Source: Fatāwā Arkān Islām
Question
Is performing the funeral prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah) in absentia (ghāʾib) permissible in all cases, or is it allowed only under specific conditions?
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
The most correct and stronger opinion among the scholars is that Ṣalāt al-Janāzah in absentia is not legislated except when the funeral prayer for the deceased was not offered at all. The ruling can be clarified in the following points:
Cases Where Ṣalāt al-Janāzah in Absentia Is Legislated
◈ If a person passes away in a non-Muslim country and their funeral prayer was never performed.
◈ If someone drowns in the sea, river, or a valley and their body is not found.
In such cases, performing the funeral prayer in absentia becomes obligatory.
Ruling for Those Whose Funeral Prayer Has Already Been Performed
◈ If the funeral prayer has already been performed for a deceased person, it is not legislated to offer it again in absentia.
◈ The proof for this is that the Prophet ﷺ only performed Ṣalāt al-Janāzah in absentia for al-Najāshī, the ruler of Abyssinia.
◈ The funeral prayer had not been offered for him in his own land, which is why the Prophet ﷺ performed it in absentia in Madinah.
◈ Apart from this, the Prophet ﷺ did not perform the funeral prayer in absentia for anyone else, even though many great personalities and Companions passed away during his lifetime.
Other Scholarly Views
◈ Some scholars stated:
➤ If a person has benefitted the religion — through wealth, actions, or knowledge — their funeral prayer may be performed in absentia.
➤ If a person has not benefited the religion, then it should not be performed for them in absentia.
◈ Some scholars said:
➤ Ṣalāt al-Janāzah in absentia is permissible in all cases, meaning it may be offered for any deceased person regardless of circumstances.
However, this last view is considered the weakest opinion.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
