Announcing a Funeral Prayer: Shar‘i Ruling and Guidance from the Sunnah
Taken from: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
Question
Is it permissible to inform people of someone’s death so that relatives and friends can attend the Salat al-Janazah, or is this prohibited?
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd:
Informing others of a person’s death so that relatives, friends, and others may attend Salat al-Janazah is completely permissible, as this practice is supported by the Sunnah.
Guidance from the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
◈ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ announced the death of al-Najāshī on the very day he passed away, even though al-Najāshī was in the land of Abyssinia at the time. This shows that informing people of someone’s death and gathering them for the funeral prayer is permissible.
◈ In another incident, a woman passed away and was buried without the Prophet ﷺ being informed. When the Prophet ﷺ learned of it, he said:
«هلا كُنْتُمْ آذَنْتُمُونِي…»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, al-Janā’iz, Bāb al-Ṣalāh ʿalā al-Qabr, Ḥadīth 956)
“Why did you not inform me?”
This hadith clearly indicates that notifying others of someone’s death is not only allowed but is a commendable act, so that more people may attend the Janazah prayer.
Informing Relatives and Close Associates
◈ There is no harm in conveying the news of death to relatives, family members, and friends so that they can participate.
◈ The purpose of this is simply to increase attendance at the funeral prayer, thereby increasing the likelihood of du‘ā’ and forgiveness for the deceased.
