10 Classical Imams Who Advocated Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in Funeral Prayer

Excerpt taken from: Dr. Ḥāfiẓ Abū Yaḥyā Nūrpūrī’s book “Namāz-e-Janāzah: Fardh, Mustaḥabb or Makrūh Taḥrīmī”

❖ Introduction: A Misconception Regarding Ahl al-Ḥadīth and the Scholars​

Those who follow taqlīd often accuse the Ahl al-Ḥadīth of being self-styled and of neglecting the scholarly legacy of the jurists and early generations. However, this section will clearly demonstrate that the Ahl al-Ḥadīth school of thought not only upholds the Book and Sunnah but also preserves a beautiful bouquet of the legal opinions of classical scholars and fatawa of the righteous predecessors.

✿ The Companions and the Recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in Funeral Prayer​

➊ Practice of Sayyidunā Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما​

Imām Ṭalḥah ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAwf (a tābiʿī) narrated:


صليت خلف ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما على جنازة فقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب قال ليعلموا أنها سنة.
“I performed the funeral prayer behind Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما and he recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. He said: ‘I did so to let people know that it is a Sunnah.’”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1335

This narration proves that Ibn ʿAbbās used to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer and considered it the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

➋ Fatwā of Sayyidunā Abū Umāmah ibn Sahl رضي الله عنه​

Imām Muḥammad ibn Muslim al-Zuhrī narrated:


سمعت أبا أمامة بن سهل بن حنيف يحدث ابن المسيب...
“I heard Abū Umāmah ibn Sahl narrating to Ibn al-Musayyib: The Sunnah in the funeral prayer is to say the takbīr, then recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, then send ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ, then make a sincere supplication for the deceased — all of this should be done after the first takbīr. Finally, the prayer should be ended with a silent salām to the right.”

Reference: Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 3/489; Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/296–298; Sunan al-Nasāʾī: 1989; al-Muntaqā Ibn al-Jārūd: 540; Musnad al-Shāmiyyīn al-Ṭabarānī: 4/160 (ḥadīth 3000) – All with authentic chains

➌ Fatwā from Another Companion​

Imām al-Ṭaḥāwī narrated from Imām al-Zuhrī:


أخبرني أبو أمامة بن سهل... أن رجلًا من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أخبره أن السنة في الصلاة على الجنازة...
“Abū Umāmah ibn Sahl (a notable scholar from the Anṣār and son of a Badri companion) narrated that a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ told him that the Sunnah in the funeral prayer is for the imam to say takbīr, then silently recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, and then complete the prayer with the remaining three takbīrs.”

Reference: Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār al-Ṭaḥāwī: 1/500 – Authentic chain

This confirms that besides Ibn ʿAbbās and Abū Umāmah, there was another Companion who regarded the recitation of al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer as Sunnah.

➍ Practice of Sayyidunā Ḥabīb ibn Maslamah رضي الله عنه​

Imām al-Zuhrī stated that he narrated the Sunnah of Abū Umāmah to Muḥammad ibn Suwayd al-Fahri, who responded:


وأنا سمعت الضحاك بن قيس يحدث عن حبيب بن مسلمة...
“I heard Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Qays narrating from Ḥabīb ibn Maslamah who performed the funeral prayer in the exact same way as described by Abū Umāmah.”

Reference: Musnad al-Shāmiyyīn al-Ṭabarānī: 4/160; al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim: 1/512; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār al-Ṭaḥāwī: 1/500; al-Sunan al-Kubrā al-Bayhaqī: 4/40 – Authentic chain

✔ Both Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Qays and Ḥabīb ibn Maslamah are considered Companions.


Imām Abū Ḥātim said that Ḍaḥḥāk was about seven years old at the Prophet’s ﷺ death, and Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar described him as a “minor Companion.”

Reference: al-Murāsil Ibn Abī Ḥātim: 94; Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 2976

Regarding Ḥabīb ibn Maslamah, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar wrote:
مختلف في صحبته والراجح ثبوتها لكنه كان صغيرًا
“There is a difference of opinion, but the stronger view is that he was a Companion, albeit young.”

Reference: Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 1106

➎ Practice of Sayyidunā Sahl ibn Ḥanīf رضي الله عنه​

ʿUbayd ibn Sabbāq narrated:


صلى بنا سهل بن حنيف على جنازة فلما كبر تكبيرة الأولى قرأ بأم القرآن حتى أسمع من خلفه.
“Sahl ibn Ḥanīf led our funeral prayer. After the first takbīr, he recited al-Fātiḥah loudly enough that we could hear him.”

Reference: Sunan al-Dāraqutnī: 2/73; Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/297; al-Sunan al-Kubrā al-Bayhaqī: 4/39 – ḥasan chain

◈ Refuting the Doubt: Was al-Fātiḥah a Supplication and Not Recitation?​

Some Ḥanafī scholars like Ibn al-Turkumānī and ʿAynī suggested:


لعل قراءتهم الفاتحة على وجه الدعاء لا على وجه التلاوة
“Perhaps the Companions recited al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer as a form of supplication, not recitation.”

Reference: al-Jawhar al-Naqī; ʿUmdat al-Qārī: 8/141

☛ Response:​

This claim is baseless. The Companions explicitly stated that they recited al-Fātiḥah as Sunnah, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, not as a duʿā’. No evidence suggests otherwise.

❖ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm's Stern Refutation​

He writes:


فقول من قال لعلهم قرأوها على أنها دعاء كذب بحت
“The one who says they recited it as a duʿā’ has lied outright.”

Reference: al-Muḥallā: 5/131

❖ Position of Other Major Scholars​

As previously shown, leading scholars such as:


✔ Imām al-Bukhārī
✔ Imām al-Tirmidhī
✔ Imām Aḥmad
✔ Imām al-Shāfiʿī
✔ Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh


All understood from these narrations that Sūrah al-Fātiḥah was recited as Qur’ānic recitation in the funeral prayer, not as supplication.


Not a single Imām from the best three generations (khayr al-qurūn) regarded it as duʿā’.

✿ The Tābiʿūn and Recitation of al-Fātiḥah in Funeral Prayer​

➊ Approval of Imām Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib رحمه الله (d. 90H)​

When Abū Umāmah narrated the Sunnah of reciting al-Fātiḥah in janāzah, Ibn al-Musayyib was present and did not object — indicating his approval. (See earlier chapter)

➋ Practice of Imām al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رحمه الله (d. 110H)​

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAwn narrated:


كان الحسن يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب فى كل تكبيرة على الجنازة
“Al-Ḥasan used to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah after every takbīr in the funeral prayer.”

Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/492 – Authentic

➌ Practice of Imām Makḥūl al-Shāmī رحمه الله (d. after 110H)​

Bard ibn Sinān stated:


كان يقرأ فى التكبيرتين الأوليين فى الصلاة على الميت بفاتحة الكتاب
“He used to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah after the first two takbīrs.”

Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/492 – Authentic

➍ Fatwā of Imām Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim رحمه الله (d. after 100H)​

Salamah ibn Nabīṭ narrated:


اقرأ فى كل التكبيرتين الأوليين فى الصلاة على الميت بفاتحة الكتاب.
“Recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah after the first two takbīrs of the funeral prayer.”

Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/492 (ḥadīth 11396) – ḥasan chain

⚠ Note:​

Although the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is to recite al-Fātiḥah only after the first takbīr, as mentioned:


من السنة فى الصلاة على الجنازة أن تقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب ولا تقرأ إلا مرة واحدة.
“The Sunnah in janāzah prayer is to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah only once.”

Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/296 – Authentic

Still, these reports from Tābiʿīn indicate that recitation of al-Fātiḥah was widely practiced during their era.

❖ Opinions and Verdicts of Renowned Jurists on Reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in Funeral Prayer​

Numerous leading jurists of Islam supported the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer based on authentic ḥadīths. Below are the views and practices of several such scholars:

➊ Fatwā of Imām al-Shāfiʿī رحمه الله (d. 204 AH)​

Imām al-Shāfiʿī said:


فلذلك نقول يكبر أربعا على الجنائز يقرأ فى الأولى بأم القرآن ثم يصلى على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ويدعو للميت... فإذا وجدنا لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سنة اتبعناها.


"Therefore, we say that four takbīrs should be said in the funeral prayer. After the first takbīr, Sūrah al-Fātiḥah should be recited. Then after the second takbīr, blessings should be sent upon the Prophet ﷺ, and after the third, supplication should be made for the deceased. Some people claim that there should be no recitation in the funeral prayer. However, we have performed this prayer and are now aware of the Prophetic method. Our methodology is that whenever we come to know of a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we adhere to it."

Reference: Kitāb al-Umm: 1/270

➋ Practice of Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal رحمه الله (d. 240 AH)​

His son Abū al-Faḍl Ṣāliḥ رحمه الله narrates:


وكان يكبر على الجنازة أربعا ويرفع يديه مع كل تكبيرة ويقرأ فاتحة الكتاب فى أول تكبيرة ثم يسلم تسليمة واحدة


"My father used to say four takbīrs in the funeral prayer, raise his hands with each takbīr, recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah after the first takbīr, and then end with a single salām."

Reference: Sīrah al-Imām Aḥmad by Abū al-Faḍl Ṣāliḥ ibn Aḥmad: p. 40

➌ Fatwā of Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh رحمه الله (d. 238 AH)​

Imām al-Tirmidhī said:


"Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh رحمه الله regarded the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah after the first takbīr in the funeral prayer as the preferred and correct opinion."

Reference: Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, under ḥadīth: 1027

➍ Fatwā of Imām Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله (d. 319 AH)​

He wrote:


يقرأ بعد التكبيرة الأولى بفاتحة الكتاب وإن قرأ بفاتحة الكتاب وسورة قصيرة فحسن.


"The person should recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah after the first takbīr. If he also recites a short sūrah along with it, that is good."

Reference: al-Awsaṭ fī al-Sunan wa al-Ijmāʿ wa al-Ikhtilāf: 5/436–440

➎ Fatwā of Imām al-Dāraquṭnī رحمه الله (d. 385 AH)​

He stated:


التسليم فى الجنازة واحد والتكبير أربعا وخمسا وقراءة الفاتحة.


"This is regarding funeral prayer: one salām, four or five takbīrs, and the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah."

Reference: Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī: 2/72

➏ Fatwā of Imām al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله (d. 458 AH)​

He said:


قراءة الفاتحة فريضة فى صلاة الجنازة


"The recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer is obligatory."

Reference: al-Khilāfiyyāt bayna al-Imām al-Shāfiʿī wa Abī Ḥanīfah wa Aṣḥābihi: 4/236

➐ Fatwā of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله (d. 456 AH)​

He wrote:


فإذا كبر الأولى قرأ أم القرآن ولا بد.


"When one says the first takbīr, he must recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah — it is obligatory."

Reference: al-Muḥallā: 5/129

➑ Fatwā of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله (d. 560 AH)​

He stated:


يقرأ فى الأولى الفاتحة.


"In the first takbīr, one should recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah."

Reference: al-Ghunyah li-Ṭālibī Ṭarīq al-Ḥaqq: 2/224

➒ Fatwā of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله (d. 597 AH)​

He wrote:


تجب قرائة الفاتحة فى صلاة الجنازة.


"The recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer is wājib."

Reference: al-Taḥqīq fī Aḥādīth al-Khilāf: 2/14

➓ Fatwā of Ḥāfiẓ al-Nawawī رحمه الله (d. 676 AH)​

He said:


فقراءة الفاتحة فرض فى صلاة الجنازة بلا خلاف عندنا


"The recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer is farḍ according to us, and there is no disagreement about it."

Reference: al-Majmūʿ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab: 5/233

◈ The View of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and the Disagreement Among Ḥanafīs​

There is no authentic chain that proves any specific stance of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah on reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer. As a result, even among Ḥanafī scholars, there is significant inconsistency on whether it is permissible or disliked.


Some Ḥanafīs opposed its recitation entirely, as noted by al-Kāsānī (d. 587 AH):


ولا يقرأ فى الصلاة على الجنازة بشيء من القرآن.
"Nothing from the Qur’an should be recited in the funeral prayer."

Reference: Badāʾiʿ al-Ṣanāʾiʿ: 1/313–314

Others considered it permissible but neither obligatory nor disliked, such as Ibn al-Turkumānī (d. 750 AH), citing Qudūrī (d. 428 AH):


ومذهب الحنفية أن القرائة فى صلاة الجنازة لا تجب ولا تكره...
"The Ḥanafī position is that reciting in the funeral prayer is neither obligatory nor disliked."

Reference: al-Jawhar al-Naqī: 4/39

In confusion over the strong evidence, some Ḥanafīs resorted to “legal loopholes”:


— Some said it should be read as a duʿā’, not tilāwah.

Reference: al-Baḥr al-Rā’iq by Ibn Nujaym al-Ḥanafī: 2/197

— Others said it can be recited as thanaa’ (praise).

Reference: Badāʾiʿ al-Ṣanāʾiʿ: 1/313–314

ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-Ḥayy al-Lakhnawī (d. 1304 AH) summarized:


يكره قرائة الفاتحة فى صلاة الجنازة... ولو قرأ بنية الدعاء لا بأس به...


"Many of our later scholars stated that reciting al-Fātiḥah in the funeral prayer is makrūh, but if done with the intention of supplication, then it is not objectionable."

Reference: al-Taʿlīq al-Mumajjad ʿala Muwaṭṭaʾ Muḥammad: 2/112

✿ Final Words​

Only by adhering unconditionally to authentic ḥadīths can a believer protect himself from internal doubts and confusion. Otherwise, a lifetime may be spent juggling interpretations and justifications.


May Allah grant us the ability to act upon the ḥadīths of the Prophet ﷺ exactly as they are, without resorting to invalid interpretations.