1 — Informing Relatives and Friends of the Death
It is permissible and Sunnah to inform the relatives, friends, and community members about a person’s death so that they can attend the funeral prayer, offer condolences, and pray for the deceased.
The Prophet ﷺ Himself Informed About Deaths
Hadith of Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us on the very day the Negus (al-Najāshī), the King of Abyssinia, passed away.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 5421)
Hadith of Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه):
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us during the Battle of Mu’tah of the martyrdom of Zayd, then Ja‘far, then ‘Abdullah ibn Rawāhah (رضي الله عنهم), while his eyes were shedding tears.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Funerals, Chapter: Informing People About the Death: 1246)
Lesson:
Informing others about a death is allowed, especially so they can participate in the funeral and make duʿāʾ for the deceased.
2 — Prohibition of Announcing Death with Wailing or for Pride
Hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (رضي الله عنه):
“When I die, do not announce it publicly. I fear that it may turn into (forbidden) Naʿī (public announcement in the manner of the Days of Ignorance). I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbidding Naʿī.”
(Jamiʿ al-Tirmidhi, Book of Funerals, Chapter on Dislike of Naʿī: 986; Sunan Ibn Majah: 1474)
Explanation:
- Naʿī refers to the practice of the pre-Islamic era where people would send announcers to publicly proclaim a death in markets and doorways, often combined with wailing and excessive praise of the deceased.
- Such announcements were done for showing status or drawing public attention and are prohibited.
3 — Difference Between Permissible and Forbidden Announcements
Permissible:
- Informing family, friends, and community members without wailing, exaggeration, or self-glorification.
- The intention is to gather people for the funeral prayer and to encourage supplication for the deceased.
Forbidden:
- Making a public spectacle with loud proclamations in streets or marketplaces.
- Combining the announcement with exaggerated praise, poetry, or wailing.
- Announcing for the sake of showing off wealth, tribe, or influence.
4 — Scholarly Explanation
Ibn Hajar al-ʿAsqalānī (رحمه الله) explains:
“The Naʿī that the Shariah forbids is the custom of the people of Jahiliyyah, in which they would send people to announce the death at the doors and in the markets, combined with wailing and recounting the deceased’s virtues in an exaggerated manner.”
(Fath al-Bārī, 3/354)
5 — Summary Guidelines
✔ Inform close family, friends, and the local Muslim community promptly.
✔ The intention should be to enable people to attend the funeral and pray for the deceased.
✔ Avoid the customs of Jahiliyyah such as loud public proclamations in streets or marketplaces.
✔ Avoid combining death announcements with wailing or exaggerated praise.
✔ Maintain dignity, humility, and adherence to Sunnah in all matters related to funerals.
