✿ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori ✿
❀ Method of Performing Janazah Prayer When Multiple Funerals Are Present
When multiple funeral bodies are gathered—whether of men or women—a single Janazah (funeral) prayer may be offered for all of them together. Furthermore, it is preferable to place the bodies of men closer to the Imam and the bodies of women closer to the Qiblah.
It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) that:
انه صلى على تسع جنائز جميعا فجعل الرجال يلون الإمام والنساء يلين القبلة
“He performed the Janazah prayer for nine deceased persons collectively and placed the men closer to the Imam and the women closer to the Qiblah.”
📚 [Sahih: Ahkam al-Jana’iz, p. 132; ‘Abd al-Razzaq: 6337; Al-Nasa’i: 1/280; Al-Daraqutni: 194; Al-Bayhaqi: 4/33. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) has declared this narration authentic. Refer to: Talkhis al-Habir: 5/276]
It is also narrated from ‘Ammar, the freed slave of Harith bin Nawfal, that when this issue concerning the Janazah prayer of multiple deceased persons was presented to:
- Hazrat Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه)
- Hazrat Abu Sa‘id (رضي الله عنه)
- Hazrat Abu Qatadah (رضي الله عنه)
- Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه)
they responded by saying:
هذه السنة
“This is the Sunnah method.”
📚 [Sahih: Ahkam al-Jana’iz, p. 133; Abu Dawud: 3193, Book of Funerals, Chapter: If men and women’s funerals are present, who is placed forward; Al-Bayhaqi: 4/33; Al-Nasa’i: 1/280]
✔ Additional Note:
❖ It is also valid to perform separate Janazah prayers for each individual, as this is the original practice. The Prophet (ﷺ) did this for the martyrs of Uhud, offering individual funeral prayers.
📚 [Ahkam al-Jana’iz by Al-Albani, p. 133]
☘ Summary:
❶ A single Janazah prayer may be offered for multiple deceased individuals.
❷ Men’s bodies should be placed nearer to the Imam, and women’s closer to the Qiblah.
❸ This method is established from the practice of the Companions and is termed a Sunnah.
❹ Offering separate Janazah prayers is also permissible and is originally established from the Sunnah.
