Question:
How is it to perform the funeral prayer in the mosque?
Answer:
Funeral prayer can also be performed in the mosque; the evidences are as follows:
➋ It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها:
«لما توفي سعد بن ابي وقاص، ارسل ازواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ان يمروا بجنازته فى المسجد فيصلين عليه، ففعلوا فوقف به على حجرهن يصلين عليه، اخرج به من باب الجنائز الذى كان إلى المقاعد، فبلغهن ان الناس عابوا ذلك وقالوا: ما كانت الجنائز يدخل بها المسجد، فبلغ ذلك عائشة فقالت: ” ما اسرع الناس إلى ان يعيبوا ما لا علم لهم به، عابوا علينا ان يمر بجنازة فى المسجد، وما صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على سهيل بن بيضاء إلا فى جوف المسجد»
“When Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنه passed away, the pure wives sent a message that his funeral should be brought to the mosque so that they could also perform the funeral prayer on him. So they did just that. The funeral was placed near the chambers of the pure wives so that they could also pray, and the funeral was taken out from Bab al-Jana’iz towards the seats. When the wives heard that people considered this inappropriate and were saying that funerals should not be brought into the mosque, when this reached Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها, she said: ‘People quickly find fault in matters about which they have no knowledge. They faulted us for bringing the funeral into the mosque, whereas the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم performed the funeral prayer for Suhail bin Bayda in the mosque itself.’”
Allama Shams al-Haq Azimabadi رحمه الله writes:
«هٰذان الحديثان يدلان علٰي مشروعية الصلاة على الجنائز فى المسجد قال الحافظ فى الفتح وبه قال الجمهور»
“These two hadiths indicate the permissibility of performing funeral prayer in the mosque. Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani رحمه الله states in Fath al-Bari: ‘This is the view of the majority of the Imams and Muhaddithin.’”
Imam Nawawi رحمه الله says:
«وفي هذا الحديث دليل للشافعي و الا كثير ين فى جواز الصلاة على الميت فى المسجد و ممن قال به احمد واسحاق»
“This hadith is evidence for Imam Shafi’i رحمه الله and most jurists and muhaddithin that performing funeral prayer in the mosque is permissible, and this is also the view of Imam Ahmad and Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh رحمهما الله.”
Allama Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri رحمه الله says:
«وَالْحَدِيْثُ يَدُلُّ عَلٰي جَوَازِ اِدْخَالِ الْمَيِّتِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَالصَّلَاةِ عَلَيْهِ فِيْهِ وَبِهِ قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَأَحْمَدُ وَاِسْحَاقُ وَالْجَمْهُوْرُ»
“The mentioned hadith indicates bringing the deceased into the mosque and performing funeral prayer on him in the mosque, and this is the view of Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad, Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, and the majority of jurists and muhaddithin رحمۃ الله علیہم.”
➋ Urwah رحمه الله says:
«ما صلى علٰي أبى بكر الا فى المسجد»
“Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه was prayed upon in the mosque.”
➌ Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما says:
«صلي علٰي عمر بن الخطاب فى المسجد»
“Funeral prayer was performed for Umar ibn Khattab رضي الله عنه in the mosque.”
From the above authentic hadiths and reports, it is understood that performing funeral prayer in the mosque is correct and valid, and indeed there is consensus among the Companions رضي الله عنهم on this matter because thousands of Ansar and Muhajir Sahabah رضي الله عنهم participated in the funerals of the first Caliph Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه and the second Caliph Umar رضي الله عنه, yet none objected, and these funerals were performed in the mosque.
