❖ Funeral Prayer Over the Grave and in Absentia is Permissible ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
Funeral prayer (Janazah) may be offered both at the grave and in absentia (for the deceased not physically present).
❶ Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما):
"The Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer for a man after he had been buried the night before."
Another narration states:
"He came to the grave and prayed the funeral prayer there."
[Bukhari: 1340; Muslim: 954; Tirmidhi: 1057; Ibn Majah: 1530; Ahmad: 1/224; Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/360]
❷ Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer at the grave of a woman (or a man) who used to sweep the mosque.
[Bukhari: 1337; Muslim: 956; Ahmad: 2/353; Abu Dawood: 3203; Ibn Majah: 1527; Bayhaqi: 4/47; Abu Yaʿla: 2429; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1299]
❸ Narrated by Yazīd ibn Thābit (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer at the grave of a woman.
[Sahih: Ahkam al-Jana'iz, pp. 114–115; Ibn Majah: 1/465; Nasai: 1/284; Bayhaqi: 4/48]
❹ Another narration states:
"They went with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until they reached her grave. They aligned themselves behind him as for a funeral prayer, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the prayer."
[Sahih: Ahkam al-Jana'iz, p. 115; Bayhaqi: 4/48]
✔ The majority of scholars, including Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله) and Imam Shafiʿi (رحمه الله), uphold the permissibility of praying at the grave.
✘ Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله) and Imam Malik (رحمه الله), however, do not consider praying at the grave to be legislated.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 4/119; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/707; Al-Umm: 1/461; Al-Hawi: 3/59; Al-Mabsut: 2/67; Bada'iʿ al-Sana'iʿ: 1/311; Al-Hidayah: 1/91; Hashiyat al-Dasuqi: 1/413; Al-Mughni: 3/444]
Those who reject the practice base their view on the narration concerning the woman who used to clean the mosque, which includes the words:
"These graves are filled with darkness for their dwellers, and Allah illuminates them through my prayer over them."
They argue this was specific to the Prophet ﷺ, because only his prayer brings light to the grave.
✔ The majority respond that these additional words are interpolated (مدرج) in the narration, as clarified and favored by Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله).
[See: Fath al-Bari: 2/127; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/708]
✔ Shawkani (رحمه الله) also stated:
“Specificity must be established through clear evidence” — and there is no evidence to restrict this practice to the Prophet ﷺ only.
❶ The Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for Najāshī in absentia, as narrated by Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
"The Prophet ﷺ announced the death of Najāshī on the day he died. He went out with the people to the open prayer ground, aligned them in rows, and said four Takbirs over him."
[Bukhari: 1333; Muslim: 951; Muwatta: 1/226; Abu Dawood: 3204; Ibn Majah: 1534; Nasai: 4/72; Bayhaqi: 4/49]
❷ A similar narration is also reported from Jābir (رضي الله عنه).
[Bukhari: 1320, 1334; Muslim: 952; Ahmad: 3/361]
❸ Another narration from ʿImrān ibn Ḥusayn (رضي الله عنه) also confirms the funeral prayer in absentia for Najāshī.
[Muslim: 953; Ibn Majah: 1535; Nasai: 4/70; Ahmad: 4/431; Bayhaqi: 3/50]
✔ The majority (including Imam Shafiʿi and Imam Ahmad) uphold the permissibility of funeral prayer in absentia.
✔ Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله) noted:
"There is no known prohibition of this act from any Companion."
✘ Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik do not consider funeral prayer in absentia to be legislated at all.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/203; Al-Umm: 1/271; Rawdat al-Talibin: 2/130; Al-Majmuʿ: 4/209; Al-Asl: 1/427; Al-Mabsut: 2/67; Hashiyat Ibn ʿAbidin: 2/29]
Those opposing this practice argue that it was exclusive to Najāshī, based on a narration that states:
"All the veils of the earth were lifted for the Prophet ﷺ, and Najāshī’s body was made visible to him."
[Ahkam al-Jana'iz by Al-Albani: p. 1193]
✔ Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله) dismissed this claim, stating:
“This narration is based on illusions and assumptions, and has no sound basis.”
[Al-Majmuʿ: 5/253]
✔ Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) also refuted the claim of exclusivity, calling such an interpretation invalid.
[Ahkam al-Jana'iz: p. 119]
Important Note:
Since there is no evidence of exclusivity to Najāshī, this act is part of the general Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and remains valid for the Ummah.
✔ Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:
If someone dies in a place where their funeral prayer is not offered, then funeral prayer in absentia should be performed.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/704; Ahkam al-Jana'iz: p. 118]
✔ Imam Khattabi (رحمه الله) also held the same view.
[Maʿālim al-Sunan: 1/310]
They cite the narration:
"Indeed, your brother has died in a land other than yours, so rise and pray over him."
[Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1248; Ibn Majah: 1537; Ahmad: 714; Hafiz Busiri graded it Sahih – Misbah al-Zujajah: 1/500]
❖ From this, it is understood that the Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for Najāshī because no prayer was held for him in his locality.
However, some argue that there is no definite proof that Najāshī’s funeral was not performed in his land, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) stated:
"There is no report to my knowledge confirming that no funeral prayer was offered for Najāshī in his city."
[Fath al-Bari: 3/224]
For more details on this issue, consult:
Fath al-Bari, Volume 3, Page 224
Summary:
◈ Offering funeral prayer at the grave is proven from multiple authentic narrations.
◈ Funeral prayer in absentia is also established from the Sunnah, especially in cases where no funeral prayer was performed locally.
◈ Majority of scholars affirm both practices, and no sound evidence exists for their exclusivity to the Prophet ﷺ.
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
Funeral prayer (Janazah) may be offered both at the grave and in absentia (for the deceased not physically present).
◈ Evidence for Offering Funeral Prayer at the Grave
❶ Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما):
"The Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer for a man after he had been buried the night before."
Another narration states:
"He came to the grave and prayed the funeral prayer there."
[Bukhari: 1340; Muslim: 954; Tirmidhi: 1057; Ibn Majah: 1530; Ahmad: 1/224; Ibn Abi Shaybah: 3/360]
❷ Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer at the grave of a woman (or a man) who used to sweep the mosque.
[Bukhari: 1337; Muslim: 956; Ahmad: 2/353; Abu Dawood: 3203; Ibn Majah: 1527; Bayhaqi: 4/47; Abu Yaʿla: 2429; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1299]
❸ Narrated by Yazīd ibn Thābit (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer at the grave of a woman.
[Sahih: Ahkam al-Jana'iz, pp. 114–115; Ibn Majah: 1/465; Nasai: 1/284; Bayhaqi: 4/48]
❹ Another narration states:
"They went with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until they reached her grave. They aligned themselves behind him as for a funeral prayer, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the prayer."
[Sahih: Ahkam al-Jana'iz, p. 115; Bayhaqi: 4/48]
✔ The majority of scholars, including Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله) and Imam Shafiʿi (رحمه الله), uphold the permissibility of praying at the grave.
✘ Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله) and Imam Malik (رحمه الله), however, do not consider praying at the grave to be legislated.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 4/119; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/707; Al-Umm: 1/461; Al-Hawi: 3/59; Al-Mabsut: 2/67; Bada'iʿ al-Sana'iʿ: 1/311; Al-Hidayah: 1/91; Hashiyat al-Dasuqi: 1/413; Al-Mughni: 3/444]
Those who reject the practice base their view on the narration concerning the woman who used to clean the mosque, which includes the words:
"These graves are filled with darkness for their dwellers, and Allah illuminates them through my prayer over them."
They argue this was specific to the Prophet ﷺ, because only his prayer brings light to the grave.
✔ The majority respond that these additional words are interpolated (مدرج) in the narration, as clarified and favored by Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله).
[See: Fath al-Bari: 2/127; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/708]
✔ Shawkani (رحمه الله) also stated:
“Specificity must be established through clear evidence” — and there is no evidence to restrict this practice to the Prophet ﷺ only.
◈ Funeral Prayer in Absentia (Ṣalāh al-Janāzah al-Ghā’ib)
❶ The Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for Najāshī in absentia, as narrated by Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
"The Prophet ﷺ announced the death of Najāshī on the day he died. He went out with the people to the open prayer ground, aligned them in rows, and said four Takbirs over him."
[Bukhari: 1333; Muslim: 951; Muwatta: 1/226; Abu Dawood: 3204; Ibn Majah: 1534; Nasai: 4/72; Bayhaqi: 4/49]
❷ A similar narration is also reported from Jābir (رضي الله عنه).
[Bukhari: 1320, 1334; Muslim: 952; Ahmad: 3/361]
❸ Another narration from ʿImrān ibn Ḥusayn (رضي الله عنه) also confirms the funeral prayer in absentia for Najāshī.
[Muslim: 953; Ibn Majah: 1535; Nasai: 4/70; Ahmad: 4/431; Bayhaqi: 3/50]
✔ The majority (including Imam Shafiʿi and Imam Ahmad) uphold the permissibility of funeral prayer in absentia.
✔ Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله) noted:
"There is no known prohibition of this act from any Companion."
✘ Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik do not consider funeral prayer in absentia to be legislated at all.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/203; Al-Umm: 1/271; Rawdat al-Talibin: 2/130; Al-Majmuʿ: 4/209; Al-Asl: 1/427; Al-Mabsut: 2/67; Hashiyat Ibn ʿAbidin: 2/29]
Those opposing this practice argue that it was exclusive to Najāshī, based on a narration that states:
"All the veils of the earth were lifted for the Prophet ﷺ, and Najāshī’s body was made visible to him."
[Ahkam al-Jana'iz by Al-Albani: p. 1193]
✔ Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله) dismissed this claim, stating:
“This narration is based on illusions and assumptions, and has no sound basis.”
[Al-Majmuʿ: 5/253]
✔ Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) also refuted the claim of exclusivity, calling such an interpretation invalid.
[Ahkam al-Jana'iz: p. 119]
Important Note:Since there is no evidence of exclusivity to Najāshī, this act is part of the general Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and remains valid for the Ummah.
✔ Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:
If someone dies in a place where their funeral prayer is not offered, then funeral prayer in absentia should be performed.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/704; Ahkam al-Jana'iz: p. 118]
✔ Imam Khattabi (رحمه الله) also held the same view.
[Maʿālim al-Sunan: 1/310]
They cite the narration:
"Indeed, your brother has died in a land other than yours, so rise and pray over him."
[Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1248; Ibn Majah: 1537; Ahmad: 714; Hafiz Busiri graded it Sahih – Misbah al-Zujajah: 1/500]
❖ From this, it is understood that the Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for Najāshī because no prayer was held for him in his locality.
However, some argue that there is no definite proof that Najāshī’s funeral was not performed in his land, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) stated:
"There is no report to my knowledge confirming that no funeral prayer was offered for Najāshī in his city."
[Fath al-Bari: 3/224]
For more details on this issue, consult:Fath al-Bari, Volume 3, Page 224
Summary:◈ Offering funeral prayer at the grave is proven from multiple authentic narrations.
◈ Funeral prayer in absentia is also established from the Sunnah, especially in cases where no funeral prayer was performed locally.
◈ Majority of scholars affirm both practices, and no sound evidence exists for their exclusivity to the Prophet ﷺ.
