Is the Funeral Prayer Valid for One Who Abandons Prayer or Shaves the Beard?
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Janāzah Issues, Vol. 1, p. 258
❖ Question
Should the funeral prayer be offered for a person who does not pray (بے نماز) or who shaves his beard?
If not, is it only the imām who should refrain from leading it, or should the people in general also not pray over him?
And is shaving the beard a major sin (kabīrah) or a minor sin (ṣaghīrah)? Please clarify in the light of Qur’ān and Sunnah.
❖ Answer
◈ Ruling on the One Who Abandons Prayer
- The funeral prayer for one who does not pray is not valid, because such a person is not considered a true religious brother of the believers.
- Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَإِخۡوَٰنُكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِۗ وَنُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ﴾
(“But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, then they are your brothers in religion. We explain the verses in detail for a people who know.”)
[al-Tawbah: 11]
- This verse makes it clear that the one who abandons prayer is excluded from religious brotherhood. Therefore, his funeral prayer is not permissible.
◈ Ruling on the One Who Shaves the Beard
- The funeral prayer for a Muslim who shaves his beard is valid, provided he prays and maintains faith.
- If he is a Muslim and observes prayer, his funeral prayer may be offered, even though shaving the beard is sinful.
◈ Is Shaving the Beard a Major or Minor Sin?
- Shaving the beard is a sin and an act of disobedience.
- Whether it is classified as a major (kabīrah) or minor (ṣaghīrah) sin is not certain with absolute clarity.
❖ Conclusion
- Funeral prayer is not valid for one who abandons prayer entirely.
- Funeral prayer is valid for one who shaves the beard, if he is a believer and observes prayer.
- Shaving the beard is sinful, but the precise categorization as kabīrah or ṣaghīrah is uncertain.
Hādhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
