Authored by: Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani (may Allah preserve him)
Question:
Is it Sunnah, as per the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ), to say salaam on only one side in the Janazah (funeral) prayer?
Answer:
In the Janazah prayer, both saying salaam on one side and on both sides are considered correct. There is a narration that supports saying salaam on one side. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed over a deceased person, said four takbeers, and said salaam once."
[Daraqutni 191, Hakim 360/1]
After citing this Hadith, Imam Hakim (رحمه الله) commented:
"Authentic narrations have confirmed that Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abdullah, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa, and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنهم) used to say only one salaam in the Janazah prayer."
As for the common practice of saying salaam on both sides in the Janazah prayer, its evidence is found in the statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه):
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform three actions that people have now abandoned, one of which is saying salaam in the Janazah prayer in the same manner as in the regular prayer."
[Bayhaqi 43/4]
Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله) regarded the chain of this narration as reliable. [Sharh Muslim 239/5]
Furthermore, Imam Haythami (رحمه الله) stated, "Imam Tabarani narrated this Hadith in Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are trustworthy." [Majma' al-Zawaid 34/3]
Thus, saying salaam on both sides in prayer is authentically established. Therefore, in the Janazah prayer, both practices are permissible: saying salaam on both sides, as commonly done by the Ahl al-Hadith and others, is correct and valid, and similarly, saying salaam on one side is also permissible and part of the Shariah.
Question:
Is it Sunnah, as per the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ), to say salaam on only one side in the Janazah (funeral) prayer?
Answer:
In the Janazah prayer, both saying salaam on one side and on both sides are considered correct. There is a narration that supports saying salaam on one side. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed over a deceased person, said four takbeers, and said salaam once."
[Daraqutni 191, Hakim 360/1]
After citing this Hadith, Imam Hakim (رحمه الله) commented:
"Authentic narrations have confirmed that Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abdullah, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa, and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنهم) used to say only one salaam in the Janazah prayer."
As for the common practice of saying salaam on both sides in the Janazah prayer, its evidence is found in the statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه):
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform three actions that people have now abandoned, one of which is saying salaam in the Janazah prayer in the same manner as in the regular prayer."
[Bayhaqi 43/4]
Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله) regarded the chain of this narration as reliable. [Sharh Muslim 239/5]
Furthermore, Imam Haythami (رحمه الله) stated, "Imam Tabarani narrated this Hadith in Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are trustworthy." [Majma' al-Zawaid 34/3]
Thus, saying salaam on both sides in prayer is authentically established. Therefore, in the Janazah prayer, both practices are permissible: saying salaam on both sides, as commonly done by the Ahl al-Hadith and others, is correct and valid, and similarly, saying salaam on one side is also permissible and part of the Shariah.