Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is it permissible to mention the good qualities of the deceased at the funeral?
Yes, it is permissible.
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrates:
When Sayyidunā ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه was placed on the bier after his martyrdom, before the funeral was lifted, people stood all around making supplication and seeking forgiveness for him. I was also among them. Suddenly, Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه took hold of my shoulder and turned me towards him. He invoked Allah’s mercy for ʿUmar رضي الله عنه and said:
“After you, who else is there whose deeds I would love to present before Allah as yours? I was certain that Allah will place you with your two companions (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه), for I used to hear the Prophet ﷺ frequently saying: ‘I, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar went… I, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar entered… I, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar left.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3685; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2389)
✦ Question:
Is it permissible to mention the good qualities of the deceased at the funeral?
✦ Answer:
Yes, it is permissible.
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrates:
When Sayyidunā ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه was placed on the bier after his martyrdom, before the funeral was lifted, people stood all around making supplication and seeking forgiveness for him. I was also among them. Suddenly, Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه took hold of my shoulder and turned me towards him. He invoked Allah’s mercy for ʿUmar رضي الله عنه and said:
“After you, who else is there whose deeds I would love to present before Allah as yours? I was certain that Allah will place you with your two companions (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه), for I used to hear the Prophet ﷺ frequently saying: ‘I, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar went… I, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar entered… I, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar left.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3685; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2389)
