Author: Abu Saeed
It is permissible to perform the funeral prayer more than once for a deceased person. This practice is established by the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). However, according to the followers of the Hanafi school of thought, this act is not permissible. There are several Hadiths that provide evidence for this practice.
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered the funeral prayer over a grave."
[Sahih Muslim: 305/1, Hadith No. 955]
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for a woman after she was buried."
[Sunan An-Nasa'i: 2027, Hasan]
"A person informed me that they passed by an isolated grave with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (referring to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them) and that he led them in prayer, and they offered the funeral prayer behind him."
[Sahih Bukhari 178/1, Hadith: 1336, Sahih Muslim: 305/1, Hadith: 954]
Some people argue that performing the funeral prayer at a grave was a unique practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
In response to this:
◈ Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) (384-456 AH) writes:
"This claim of exclusivity is completely invalid because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also prayed at the grave with the Prophet (peace be upon him). Thus, the claim of exclusivity is nullified."
[Al-Muhalla by Ibn Hazm: 141/5, Issue: 581]
● The Muhaddithin (scholars of Hadith) have established chapters in their books under the heading of “The prayer over the grave.”
◈ Maulana Abdul Hayy Lakhnavi Hanafi (1264-1304 AH) considers this claim of exclusivity to be against the facts.
[At-Taliq al-Mumajjad: p. 167]
"A black woman used to clean the mosque. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) missed her, he asked about her. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) informed him that she had passed away. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Why did you not inform me?’ It was as if they had taken her matter lightly. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Show me her grave.’ They showed him her grave, and he offered the funeral prayer for her."
[Sahih Bukhari: 1337, Sahih Muslim: 956]
[Sahih Bukhari: 6820]
In another narration from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the incident of Ma'iz (may Allah be pleased with him), it is mentioned:
"It was said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'O Messenger of Allah! Will you pray over him?' He replied: 'No.' The next day, after the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed the Dhuhr prayer, he prolonged the first two rak'ahs as he had done the day before or perhaps slightly less. After finishing the prayer, he said: 'Pray for your companion.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) and the people then offered the funeral prayer for him."
[Musannaf Abdur-Razzaq: 321/7, Hadith: 13339, Sahih]
↰ These two narrations can be reconciled by stating that on the day of Sayyiduna Ma'iz’s death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not perform the funeral prayer but did so the following day.
"We went out with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). When we reached Baqi', we suddenly noticed a grave. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked about it, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) informed him that it was the grave of a certain woman. The Prophet (peace be upon him) recognized it and said: 'Why didn't you inform me about her?' They said: 'You were fasting and resting during the afternoon.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whenever one of you dies, let me know, for my prayer upon him is a mercy.' He then approached the grave, we formed rows behind him, and he offered four takbirs (funeral prayer) over her."
[Musnad Ahmad: 388/4, Sunan An-Nasa'i: 2024, Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn by Al-Hakim: 591/3, Sahih]
↰ Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) [3087] declared this Hadith as "Sahih."
◈ Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) [3087] comments:
"The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) statement 'My prayer upon him is a mercy' should not be misunderstood as implying that praying at the grave is permissible only for him and not for his Ummah (followers). If this were the case, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have prevented them from forming rows behind him and praying with him over the grave. His not prohibiting them from performing the funeral prayer over the grave is clear evidence for those guided by Allah that this act is permissible for both the Prophet and his Ummah."
[Sahih Ibn Hibban: 357/7]
◈ Allama Abu al-Hasan Muhammad bin Abdul-Hadi Sindhi Hanafi (d. 1138 AH) writes:
"Those who claimed exclusivity have derived their evidence from here, but this is not a strong argument."
[Hashiyat al-Sindi ala Sunan al-Nasa'i: 85/4]
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prayed at the grave of Sayyiduna Bara bin Ma’rur (may Allah be pleased with him) and offered four takbirs over him."
[Al-Matalib al-Aliyah by Ibn Hajar: 780, Sahih]
◈ Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) (384-456 AH) states:
"These are continuous traditions that cannot be denied."
[Al-Muhalla by Ibn Hazm: 141/5]
"Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) passed away in a house. We carried him on our shoulders for six miles to Makkah. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was absent. When she returned, she said: 'Show me his grave.' When they showed her, she performed the funeral prayer over him."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 360/3, Sahih]
"Asim bin Umar passed away, and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) was absent. When he arrived, he said: 'Show me my brother's grave.' When they showed him, he performed the funeral prayer over him."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 360/3, Sahih]
◈ Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"We do not know of any Companion who prohibited praying over the grave of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), nor did Allah or His Messenger (peace be upon him) forbid it. Therefore, prohibiting it is invalid. Performing the funeral prayer at the grave is a good deed, and any claim without evidence is invalid."
[Al-Muhalla bil Athar by Ibn Hazm: 365/3]
◈ Abdullah bin Awn (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
"I was with Imam Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him). We wanted to perform a funeral prayer, but it had already been performed, and the body had been buried. Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 'Come, let us do as they did.' Then he offered four takbirs at the grave."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 360/3, Sahih]
◈ Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and other scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) also held and practiced the view of offering funeral prayers at the grave.
"Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went out one day and prayed over the martyrs of Uhud as he would pray over the deceased."
[Sahih Bukhari: 1344, Sahih Muslim: 2296]
↰ This Hadith is evidence that even if the funeral prayer had been offered years earlier, it is still permissible to repeat the prayer. The interpretation that this refers to a mere supplication is incorrect.
The funeral prayer was offered by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for the martyrs of Uhud eight years after their death, even though the Prophet (peace be upon him) had previously performed the funeral prayer for them.
[Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 502/1, Hasan]
From the aforementioned Hadith, it is established that the funeral prayer can be performed over the deceased whether the grave is old or new, and whether the funeral prayer was performed before burial or not.
"He passed away in a state of oppression in 150 AH. Approximately fifty thousand people performed his funeral prayer the first time. People continued to arrive, and the funeral prayer was performed six times, even after burial. For twenty days, people continued to perform his funeral prayer."
[Seerat al-Numan: 42]
[Maqam Abi Hanifa by Safdar: 98, 99]
In response, Shaikh Irshad Haq Athari (may Allah preserve him) wrote that this is a fabricated story. When Imam Abu Hanifa and his students, along with all the Hanafis, hold the view that repeating the funeral prayer at the grave is not permissible, then why should it be permissible for Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him)?
[Maulana Sarfraz Safdar in the Mirror of His Writings: 260]
Shaikh Athari’s son, Muhammad Abdul Quddoos Khan Qaran, responded:
"In the second point, Shaikh Athari has gone to an extreme. When he regains his senses, someone should ask him: Were only Hanafis present at Imam Abu Hanifa’s funeral? Were there not people of other schools of thought (Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis) present? When those people, according to whom it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer at the grave, participated, what objection remains?"
[Mashaheer Ghair Muqallid by Qaran: 289]
Dear readers, judge fairly! When Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) passed away in 150 AH, and Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in 150 AH, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in 165 AH, then how could their followers have participated in the funeral prayer of Imam Abu Hanifa before they were even born? When Qaran regains his senses, he should respond to our question!
It is permissible to perform the funeral prayer more than once for a deceased person. This practice is established by the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). However, according to the followers of the Hanafi school of thought, this act is not permissible. There are several Hadiths that provide evidence for this practice.
Evidence ➊
It is narrated by Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered the funeral prayer over a grave."
[Sahih Muslim: 305/1, Hadith No. 955]
Evidence ➋
It is narrated by Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them):"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for a woman after she was buried."
[Sunan An-Nasa'i: 2027, Hasan]
Evidence ➌
Imam Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:"A person informed me that they passed by an isolated grave with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (referring to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them) and that he led them in prayer, and they offered the funeral prayer behind him."
[Sahih Bukhari 178/1, Hadith: 1336, Sahih Muslim: 305/1, Hadith: 954]
Some people argue that performing the funeral prayer at a grave was a unique practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
In response to this:
◈ Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) (384-456 AH) writes:
"This claim of exclusivity is completely invalid because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also prayed at the grave with the Prophet (peace be upon him). Thus, the claim of exclusivity is nullified."
[Al-Muhalla by Ibn Hazm: 141/5, Issue: 581]
● The Muhaddithin (scholars of Hadith) have established chapters in their books under the heading of “The prayer over the grave.”
◈ Maulana Abdul Hayy Lakhnavi Hanafi (1264-1304 AH) considers this claim of exclusivity to be against the facts.
[At-Taliq al-Mumajjad: p. 167]
Evidence ➍
It is narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):"A black woman used to clean the mosque. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) missed her, he asked about her. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) informed him that she had passed away. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Why did you not inform me?’ It was as if they had taken her matter lightly. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Show me her grave.’ They showed him her grave, and he offered the funeral prayer for her."
[Sahih Bukhari: 1337, Sahih Muslim: 956]
Evidence ➎
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed the funeral prayer for Sayyiduna Ma'iz (may Allah be pleased with him).[Sahih Bukhari: 6820]
In another narration from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the incident of Ma'iz (may Allah be pleased with him), it is mentioned:
"It was said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'O Messenger of Allah! Will you pray over him?' He replied: 'No.' The next day, after the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed the Dhuhr prayer, he prolonged the first two rak'ahs as he had done the day before or perhaps slightly less. After finishing the prayer, he said: 'Pray for your companion.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) and the people then offered the funeral prayer for him."
[Musannaf Abdur-Razzaq: 321/7, Hadith: 13339, Sahih]
↰ These two narrations can be reconciled by stating that on the day of Sayyiduna Ma'iz’s death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not perform the funeral prayer but did so the following day.
Evidence ➏
Sayyiduna Yazid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:"We went out with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). When we reached Baqi', we suddenly noticed a grave. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked about it, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) informed him that it was the grave of a certain woman. The Prophet (peace be upon him) recognized it and said: 'Why didn't you inform me about her?' They said: 'You were fasting and resting during the afternoon.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whenever one of you dies, let me know, for my prayer upon him is a mercy.' He then approached the grave, we formed rows behind him, and he offered four takbirs (funeral prayer) over her."
[Musnad Ahmad: 388/4, Sunan An-Nasa'i: 2024, Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn by Al-Hakim: 591/3, Sahih]
↰ Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) [3087] declared this Hadith as "Sahih."
◈ Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) [3087] comments:
"The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) statement 'My prayer upon him is a mercy' should not be misunderstood as implying that praying at the grave is permissible only for him and not for his Ummah (followers). If this were the case, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have prevented them from forming rows behind him and praying with him over the grave. His not prohibiting them from performing the funeral prayer over the grave is clear evidence for those guided by Allah that this act is permissible for both the Prophet and his Ummah."
[Sahih Ibn Hibban: 357/7]
◈ Allama Abu al-Hasan Muhammad bin Abdul-Hadi Sindhi Hanafi (d. 1138 AH) writes:
"Those who claimed exclusivity have derived their evidence from here, but this is not a strong argument."
[Hashiyat al-Sindi ala Sunan al-Nasa'i: 85/4]
Evidence ➐
It is narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Qatada (may Allah be pleased with him):"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prayed at the grave of Sayyiduna Bara bin Ma’rur (may Allah be pleased with him) and offered four takbirs over him."
[Al-Matalib al-Aliyah by Ibn Hajar: 780, Sahih]
◈ Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) (384-456 AH) states:
"These are continuous traditions that cannot be denied."
[Al-Muhalla by Ibn Hazm: 141/5]
Evidence ➑
Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrates:"Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) passed away in a house. We carried him on our shoulders for six miles to Makkah. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was absent. When she returned, she said: 'Show me his grave.' When they showed her, she performed the funeral prayer over him."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 360/3, Sahih]
Evidence ➒
Nafi', the Tabi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), narrates:"Asim bin Umar passed away, and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) was absent. When he arrived, he said: 'Show me my brother's grave.' When they showed him, he performed the funeral prayer over him."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 360/3, Sahih]
◈ Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"We do not know of any Companion who prohibited praying over the grave of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), nor did Allah or His Messenger (peace be upon him) forbid it. Therefore, prohibiting it is invalid. Performing the funeral prayer at the grave is a good deed, and any claim without evidence is invalid."
[Al-Muhalla bil Athar by Ibn Hazm: 365/3]
◈ Abdullah bin Awn (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
"I was with Imam Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him). We wanted to perform a funeral prayer, but it had already been performed, and the body had been buried. Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 'Come, let us do as they did.' Then he offered four takbirs at the grave."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 360/3, Sahih]
◈ Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and other scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) also held and practiced the view of offering funeral prayers at the grave.
Evidence ➓
It is narrated by Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him):"Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went out one day and prayed over the martyrs of Uhud as he would pray over the deceased."
[Sahih Bukhari: 1344, Sahih Muslim: 2296]
↰ This Hadith is evidence that even if the funeral prayer had been offered years earlier, it is still permissible to repeat the prayer. The interpretation that this refers to a mere supplication is incorrect.
The funeral prayer was offered by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for the martyrs of Uhud eight years after their death, even though the Prophet (peace be upon him) had previously performed the funeral prayer for them.
[Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 502/1, Hasan]
From the aforementioned Hadith, it is established that the funeral prayer can be performed over the deceased whether the grave is old or new, and whether the funeral prayer was performed before burial or not.
Anecdote:
Muhammad Sarfraz Khan Safdar Deobandi Hayati Sahib writes about Imam Abu Hanifa:"He passed away in a state of oppression in 150 AH. Approximately fifty thousand people performed his funeral prayer the first time. People continued to arrive, and the funeral prayer was performed six times, even after burial. For twenty days, people continued to perform his funeral prayer."
[Seerat al-Numan: 42]
[Maqam Abi Hanifa by Safdar: 98, 99]
In response, Shaikh Irshad Haq Athari (may Allah preserve him) wrote that this is a fabricated story. When Imam Abu Hanifa and his students, along with all the Hanafis, hold the view that repeating the funeral prayer at the grave is not permissible, then why should it be permissible for Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him)?
[Maulana Sarfraz Safdar in the Mirror of His Writings: 260]
Shaikh Athari’s son, Muhammad Abdul Quddoos Khan Qaran, responded:
"In the second point, Shaikh Athari has gone to an extreme. When he regains his senses, someone should ask him: Were only Hanafis present at Imam Abu Hanifa’s funeral? Were there not people of other schools of thought (Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis) present? When those people, according to whom it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer at the grave, participated, what objection remains?"
[Mashaheer Ghair Muqallid by Qaran: 289]
Dear readers, judge fairly! When Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) passed away in 150 AH, and Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in 150 AH, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in 165 AH, then how could their followers have participated in the funeral prayer of Imam Abu Hanifa before they were even born? When Qaran regains his senses, he should respond to our question!