first section. However, here we will briefly comment. Mr. Anwar Sahib writes:
The way Hazrat Talha bin Abdullah asked you indicates that, in his view, this was a new and strange matter, completely against custom, about which he had no knowledge at all.

Analysis
● Especially to Mr. Anwar Sahib and generally to other Deobandi brothers, it is submitted that:

◈ Not every question arises from ignorance

Not every question arises from wonder or ignorance; questions are also asked for many other purposes. In our opinion, the credit for inventing this meaning of wonder goes to Hazrat Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi Gujarati Barelvi Sahib. After mentioning the hadith of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما, he writes:
When you recited Surah Al-Fatiha, all the companions and followers present were greatly astonished. Then you apologized, saying that I did this so that you know this is Sunnah. It became clear that the companions neither used to recite it nor considered it Sunnah, so you had to apologize for this.

Because of their support for this, Hazrat Anwar Khurshid and Hazrat Okaraavi Sahib eagerly accepted this strange and bizarre meaning against the predecessors of the Ummah.
If these gentlemen had any knowledge of rhetoric and hadith, they certainly would not have said such things. Even a beginner in hadith knows that sometimes the questioner has complete knowledge about the related issue; he asks the question only so that others may also learn from the answer, as in the Hadith of Jibril, when Jibril Al-Amin عليه السلام asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم about Iman, Islam, and Ihsan. There is no disagreement that Jibril عليه السلام did not ask because he lacked knowledge about Iman, Islam, and Ihsan or was astonished. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم himself explained the purpose of his questions after Jibril left:

هذا جبريل جاء يعلم الناس دينهم .

It was Jibril عليه السلام who came to teach the people their religion.

Therefore, denying Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer solely based on the question of Talha bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه is stubbornness. Did Hazrat Anwar Sahib not see this answer of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما:

إنها سنة .

This is Sunnah.

◈ Hanafi Jurisprudence and the Practice of the Best of Generations

● Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself, the Companions, and the Tabi‘in. Whoever has doubts should revisit Chapter One, Section Six. Then Anwar Sahib’s statement that there was no trace of it is extremely inappropriate. However, putting that aside, we say to them that there are many such issues in Hanafi jurisprudence that had no trace in the early generations. Before the founders of Hanafi jurisprudence, no Muslim in the world had even dreamed of these matters. Yet, they are the essence of the Quran and Sunnah, while the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the practice of the Companions and Tabi‘in are being rejected by labeling them as having no trace. Let us observe one example of this:

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: On the day of the Battle of Uhud, I was presented before the Prophet ﷺ to seek permission for jihad, but the Prophet ﷺ did not grant me permission to participate in the battle. Then, at the time of the Battle of the Trench, I was presented again, and the Prophet ﷺ granted permission. At that time, I was fifteen years old.

The narrator of this hadith, Imam Nafi‘ (may Allah have mercy on him), states that I was with the Rightly Guided Caliph Sayyiduna Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him). When I narrated this hadith to him, he said: This (fifteen years of age) is the boundary between minor and adult.

After narrating this hadith, Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:

والعمل على هذا عند أهل العلم، وبه يقول سفيان التوري وابن المبارك والشافعي وأحمد وإسحاق، يرون أن الغلام إذا استكمل خمس عشرة سنة؛ فحكمه حكم الرجال، وإن احتلم قبل خمس عشرة، فحكمه حكم الرجال

The scholars act upon this hadith. Imam Sufyan al-Thawri, Imam Abdullah ibn Mubarak, Imam Shafi‘i, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh (may Allah have mercy on them) issue fatwas accordingly. Their position is that when a boy completes fifteen years, he is considered an adult. Even if he experiences nocturnal emission before fifteen, he is still considered an adult.

From this hadith and the commentary of the great muhaddithin, it is understood that even if no sign appears, a boy becomes an adult at fifteen years of age, and the rulings applicable to men apply to him. This was a unanimous decision of the Muslim Ummah, but the Hanafis opposed it and narrated from Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) the fatwa that the age of puberty for boys is eighteen years and for girls is seventeen years.

Commenting on this, Imam Ibn Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) (242-319 AH) says:

وكان النعمان يقول : حد بلوغ الغلام ثماني عشرة سنة، والجارية سبع عشرة سنة، وهذا خلاف ما ذكرنا من السنن الثابتة وقول من ذكرنا من أهل العلم، ولا نعلم أحدا سبقه إلى هذا القول، وليس له فيما قال حجة

Nu‘man (Imam Abu Hanifa) said that the age of puberty for boys is eighteen years and for girls is seventeen years. This statement of his is against the authentic and established hadiths we mentioned and the opinions of the scholars. We do not know that anyone said this before the Imam. Moreover, he has no evidence for this.

Now, Anwar Sahib should tell us whether Imam Abu Hanifa’s statement had any trace during the time of the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions? If it did, then present its chain of narration.

Let the readers decide that on one hand, the Sunnah of the Prophet and the practice of the Companions are being rejected by calling them untraceable, while on the other hand, in blind imitation, such a statement is considered venerable which has no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah nor was this fatwa given by any of the Companions or Tabi‘in. It is clear that Anwar Sahib’s objection to this hadith is merely to pacify the naive Hanafi masses; otherwise, he should also declare his Imam’s statement as untraceable, break his head against the wall, accept following the Book and Sunnah, and come out of the whirlpool of blind imitation.

For further details on this matter, please study Chapter One, Section Two.

⑤ Weak narration attributed to Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه

Janab Anwar Sahib writes:

عن على أنه كان إذا صلى على ميت يبدأ بحمد الله ويصلي على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثم يقول : اللهم اغفر لأحيائنا وأمواتنا، وألف بين قلوبنا، وأصلح ذات بيننا، واجعل قلوبنا على قلوب خيارنا

It is narrated from Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه that when you lead the funeral prayer for a deceased, you begin with the praise and glorification of Allah. Then you send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Then you supplicate this prayer: اللهم اغفر لأحيائنا وأمواتنا، وألف بين قلوبنا، وأصلح ذات بيننا، واجعل قلوبنا على قلوب خيارنا

Analysis
● Its chain of narration is weak because Musayyib bin Rafi’ is not proven to have heard directly from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه, so attributing this statement to Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه is not correct.

◈ The Fatiha itself is praise and glorification

● According to this weak narration, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to begin the funeral prayer with the praise and glorification of Allah Almighty, and we have already explained in the previous pages that Surah Al-Fatiha itself has been called the praise and glorification of Allah by Allah Almighty. Using this narration to prohibit Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer shows the extreme helplessness of the Hanafis on this issue.

◈ Absence of mention does not imply non-existence

● If merely the absence of mention of Surah Al-Fatiha in this narration proves the prohibition of Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, then there is also no mention of any Takbeer or Salaam in it. Will the Deobandi and Hanafi brothers also declare Takbeers and Salaam forbidden in the funeral prayer? If not, then why such enmity towards Al-Fatiha?

◈ Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hanafi Fiqh

● It has not been proven that Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه prohibited reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, but his statement is undoubtedly established:

الأيم امرأة نكحت بغير إذن وليها، فنكاحها باطل، لا نكاح إلا بإذن ولي .

A woman who marries without the permission of her guardian, her marriage is invalid. There is no marriage without the permission of the guardian.

After narrating this hadith, Imam Bayhaqi رحمه الله عليه says:

هذا إسناد صحيح .

This chain of narration is authentic.
Contrary to this, the Hanafi jurisprudence’s “Mufti Bah” opinion is that an adult girl can marry herself. In this regard, it is not necessary or obligatory for her to obtain permission from her guardians.

Taking advantage of this precious Hanafi fatwa, many girls have tarnished the honor of their parents and families by marrying in court. If the parents of the girls approach the court in such matters, Hanafi jurisprudence provides full protection to the runaway girls. Will our Deobandi and Hanafi brothers embrace this correct and established fatwa of Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه and be ready to eradicate this cancer from society? If they are not ready, then why do they present the “weak” narrations attributed to Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه against us? May Allah Almighty grant us the courage to accept the truth.

⑥ Weak narration attributed to Shaabi, may Allah have mercy on him

Mr. Anwar Khurshid writes:

عن الشعبي قال: فى التكبيرة الأولى يبدأ بحمد الله والثناء عليه، والثانية صلاة على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، والثالثة دعاء للميت، والرابعة للتسليم

Hazrat Imam Shaabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says: In the funeral prayer, begin the first Takbeer with praise and glorification of Allah, after the second Takbeer send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, after the third Takbeer make supplication for the deceased, and after the fourth Takbeer conclude with Salam.

Analysis
● It is not correct to attribute this to Imam Shaabi, may Allah have mercy on him, because firstly, the chain includes the narrator Ash’ath bin Sawar who is considered “weak” by the majority of hadith scholars. Secondly, there are narrators named Hafs bin Ghiyath who are also known to be muddlesome (mudallis). They did not specify hearing (sama’) explicitly.
● Even in this weak narration, there is no prohibition of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer; rather, it mentions praise and glorification after the first Takbeer, and Surah Al-Fatiha itself, according to Allah’s command, is both praise and glorification of Allah.

◈ Established practice of Shaabi, may Allah have mercy on him… Recitation behind the Imam

● It has not been proven that Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, prohibited reciting Al-Fatiha at funerals. However, Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah, may Allah have mercy on him, has also mentioned the following about him:

حدثنا وكيع، قال: حدثنا مالك بن مغول، قال: سمعت الشعبي يحسن القراءة خلف الإمام

Imam Waki’ (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated to us and said: Malik bin Mughil (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated to us and said: I heard Imam Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him). He considered recitation behind the Imam to be a very good act.

Will the Hanafi and Deobandi brothers follow this established fact about Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him?

◈ Weak narrations that prohibit general recitation at funerals

Those who prohibit recitation in the funeral prayer have no narration from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, nor from any companion or follower, that proves the prohibition of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. However, they present some “weak” and general reports from some companions and followers, in which either there is no mention of recitation at all or it refers to general recitation in the funeral prayer, whereas the actual dispute is about the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, not general recitation. Although arguing with these evidences is a misunderstanding of the issue, we will analyze them as well so that readers understand that firstly, these evidences are unrelated to this issue, and secondly, their evidentiary value is not such that they can be used for argumentation. Let us observe:

⑦ The narration of Fadalah bin Ubaid, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding general recitation

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi writes:

عن موسى بن علي، عن أبيه، قال: قلت لفضالة بن عبيد: هل يقرأ على الميت بشيء؟ قال: لا

Hazrat Musa bin Ali narrates from his father that he asked Hazrat Fudala bin Ubaid whether recitation is done during the funeral prayer over the deceased? He replied: No.

Analysis
● This narration does not even mention the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha, let alone the funeral prayer itself. It only mentions standing by the deceased and reciting any part of the Holy Quran, to which the Companion of the Prophet replied not to do so. Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi unnecessarily translated this narration by inserting the term “funeral prayer,” whereas there is no such mention in this narration.
We have already explained in the previous chapter that the funeral prayer is an independent prayer, Surah Al-Fatiha is also called prayer by Allah Almighty, and it is the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that no prayer is valid without it. Moreover, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Presenting such ambiguous narrations against such clear evidence is unjust.

◈ Why is the explicit practice of the Companions not accepted?

If the sayings and actions of any Companion are to be trusted, then why were Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), Sayyiduna Abu Imamah bin Suhail (may Allah be pleased with them), Sayyiduna Habib bin Muslimah (may Allah be pleased with them), and Sayyiduna Suhail bin Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with them) not trusted, who proved the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer through their sayings or actions? Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) and Sayyiduna Abu Imamah bin Suhail (may Allah be pleased with them) even explicitly declared it Sunnah. Is it just that many Companions, if they mention the specific Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer and call it Sunnah verbally or practically, are not trusted and Surah Al-Fatiha is not declared Sunnah, but if one Companion stands by a deceased and denies general recitation, then full trust is placed in him and it is made a proof for forbidding the specific Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer?

⑧ Another weak narration attributed to Imam Shu’bi!

Mr. Anwar Sahib further writes:

عن عبد الله بن إياس، عن إبراهيم، وعن أبى الحصين، عن الشعبي قالا: ليس فى الجنازة قراءة

Ibrahim Nakha’i and Imam Shu’bi say that there is no recitation in the funeral prayer.

Analysis
● This narration is also not established from Imam Shu’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, and Ibrahim Nakha’i, may Allah have mercy on him, because the reliability of the narrator Abdullah bin Ayas could not be confirmed.
● In this unestablished narration, there is no prohibition of reciting Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, rather it speaks of general recitation. Apart from Al-Fatiha, we also do not consider any recitation in the funeral prayer as obligatory.
● How can such “weak” and ambiguous narrations be considered proof against the clear Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, the statements and actions of the Companions, and the practical consensus of the Followers and predecessors?

⑨ Weak narration related to Imam Ata, may Allah have mercy on him!

Mr. Muhammad Amin Okaraavi and others have also presented this argument:
A fair analysis of the Hanafi arguments

عن حجاج، قال: سألت عطاء عن القراءة على الجنازة، فقال: ما سمعنا بهذا .

Hajjaj bin Artaah says that I asked Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, about recitation during the funeral prayer, and he said: We have not heard about this.

Analysis
● This statement is not established from Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, because firstly, in its chain, Hafs bin Ghiyath is a narrator who commits tadlis (concealing a defect), and he did not specify hearing directly. Secondly, Hajjaj bin Artaah is a weak and mixed narrator. Using this narration as evidence is only the courage of Mr. Okaraavi and his followers.
● The issue under discussion is about the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, not about general recitation. Surah Al-Fatiha, according to the Lord of the Worlds, is the prayer itself, and according to the Mercy to the Worlds, no prayer is accepted without it, whereas general recitation, according to the Quran and Sunnah, is neither prayer nor a condition for the validity of prayer.

◈ Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, and Hanafi jurisprudence

● It has not been established that Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, prohibited the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. However, his ruling that a person who laughs during prayer breaks the prayer but does not break the ablution is correct.

Against Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, without evidence, the Hanafi jurisprudence ruling is that laughing during prayer breaks both the prayer and the ablution. Will the Deobandi and Hanafi brothers accept the ruling of Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, which is also in complete conformity with the Quran and Sunnah and has been proven correct?

◈ The Contradiction Between Imam Ata, may Allah have mercy on him, and Okaraavi Sahib

Mr. Okaraavi Sahib, while narrating a self-made and fabricated debate about saying Ameen loudly in prayer, writes:
(The Ahl-e-Hadith) said: Ata saw two hundred companions saying Ameen. I (Okaraavi) said: It is not even proven that Ata met two hundred companions.

But when Okaraavi Sahib found a weak narration in favor of his stance regarding Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, he, like a drowning man clutching at a straw, said:
Makkah Mukarramah is also the center of Islam and Muslims. Hazrat Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, is the Mufti here. He has had the honor of meeting two hundred noble companions. He himself is a respected Tabi’i and his students are Taba’ Tabi’in. The entire Khair al-Qurun is in his view.

SubhanAllah! This is Okaraavi Sahib’s sense of justice that if something goes against him, then Ata, may Allah have mercy on him, meeting two hundred companions is not proven at all, but just a few pages later in the same book, when a weak narration in his favor is found, Ata, may Allah have mercy on him, immediately gains the honor of meeting two hundred noble companions. Now the decision is in the hands of the Deobandi brothers; they should tell whether this is not religious bias and contradiction in narration? Can this be called serving the religion of Islam?

⑩ Weak narration related to Tawus and Ata, may Allah have mercy on them

Janab Anwar Khurshid Sahib writes:

عن ابن طاوس، عن أبيه وعطاء أنهما ينكران القراءة على الجنازة

Hazrat Ibn Tawus narrates from his father Tawus and Hazrat Ata bin Abi Rabah that these two elders used to refuse recitation in the funeral prayer.

Analysis
● This matter is not established from Imam Tawus and Ata bin Abi Rabah because the narrator Zama’ah bin Salih in its chain is weak.
● Our Deobandi brothers have already realized from previous pages that they do not accept what is authentically proven from Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him. We have also given an example of this. So what benefit would there be in presenting “weak” and ambiguous narrations attributed to them against us?

⑪ Weak narration of Bakr bin Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him!

Mr. Anwar Khurshid writes:

عن بكر بن عبد الله، قال: لا أعلم فيها قراءة .

Hazrat Bakr bin Abdullah says that I do not know the recitation in the funeral prayer.

Analysis
● This statement is not proven from Bakr bin Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, because the narrator who reported from him, Ishaq bin Suwaid, does not have a confirmed hearing from him.
● Even if, hypothetically, he did not know, so what? Is the knowledge of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and others among the Companions, who did know, not sufficient? Does the knowledge of Bakr bin Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, become decisive in this matter?
● Even in this weak narration, there is no mention of the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha.
The specific recitation under discussion is that of Surah Al-Fatiha, not general recitation, therefore such ambiguous evidences will not be effective.

⑫ The weak narration of Maymun bin Mehran!

Mr. Anwar Khurshid writes:

عن مفضل، قال: سألت ميمونا على الجنازة قراءة أو صلاة على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال: ما علمت

Hazrat Mufazzal, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I asked Hazrat Maymoon, may Allah have mercy on him, about recitation or sending blessings during the funeral prayer, and he replied: I do not know.

Analysis
● In this chain, the narrator is not Mufazzal but Mu’aqqil, as mentioned in Tahdhib al-Athar

. In some places, by mistake, Mufazzal has been omitted, and such an error is not unlikely. However, a person who intends to verify the chain for research and to ascertain authenticity or weakness should not blindly accept this without scrutiny. It should be noted that no narrator named Mufazzal is listed among the teachers of Imam Abdul Rahman bin Mahdi, who here is the student, nor is there any person named Mufazzal among the students of Maymoon bin Mehran, who here is the teacher.
On the contrary, Mu’aqqil bin Ubaidullah al-Juzari is listed among the students of Maymoon bin Mehran in the books of Rijal (narrators). Similarly, Maymoon bin Mehran is listed among the teachers of Mu’aqqil bin Ubaidullah. Furthermore, Maymoon bin Mehran, may Allah have mercy on him, is from Juzar (Juzari) by lineage, and Mu’aqqil bin Ubaidullah is also from Juzar.
If a little thought is given, a researcher can be alerted to this error. In the edition published by Maktabah al-Rushd, the researchers have explicitly clarified this, but Mr. Anwar Sahib only wrote the word “research” in the title and considered his duty of research done. Later, he did not even come close to this forbidden tree. There is no sign of research anywhere in the entire book. The numerous baseless and fabricated narrations scattered throughout are sufficient confirmation of this.
● The chain of this narration is not continuous because it has not been established that Imam Abdul Rahman bin Mahdi heard from Mu’aqqil bin Ubaidullah al-Juzari.

◈ The Double Standards of Deobandi Brothers

● In this weak narration, Imam Maymoon bin Mehran, may Allah have mercy on him, expresses ignorance not only regarding the recitation but also about sending blessings (Durood), meaning that if this narration is accepted as authentic, then Maymoon bin Mehran, may Allah have mercy on him, had not heard anything about sending blessings during the funeral prayer. On the other hand, Talha bin Abdullah asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, about reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, and Anwar Sahib says that this proves that at that time there was no knowledge of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, while Okaraavi Sahib says that no one used to do that at that time, which is why this question arose. But now they themselves are presenting a narration in which a Tabi’i expresses ignorance regarding sending blessings. They should also prohibit sending blessings in the funeral prayer by saying that no one knew about it during the time of the Tabi’in. If they cannot do that, then why do they accept half of the matter as per the meaning of ﴿اَفَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتٰبِ وَ تَكْفُرُوْنَ بِبَعْضٍ﴾?

⑬ The narration of Salim Tabi’i!

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi writes:

عن محمد بن عبد الله بن أبى سارة، قال: سألت سالما، فقلت: القراءة على الجنازة؟ فقال: لا قراءة على الجنازة .

Hazrat Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abi Sarah says that I asked Hazrat Salim whether I should recite during the funeral prayer? He replied: There is no recitation in the funeral prayer.

Analysis
● This narration also does not prohibit Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer; rather, it means recitation other than Surah Al-Fatiha, as is evident from other narrations. If Salim, may Allah have mercy on him, meant to negate Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, then his statement would be against the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the noble companions, which cannot be accepted.

⑭ A weak narration regarding Ibrahim Nakha’i

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi Sahib writes:

عن حماد، عن إبراهيم، قال: سألته: أيقرأ على الميت بشيء إذا صلى عليه؟ قال: لا

Hazrat Hammad says that he asked Ibrahim Nakha’i whether recitation is allowed in the funeral prayer. He replied: No.

Analysis
● This statement is not authentically attributed to Imam Ibrahim Nakha’i (may Allah have mercy on him) because, firstly, the chain does not include the explicit hearing (sama’) from Imam Sufyan Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him), and secondly, Hammad bin Abi Sulayman is also weak.
● Even in this weak narration, there is no indication of prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha.
The negation of general recitation by a Tabi’i does not prove the specific prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha, especially when it is explicitly established from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Companions, and the majority of the Tabi’in that Surah Al-Fatiha was recited in the funeral prayer.

⑮ The statement of Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) and others!

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi writes:

قال سحنون: قلت لعبد الرحمن بن القاسم: أى شيء يقال على الميت فى قول مالك؟ قال: الدعاء للميت، قلت: فهل يقرأ على الجنازة، فما قول مالك؟ قال: لا… ابن وهب عن رجال من أهل العلم، عن عمر بن الخطاب، وعلي بن أبى طالب، وعبد الله بن عمر، وعبيد بن فضالة، وأبي هريرة، وجابر بن عبد الله، ووائلة بن الأسقع، والقاسم، وسالم بن عبد الله، وابن المسيب، وربيعة، وعطاء، ويحيى بن سعيد، أنهم لم يكونوا يقرؤون فى الصلاة على الميت، وقال مالك: ليس ذلك بمعمول به، إنما هو الدعاء، أدركت أهل بلادنا على ذلك .

Hazrat Sahnun, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I asked Abdul Rahman bin Qasim what should be recited over the deceased according to Imam Malik’s opinion? He replied: A prayer for the deceased. I asked: According to Imam Malik’s opinion, is there any recitation in the funeral prayer? He said: No. Ibn Wahb says that many scholars, such as Hazrat Umar bin Khattab, Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib, Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar, Hazrat Ubaid bin Fudala, Hazrat Wathila bin Asqa, Hazrat Qasim bin Muhammad, Hazrat Salim bin Abdullah, Hazrat Saeed bin Musayyib, Hazrat Ata bin Abi Rabah, Hazrat Yahya bin Saeed, did not recite in the funeral prayer. Ibn Wahb states that Imam Malik said: In our city Medina Tayyiba, this is not practiced. The funeral prayer is only a supplication. I have found the scholars of my city to be the same.

Analysis
● There is not a single word in this passage about the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, considers the funeral prayer as a supplication and expresses ignorance about general recitation, whereas Surah Al-Fatiha itself is a complete prayer. In a Hadith Qudsi, Surah Al-Fatiha has already been described as both prayer and supplication. If further detail is needed, it has already been covered in the first chapter.
After it has been established from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the Companions that Surah Al-Fatiha is Sunnah in the funeral prayer, what benefit is there in presenting narrations from Imam Malik and other scholars about general recitation, except to console one’s own companions like children?

◈ Why is the explicit practice of other Imams of the Deen not accepted?

● It has not been proven that Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, prohibited the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, but we have established in the first chapter, fifth section, from Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, Imam Ibn Mundhir, Imam Darqutni, Imam Bayhaqi, and others that they were in favor of the specific recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. Will the Hanafi brothers who present the ambiguous statement of Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, be willing to accept the explicit and correct statements of these mentioned Imams of the Deen?
● In this statement, without any chain of narration, many Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, have been attributed with prohibiting recitation in the funeral prayer. Detailed discussion has been made on the chains of narration of these Companions’ reports taken in the context of Hanafi arguments; please refer to that section for more details.

◈ The practice of the people of Madinah and the Hanafis!

In this matter, Mr. Okardavi and his disciple Mr. Anwar Khurshid have presented the practice of Ahl al-Madina in a very enthusiastic manner and have made headlines on it, whereas the Hanafis themselves do not care about the practice of Ahl al-Madina. Dozens of such practices can be presented from them which are completely against the Prophetic Hadith and the practice of Ahl al-Madina. It does not stop here; rather, the Hanafis fundamentally do not give any importance to Ahl al-Madina, as stated by:

Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (728 AH), says:

إن سائر أمصار المسلمين غير الكوفة كانوا منقادين لعلم أهل المدينة، لا يعدون أنفسهم أكفاء فى العلم .

Except for the people of Kufa (Hanafis), the scholars of all other Muslim regions acknowledged the knowledge of Ahl al-Madina and did not consider themselves equal to Ahl al-Madina in knowledge.

If a comparative study of the madhhabs of Ahl al-Madina and Hanafis is done, it becomes clear that Hanafis are often opposed to Ahl al-Madina on many issues. Consider one example in this regard; Sheikh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, says:

فإن أهل المدينة وسائر الأمصار وفقهاء الحديث يحرمون كل مسكر، وإن كل مسكر خمر وحرام، وإن ما أسكر كثيره؛ فقليله حرام، ولم يتنازع فى ذلك أهل المدينة، لا أولهم ولا آخرهم، سواء كان من الثمار أو الحبوب أو العسل أو لبن الخيل أو غير ذلك، والكوفيون لا خمر عندهم إلا ما اشتد من عصير العنب، فإن طبخ قبل الإشتداد حتى ذهب ثلثاه؛ حل، ونبيذ التمر والزبيب محرم إذا كان مسكرا نيئا، فإن طبخ أدنى طبخ حل وإن أسكر، وسائر الأنبذة نجل وإن أسكرت، لكن يحرمون المسكر منها .

Ahl al-Madina, the scholars of all other regions, and the jurists of Hadith declare every intoxicating substance as forbidden. They say that every intoxicating substance is wine, which is forbidden. They also say that if a large quantity of something causes intoxication, then even a small amount of it is forbidden. Neither the earlier people nor the later ones opposed Ahl al-Madina in this regard, whether the wine is from fruits or grains, honey, mare’s milk, or any other substance (all are forbidden). But according to the people of Kufa (Hanafis), wine is only made by fermenting the juice of grapes. If the grape juice is cooked before fermentation until it reduces to one-third, then it becomes permissible. According to them, the nabidh (fermented drink) of dates and raisins is forbidden only when it is intoxicating and raw, but if it is cooked, it becomes permissible even if it is intoxicating. All other nabidhs are absolutely permissible even if they are intoxicating. Whereas they (Ahl al-Madina and jurists of Hadith) declare intoxicating nabidh as forbidden.

A few lines later, Sheikh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, says:

ومن تدبر الأحاديث الصحيحة فى هذا الباب؛ علم أن أهل المدينة أتبع للسنة .

Whoever reflects on the authentic hadiths in this matter will know that Ahl al-Madina are the foremost in following the Sunnah.

Now, Mr. Anwar Khurshid should tell who listens to Ahl al-Madina and who opposes them? Is it justice that on the basis of an ambiguous phrase, others are accused of opposing Ahl al-Madina, while one openly opposes the madhhab of Ahl al-Madina which is also proven by authentic hadiths?

This is like the thief scolding the constable!

This is exactly what Hafiz Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), wrote:

وهم يعظمون خلاف العمل بالمدينة، وههنا أريناهم عمل الصحابة، وسعيد بن المسيب، وأبي أمامة، والزهري؛ علماء أهل المدينة، وخالفوهم .

The Hanafis consider the practice against Ahl al-Madina a great sin, but in this (reciting Fatiha at the funeral) issue, we have shown them the practice of the Companions, Saeed bin Musayyib, Abu Umamah, and Zahri, all of whom are eminent scholars of Ahl al-Madina, while the Hanafis oppose them.

Even now, if Hanafi brothers present the practice of Ahl al-Madina against us, it will certainly not be justice!

The recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Companions, and the majority of the Tabi‘in. When the Hanafis found no evidence to preserve their jurisprudential doctrine in this matter, they resorted to making analogies against clear texts. Now, what status would such an analogy have that goes against the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, the practice of the Companions, and the verdicts of the majority of the Tabi‘in? Yet, the Hanafis do not desist from this. Observe the analogies of the Hanafis:

① Why is the recitation of Al-Fatiha not after all the Takbirs?

Maulana Zafar Ahmad Thanvi Deobandi Sahib quotes Imam Tahawi Hanafi:

ولما لم تقرأ بعد التكبيرة الثانية؛ دل على أنها لا تقرأ، أى وجوبا فيما قبلها، لأن كل تكبيرة قائمة مقام ركعة .

When Surah Al-Fatiha is not recited after the second Takbeer, it indicates that its recitation is not obligatory even after the first Takbeer because each Takbeer represents one Rak’ah.

Similarly, Janab Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi Sahib also writes against those who consider Surah Al-Fatiha obligatory in the funeral prayer:

فقلت لهم أن اقرؤوا بها أربع مرات، لأن كل تكبيرة فى صلاة الجنازة تقوم مقام ركعة، فأولى لكم أن تقرؤوا بها أربع مرات، فإنه لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بها .

I say to them that they should recite Surah Al-Fatiha four times because in the funeral prayer each Takbeer represents one Rak’ah. It is more appropriate for you to recite it four times because the person who does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha has no prayer at all.

Analysis
● By what argument are Imam Tahawi Hanafi and Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri asserting that the funeral prayer has four Rak’ahs? Did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or any companion ever say that each Takbeer in the funeral prayer is equivalent to one Rak’ah?

◈ Why analogy over the text?

● When the method of funeral prayer is established from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as follows: after the first Takbir, recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha; after the second, sending blessings (Durood); after the third, supplication for the deceased; and after the fourth, Salaam, with recitation only after the first Takbir.

So after such clarity, what is the need for such futile analogies? Can a Muslim engage in analogical reasoning against the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah?

② The argument for prohibiting Tashahhud and Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer!

Allama Ibn Tarkmani Hanafi also narrates from Imam Tahawi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him:

ولما لم يتشهد فى آخرها، دل على أنه لا قرائة فيها

There is no Tashahhud at the end of the funeral prayer, from which it is understood that there is no recitation either.

Analysis
● When it has been established from authentic hadiths that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, recited Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, and the Companions acted accordingly, and this was the belief of the majority of the Tabi‘in, then how is it permissible to abandon it based on just one analogy? It is not correct to rely on invented analogies in the presence of explicit hadiths.

◈ Is this analogy also correct?

● Does the completion of one pillar (final Tashahhud) prove the prohibition of the other pillar (recitation)? If someone were to deny the obligation of standing in the funeral prayer by saying that since Tashahhud is not obligatory in the funeral prayer, therefore standing is also not obligatory but rather prohibited, would this statement be correct?
● Both of these analogies are extremely shameless and liable to criticism. They are filled with excessive artificiality. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him (773-852 AH), therefore, after mentioning these analogies, said:

ولا يخفى ما يجيء على كلامه من التعقب، وما يتضمنه استدلاله من التعسف .

All the problematic points in Imam Tahawi Hanafi’s theology and the artificiality in his reasoning are very clear.

③ Why is there no opening supplication (Du’a al-Istiftah) in the funeral prayer?

Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri Sahib further writes:

ثم هي عند الشافعية بعد التكبيرة الأولى، ففات عنهم الاستفتاح

Then this (recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha) is after the first Takbeer according to the Shawaafi’, therefore the Du’a al-Istiftah is omitted by them.

Analysis
● For the information of Deobandi friends, it should be stated that the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha after the first Takbeer in the funeral prayer is not a practice of any particular sect but is a custom of all those who follow the Quran and Sunnah due to it being the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. In the first chapter, all the Shariah evidences have been explained in great detail, and it has also been stated that based on these evidences, the Companions, the majority of the Tabi‘in, and the Imams of the religion followed this practice. Their names have also been cited there with references, so attributing it solely to the Shawaafi’ is unjust.
● We do not deviate from the method of the funeral prayer established from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. We have briefly stated this at the beginning of this chapter and in great detail with authentic chains in the first chapter that the blessed method of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in the funeral prayer was that he recited Surah Al-Fatiha after the first Takbeer. We recite after the first Takbeer according to this prophetic method. The recitation of Du’a al-Istiftah, i.e., praise, in the funeral prayer is not established from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

◈ Deviation from Sunnah and Adherence to Innovation

● The recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, which is established from the Sunnah, is not practiced by the Hanafis; however, they do recite their self-invented جل ثناتك والی praise, and they feel sorrow for others who omit it, yet they still call themselves Ahl al-Sunnah. How contradictory these people are!

Reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is explicitly proven from the Sunnah of the Prophet and the fatwas of the Companions, as has already been explained. However, readers will be very surprised to know that those who forbid this do not have a single hadith in which reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is prohibited. Yet, they are expending all their efforts on this issue. Consider their arguments. Most of their arguments are either unsupported or weak, and none of the hadiths they present show that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, forbade reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer.

When it comes specifically to Surah Al-Fatiha, and we have established from the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the Companions that reciting this Surah in the funeral prayer is Sunnah, then presenting arguments to prevent it that either have no relation to reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer or are unproven and weak is unjust.

From the entire collection of hadith, the Hanafis have found only two narrations to prevent the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha specifically in the funeral prayer, which are:

① Weak narration attributed to Abu Burda Tabi’i!

Mr. Anwar Khurshid Deobandi writes:

عن سعيد بن أبى بردة، عن أبيه، قال: قال له رجل: أقرأ على الجنازة بفاتحة الكتاب؟ قال: لا تقرأ .

Hazrat Saeed narrates from his father Abu Burda that someone asked him whether he should recite Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer? He replied: No.

Analysis
● This narration is not established from Abu Burda Tabi’i because in its chain Abu Muawiyah Durrar is a narrator known for tadlis (concealing defects). When such a narrator does not specify hearing directly, the narration is unanimously weak.
● Compared to the established practice of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Companions, and the majority of the Tabi’in, what benefit can an unestablished practice of a single Tabi’i provide to any Muslim?

② A narration of Abu Al-Aliyah Tabi’i

عن أبى المنهال، قال: سألت أبا العالية عن القرائة فى الصلاة على الجنازة بفاتحة الكتاب، فقال: ما كنت أحسب أن فاتحة الكتاب تقرأ إلا فى صلاة فيها ركوع وسجود .

Hazrat Abul Munhal says that I asked Hazrat Abul Aaliyah Al-Riyahi about reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, and he said: My opinion is that Surah Al-Fatiha is only recited in prayers that include bowing and prostration.

Analysis
● This is the personal opinion of Abu Al-Aaliyah, a Tabi’i. After it has been established from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Companions that Surah Al-Fatiha is recited in the funeral prayer, no one’s opinion can be acted upon.

◈ Why is the opinion of the majority of the Tabi’in not acceptable?

● If the Hanafis insist on accepting only the sayings of the Tabi’in, leaving aside the Hadith of the Prophet and the practices of the Companions, then why do they not accept the opinion of the majority of the Tabi’in from whom the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer has been transmitted? We have already established with authentic chains from Tabi’in such as Imam Saeed bin Musayyib, Imam Hasan Basri, Imam Makhool, and Imam Dhahak the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer in Chapter One, Section Six.

◈ The narrow-mindedness of the Hanafis

The Hanafi school has only these two arguments specifically regarding Surah Al-Fatiha, but the narration from Abu Burda is not proven from them at all. Now, the only argument of the Hanafis to prohibit the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is a single statement of Abu Al-Aliyyah, a Tabi’i. Establishing one’s sect solely on the personal opinion of Abu Al-Aliyyah, which contradicts the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the practice of the Companions, and the consensus of the majority of the Tabi’in, is the courage of the Hanafi brothers.
This is the state of the Hanafis in the field of arguments!
؎ Who would not die from such simplicity, O God!
They fight without even a sword in hand.

Dear readers have observed in detail the Hanafi arguments regarding the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer and their analysis. The summary of this detail in a few words is that the Hanafi arguments are of four types:

① Arguments without chains of narration

In this issue, the Hanafis have tried to take evidence from four baseless narrations. However, in Islam, baseless narrations cannot be given any importance.
The first narration was attributed to Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and the second narration was attributed to Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf and Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). These narrations have been mentioned by Janab Anwar Khurshid Sahib with reference to Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah and Bada’i’ al-Sana’i’, where there is no chain of narration available. Among these, the narration attributed to Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was found in Al-Tabarani Al-Kabir, but its condition can be observed by the readers themselves.
In the third argument, Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri Sahib declared leaving out Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer as the perpetual practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He did not present any reference for this. In the fourth argument, Kashmiri Sahib himself tried to prove that not reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is the practice of the majority and attributed this to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), whereas Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) stated the majority’s view regarding the recitation of the Qur’an near graves. Later, he himself clarified that if the funeral prayer is performed near the grave, then the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha will be considered part of the prayer’s recitation and should not be regarded as recitation at the grave.

② Incoherent Arguments

The Hanafis have mentioned fifteen arguments on this issue, many of which are not related to Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. Out of these, only five are authentic in terms of chain of narration. The first argument is about praying sincerely for the deceased in the funeral prayer, whereas the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) establishes the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha after the first Takbeer, and the prayer for the deceased is made after the third Takbeer. So how does this hadith prohibit Surah Al-Fatiha? Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) not sincerely pray for the deceased in the funeral prayer? If he did, and certainly he did, did he also recite Surah Al-Fatiha along with it? If the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha did not affect the Prophet’s prayer, then how can it affect the prayers of those who follow his Sunnah?

The second argument concerns Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) who did not recite in the funeral prayer. If Hanafis are asked what exactly he did not recite, they have no answer. We also say that Surah Al-Fatiha, according to the words of the Lord, is the prayer itself, and according to the Prophet (peace be upon him), no prayer is accepted without it. However, even if no general recitation other than Surah Al-Fatiha is done, the funeral prayer is valid. If Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) did not recite general recitation, how then was the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha prohibited, which is established as Sunnah by the authentic hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the practice of many companions?

The third argument cites a narration from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not mentioned. However, the narrator did not mention it for brevity. How does this prove the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha? If the absence of mention proves prohibition, then in this narration of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the second, third, and fourth Takbeers and the concluding Salaam are also not mentioned. Does that mean all these are also prohibited?

The fourth argument mentions the authentic hadith from Sahih Bukhari in which Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) called the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer Sunnah. A unique reasoning was made that when a Tabi‘i asked him about it, if the recitation of Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer was a regular practice, why would he be surprised? However, not every question is asked out of surprise. Even if one Tabi‘i did not know, it does not mean abandoning the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the practice of the companions, and the creed of the majority of the Tabi‘in.

The fifth argument was that when Fazalah bin Ubaid (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about reciting for the deceased, he said it should not be done. This does not mention the funeral prayer or Surah Al-Fatiha. How does this prove the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer?

These were the five arguments that are authentic. None of these prove that the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha is prohibited in the funeral prayer. On the other hand, in the first chapter, we have established the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer based on authentic hadiths, the practice of the companions, and the creed of the majority of the Tabi‘in.

The remaining ten arguments among these disconnected arguments are not authentic in terms of chain of narration. The first two narrations are attributed to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Imam Shuba (may Allah have mercy on him). They do not mention the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha, let alone its prohibition. The other eight narrations are attributed to various Tabi‘in and Imams of religion. They are not authentic and are not related to Surah Al-Fatiha. They mention not reciting any recitation in the funeral prayer, whereas general recitation has no relation to our discussion. We consider the specific recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha necessary and have presented all our arguments on this matter. Therefore, mentioning weak narrations about general recitation only serves to comfort the naive public without any real benefit.

③ Analogical Arguments

When the Hanafis did not find any evidence from authentic hadiths and authentic practices of the Companions regarding the prohibition of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, they began to engage in debates in the field of reason. However, sound reason cannot think of anything against the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the practice of the Companions. Yes! A sick reason may think whatever it wants, but it is not to be trusted. Doing so will only ruin one’s own fate and will not bring any benefit.

④ Specific Arguments

The Hanafis have only two such narrations related to the issue under discussion, that is, those in which there is a prohibition of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer. One of these is from Abu Burda Tabi’i, which is weak in chain and not authentic, while the other is from Abu Al-Aliyah Tabi’i, in which he said that in my opinion, the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha should only be done in prayers that include bowing and prostration. That is, against the blessed Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the practice of the Companions, and the fatwas of the majority of the great Tabi’in, the Hanafis have only Abu Al-Aliyah’s personal opinion as the sole evidence. Apart from Abu Al-Aliyah’s opinion, the Hanafis have no other argument in the world of evidence to prevent the recitation of Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer.

If the personal opinion and analogy of a thousand Tabi’in are set aside on one side, and a Sunnah of the Messenger proven by an authentic chain is on the other side, then the salvation of a Muslim lies only in abandoning the analogy of the thousand Tabi’in and following the Sunnah of the Messenger. Will any Hanafi brother still prefer the personal opinion and analogy of Abu Al-Aliyah Tabi’i over the Sunnah of the Messenger and call the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer forbidden or disliked?

◈ The Best of Times for Deobandi Friends

These were the arguments that Anwar Khurshid Sahib was loudly claiming, and in his own opinion, had proven that during the era of Khair al-Qurun (the best of generations), the entire world had abandoned recitation in the funeral prayer. Regarding this, he writes:
It is established through the study of hadiths and reports that during the era of Khair al-Qurun, in the centers of Islam such as Madinah Tayyibah, Makkah Mukarramah, Kufa, Basra, etc., there was absolutely no custom of recitation in the funeral prayer.

Then he made subheadings of Madinah Tayyibah, Makkah Mukarramah, Kufa, Basra and again referred to those false, unsupported, and weak narrations on which we have already discussed in detail. Only he has the audacity to impose the personal opinion of Abu al-Aliyah, a Tabi‘i, on the entire Khair al-Qurun. We ask the honorable readers by the sake of Allah: after the authentic hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the authentic and established practice of the Companions, and the creed of the majority of the Tabi‘in have proven the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, what benefit will these false, unsupported, and weak narrations about some Tabi‘in and Imams of the religion provide?
Then Anwar Khurshid Sahib writes:
In any case, these are the hadiths and reports due to which the esteemed jurists say that the Sunnah in the funeral prayer is that after the first Takbir, one recites Thana (praise of Allah), after the second Takbir, Durood (salutations on the Prophet), after the third Takbir, supplication, and after the fourth Takbir, one concludes with Salam. Reciting in the funeral prayer is against the Sunnah. However, if someone recites it as praise and glorification or as a supplication, then there is room for it.

Respected Anwar Sahib! For Allah’s sake, please also tell us whether the things your jurists have called Sunnah in the funeral prayer refer to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or someone else’s? If a Companion of the Prophet considers something Sunnah, then according to you, it is an unfamiliar method, and if your jurists call something Sunnah without evidence, then you immediately accept it as the method of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما declared the recitation in the funeral prayer as Sunnah, you wrote:
As for Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما declaring recitation in the funeral prayer as Sunnah, it does not mean the technical Sunnah, i.e., the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, because no authentic hadith proves that the Prophet ﷺ recited or ordered others to recite in the funeral prayer.

Respected Anwar Sahib! Fear the presence of Allah. Not only is the recitation in the funeral prayer of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ established, but also the command to recite specifically Surah Al-Fatiha, as we have explained in Chapter One, Section Four. Then, the principle you stated for not considering the word Sunnah of the Companion as the Prophetic Sunnah, please read it again yourself and show us any authentic hadith that proves the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s practice or command to recite Thana in the funeral prayer. Whereas if a Companion has called the recitation of Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer Sunnah, it means the Sunnah of the Prophet because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself commanded the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer, and another Companion, Sayyiduna Abu Umamah رضي الله عنه, also declared the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer as the Prophetic Sunnah.
Even after such clarification and explicitness, if anyone still does not accept it, it is their choice. Our duty is to invite to the thought of religion, and guidance and success are in the hands of Allah Almighty. We pray that Allah Almighty grants all Muslims the ability to adopt only the truth! Ameen!