The Shar‘i Ruling on Loud Dhikr Behind the Funeral
(Taken from: Monthly al-Hadith)
❖ Question:
Is there any evidence in Hadith or reports of the Companions regarding the prohibition of raising the voice in dhikr while following a funeral? Please mention the authentic and weak evidences so that people can understand easily.
❖ Answer:
Performing loud dhikr behind a funeral procession is not established from the Prophet ﷺ nor from the practice of the pious predecessors (Salaf al-Salih).
✿ Evidence #1:
A narration states:
“When the Prophet ﷺ would walk with a funeral, nothing would be heard from him except لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله.”
(al-Kamil by Ibn ‘Adi 1/269, 4/1607–1608; Nasb al-Rayah 2/292; Jaa al-Haqq by Mufti Ahmad Yar Naeemi, vol. 3, p. 404, old edition)
Ruling on the chain:
The narrator Ibrahim ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Karim, known as Ibn Abi Hamid al-Harrani al-Darir, was a liar.
Ibn ‘Adi said: “He used to fabricate Hadith.”
(al-Kamil, 1/269; Lisan al-Mizan, 1/28)
✅ Conclusion: This chain is fabricated (mawdu‘).
✿ Evidence #2:
Another narration states:
اكثروا فى الجنائز قول: لا إله إلا الله
“In funerals, say ‘La ilaha illallah’ abundantly.”
(al-Daylami, 1/32 – cited in Silsilat al-Da‘ifah wa’l-Mawdu‘ah by al-Albani, 6/414, Hadith 2881)
Ruling on the chain:
This narration contains unknown narrators:
- ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Wahb
- Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Salih
- Khalid ibn Muslim al-Qurashi
✅ Conclusion: This narration is fabricated and baseless.
❖ Final Ruling:
Loud dhikr while walking with a funeral is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ nor from the Companions. The narrations that are cited for it are fabricated (mawdu‘) and thus cannot be used as evidence.
The correct practice is to accompany the funeral with silence, humility, and reflection, rather than noisy chanting.
