❖ Question:
If a child dies in the mother’s womb (stillborn), should a janāzah (funeral) prayer be offered for the child? Some scholars claim that if the child does not cry after birth, then funeral prayer is not required. What is the correct Islamic ruling on this matter according to the Qur’an, Hadith, and scholarly opinions?❖ The Claim: Funeral Prayer Depends on Crying After Birth
Some scholars base their ruling on the following narration:“The child is not prayed over, nor does he inherit or be inherited from, unless he cries [at birth].”
[Jābir رضي الله عنه – Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 1032]
However:
- This narration is weak (ḍaʿīf) due to the presence of Abū al-Zubayr, a known mudallis (ambiguous transmitter).
- He narrates without clear indication of hearing (ʿanʿanah), making the narration unreliable.
Additional narrations with similar meanings also suffer from weakness in their chains, such as:
“If the child cries at birth, he is prayed over and becomes an heir.”
[Reported by Ibn Mājah (1508), Ibn Ḥibbān (6032), al-Ḥākim – All chains are weak.]
Some scholars have also cited narrations about inheritance, not funeral prayer, and tried to apply them in this context, which is not methodologically sound.❖ The Strong View: Janāzah Should Be Prayed Regardless of Crying
Authentic Hadith and statements from the Companions and early scholars support that a child who is born lifeless (stillborn) should still have a funeral prayer performed.✔ Authentic Hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ said:“The rider should follow the funeral, and the walker may go in front, behind, or on either side, close to it. A stillborn should be prayed over, and supplication made for his parents for forgiveness and mercy.”
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 3180 – Sahih]
This clearly proves that even a stillborn (السِّقْط) child is to be prayed over.❖ Actions of the Companions (Ṣaḥābah)
Nafiʿ narrated:“ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar prayed over a stillborn child. I do not know whether the child cried at birth or not. He performed the prayer at home and then sent the body for burial.”
[Musannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq 3/530, Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 3/9 – Sahih]
❖ Views of the Early Scholars
Imām Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn said:“The funeral prayer for a small child is the same as that for an adult.”
[Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 3/10 – Sahih]
In another narration, he specifically used the word “السِّقْط” (stillborn) to confirm that the funeral prayer applies even in that case.
❖ Imām Aḥmad’s Position
When asked about the funeral prayer for a child who did not cry:“He should still be prayed over.”
[Masāʾil Imām Aḥmad by his son ʿAbdullāh: 529]
Final Ruling (Rājih View):
Based on authentic Hadith and the practice of the Ṣaḥābah and early scholars, it is permissible and recommended to offer janāzah prayer for a stillborn child, even if the child never cried after birth.Those who disagree base their view solely on weak narrations, which cannot override stronger evidence.
