✿ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
In reality, saying four or five takbīrs in the funeral prayer is authentically established from the Prophet (ﷺ). However, narrations from some Companions indicate even up to nine takbīrs, and Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) has termed these ḥukman marfūʿ (effectively attributed to the Prophet), thereby validating their practice.
➊ Jābir (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) offered the funeral prayer for Najāshī:
فَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ أَرْبَعًا
“He said four takbīrs over him.”
[Bukhārī: 1334; Muslim: 952; Aḥmad: 3/361; al-Bayhaqī: 4/35]
➋ Similar narration is also reported from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه).
[Bukhārī: 1333; Muslim: 951; Muwaṭṭā: 1/226; Abū Dāwūd: 3204; al-Nasāʾī: 4/72; Ibn Mājah: 1534]
➌ A narration from Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) also supports this ruling.
[Bukhārī: 1340; Muslim: 954; al-Tirmidhī: 1057; Ibn Mājah: 1530]
➍ Narrations from ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir and al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib (رضي الله عنهما) also confirm it.
[Al-Bayhaqī (Muʿallaqan): 4/38]
➎ Abū Umāmah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
“The Sunnah in the funeral prayer is to recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah silently after the first takbīr, then say three more takbīrs, and finally say salām after the last takbīr.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 141; al-Nasāʾī: 1/281; Ibn Ḥazm: 5/129]
➏ ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Awfā (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say four takbīrs.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 142; al-Bayhaqī: 4/35]
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Zayd ibn Arqam (رضي الله عنه) generally said four takbīrs in funeral prayers. On one occasion, he said five. When questioned, he replied:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ يُكَبِّرُهَا
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say five takbīrs as well.”
[Muslim: 957; Abū Dāwūd: 3197; al-Tirmidhī: 1023; al-Nasāʾī: 4/72; Ibn Mājah: 1505; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 1/493; al-Bayhaqī: 4/36; Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/302; Aḥmad: 4/367]
➊ ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) said six takbīrs for Sahl ibn Ḥanīf (رضي الله عنه), stating:
“He was present at Badr.”
[Bukhārī: 4004 – Kitāb al-Maghāzī]
➋ Mūsā ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Yazīd (رضي الله عنه) reported that ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) offered the funeral prayer of Abū Qatādah (رضي الله عنه) and:
فَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ سَبْعًا
“He said seven takbīrs over him.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 144; al-Bayhaqī: 4/36]
ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
“The Prophet (ﷺ) offered the funeral prayer of Ḥamzah (رضي الله عنه) and said nine takbīrs over him.”
[Ḥasan: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 106; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 1/290]
➊ Ijmāʿ (Consensus):
Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr (رحمه الله) stated that scholars and jurists have reached consensus on four takbīrs.
[Al-Tamhīd: 6/334; Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/715]
➋ Some narrations mention:
كَانَ آخِرَ مَا كَبَّرَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْجَنَازَةِ أَرْبَعًا
“The last number of takbīrs the Prophet (ﷺ) said in the funeral prayer was four.”
[Ḍaʿīf: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 145 – Shaykh al-Albānī declared it weak]
➌ A narration from Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) mentions the Prophet (ﷺ) saying 9, then 7, then 4 takbīrs for the martyrs of Uḥud,
حَتَّى لَحِقَ بِاللّٰهِ
“Until he met Allah.”
[Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz: p. 145 – Shaykh al-Albānī declared it rejected (mardūd)]
While four takbīrs is the strongest and most preferred practice based on authentic narrations and scholarly consensus, more than four (up to nine) are also permissible and have precedent in the practice of the Companions, especially in specific circumstances.
◈ Say Four or Five Takbīrs
In reality, saying four or five takbīrs in the funeral prayer is authentically established from the Prophet (ﷺ). However, narrations from some Companions indicate even up to nine takbīrs, and Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) has termed these ḥukman marfūʿ (effectively attributed to the Prophet), thereby validating their practice.
Evidence for Four Takbīrs
➊ Jābir (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) offered the funeral prayer for Najāshī:
فَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ أَرْبَعًا
“He said four takbīrs over him.”
[Bukhārī: 1334; Muslim: 952; Aḥmad: 3/361; al-Bayhaqī: 4/35]
➋ Similar narration is also reported from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه).
[Bukhārī: 1333; Muslim: 951; Muwaṭṭā: 1/226; Abū Dāwūd: 3204; al-Nasāʾī: 4/72; Ibn Mājah: 1534]
➌ A narration from Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) also supports this ruling.
[Bukhārī: 1340; Muslim: 954; al-Tirmidhī: 1057; Ibn Mājah: 1530]
➍ Narrations from ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir and al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib (رضي الله عنهما) also confirm it.
[Al-Bayhaqī (Muʿallaqan): 4/38]
➎ Abū Umāmah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
“The Sunnah in the funeral prayer is to recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah silently after the first takbīr, then say three more takbīrs, and finally say salām after the last takbīr.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 141; al-Nasāʾī: 1/281; Ibn Ḥazm: 5/129]
➏ ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Awfā (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say four takbīrs.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 142; al-Bayhaqī: 4/35]
Evidence for Five Takbīrs
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Zayd ibn Arqam (رضي الله عنه) generally said four takbīrs in funeral prayers. On one occasion, he said five. When questioned, he replied:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ يُكَبِّرُهَا
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say five takbīrs as well.”
[Muslim: 957; Abū Dāwūd: 3197; al-Tirmidhī: 1023; al-Nasāʾī: 4/72; Ibn Mājah: 1505; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 1/493; al-Bayhaqī: 4/36; Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/302; Aḥmad: 4/367]
Evidence for Six and Seven Takbīrs
➊ ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) said six takbīrs for Sahl ibn Ḥanīf (رضي الله عنه), stating:
“He was present at Badr.”
[Bukhārī: 4004 – Kitāb al-Maghāzī]
➋ Mūsā ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Yazīd (رضي الله عنه) reported that ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) offered the funeral prayer of Abū Qatādah (رضي الله عنه) and:
فَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ سَبْعًا
“He said seven takbīrs over him.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 144; al-Bayhaqī: 4/36]
Evidence for Nine Takbīrs
ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
“The Prophet (ﷺ) offered the funeral prayer of Ḥamzah (رضي الله عنه) and said nine takbīrs over him.”
[Ḥasan: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 106; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 1/290]
⚖ Scholarly Views on Takbīr Count in Funeral Prayer
- Scholars have differed, but the majority prefer four takbīrs:
- Jumhūr, Aḥmad (رحمه الله), al-Shāfiʿī (رحمه الله), Mālik (رحمه الله) all gave preference to four.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/714]
- Jumhūr, Aḥmad (رحمه الله), al-Shāfiʿī (رحمه الله), Mālik (رحمه الله) all gave preference to four.
- Imām al-Tirmidhī (رحمه الله): Most Companions and scholars after them held the view of four takbīrs.
[Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī: post-ḥadīth 1022] - Ibn al-Mundhir (رحمه الله): The majority of scholars are of the same view.
[Al-Awsaṭ: 5/434] - Imām al-Shawkānī (رحمه الله): No marfūʿ narration confirms fewer than four or more than five takbīrs. Four is most correct and preferred.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 1/356] - Ibn Ḥazm (رحمه الله): One should not say fewer than four or more than five takbīrs.
[Al-Muḥallā bil-Āthār: 3/347]
Opinions Prohibiting More Than Four Takbīrs
➊ Ijmāʿ (Consensus):
Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr (رحمه الله) stated that scholars and jurists have reached consensus on four takbīrs.
[Al-Tamhīd: 6/334; Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/715]
➋ Some narrations mention:
كَانَ آخِرَ مَا كَبَّرَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْجَنَازَةِ أَرْبَعًا
“The last number of takbīrs the Prophet (ﷺ) said in the funeral prayer was four.”
[Ḍaʿīf: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz, p. 145 – Shaykh al-Albānī declared it weak]
➌ A narration from Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) mentions the Prophet (ﷺ) saying 9, then 7, then 4 takbīrs for the martyrs of Uḥud,
حَتَّى لَحِقَ بِاللّٰهِ
“Until he met Allah.”
[Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz: p. 145 – Shaykh al-Albānī declared it rejected (mardūd)]
Conclusion:
While four takbīrs is the strongest and most preferred practice based on authentic narrations and scholarly consensus, more than four (up to nine) are also permissible and have precedent in the practice of the Companions, especially in specific circumstances.
