✿ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
◈ Both Silent (Sirrī) and Audible (Jahrī) Recitation Are Proven in Ṣalāt al-Janāzah
This is the view supported by Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله).
[Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, pp. 151–154]
✅ Evidence for Audible (Jahrī) Recitation
➊ The earlier-mentioned narration from Sunan al-Nasāʾī proves this, where ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) recited aloud during the funeral prayer and said:
“This is Sunnah.”
➋ Further support comes from the ḥadīth of ʿAwf ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) who said:
صلى رسول الله على جنازة فحفظنا من دعائه
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led a funeral prayer, and we memorized his supplication.”
[Muslim: 963 – Kitāb al-Janāʾiz; Ibn Mājah: 1500; Aḥmad: 6/23; al-Nasāʾī: 4/73; al-Tirmidhī: 1025]
This clearly indicates that the recitation and duʿāʾ were audible, as they were heard and memorized by the attendees.
✅ Evidence for Silent (Sirrī) Recitation
➊ Abū Umāmah ibn Sahl (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
السنة في الصلاة على الجنازة أن يُقْرَأَ في التكبيرة الأولى بأمّ القرآن مخافتةً ثم يُكَبِّرُ ثلاثًا والتسليم عند الآخرة
“The Sunnah in the funeral prayer is to recite Umm al-Qur’ān (Sūrah al-Fātiḥah) silently after the first takbīr, then say three more takbīrs, and end with salām after the last.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 142; al-Nasāʾī: 1/281 – Kitāb al-Janāʾiz; Ibn Ḥazm: 5/129]
✅ Conclusion:
Both silent (sirrī) and audible (jahrī) recitation during the funeral prayer are authentically established through the actions of the Companions and the Prophet (ﷺ) himself.
✔ Audible recitation was practiced in some instances to teach the Sunnah.
✔ Silent recitation was also practiced and is equally valid.
Hence, both modes are permissible, and the matter is flexible, depending on the context and need.
