By: Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (Hafizahullah)
① During the funeral prayer itself
② At the grave after burial
The common practice—particularly among the Barelwi and some Deobandi circles—of sitting or standing to make duʿā immediately after the funeral prayer is not established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), or the Tābiʿīn (رحمهم الله).
When the Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for the hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, Allah revealed the following verse:
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلٰى أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ مَّاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلٰى قَبْرِهِ
[Surah At-Tawbah: 84]
"Do not ever offer the funeral prayer for any of them (hypocrites) who die, nor stand at their graves."
This verse indicates that the practice of offering funeral prayer and standing by the grave for duʿā did exist during the era of the Prophet ﷺ. Allah explicitly prohibited it in the case of the hypocrites.
If there were a third instance of making duʿā immediately after the funeral prayer, Allah would also have addressed and prohibited that.
«لا يقوم بالدعاء بعد صلاة الجنازة لانه يشبه الزيادة فى صلاة الجنازة»
[Kashf al-Ramz ‘ala al-Kanz, p. 131]
"Do not stand for duʿā after the funeral prayer, because it resembles adding something to the prayer."
Some proponents of post-funeral duʿā rely on the hadith:
«اذا صليتم على الميت فاخلصوا له الدعاء»
[Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab al-Du‘a lil-Mayt 3199]
They translate it as:
"When you have offered the funeral prayer, then sincerely make duʿā for the deceased."
However, the correct translation is:
"When you offer the funeral prayer, then sincerely supplicate for the deceased."
This translation aligns with the spirit of the hadith. The Prophet ﷺ is instructing believers to be sincere in their supplication during the prayer, not to pray insincerely first and make a proper duʿā afterwards.
Applying the proponents' faulty translation logic to other texts would produce absurd meanings. For example:
❖ Question:
As is commonly practiced among us, hands are raised for supplication immediately after the funeral prayer. Is there any evidence for this in the Qur’an or Hadith, or is it a self-invented innovation?❖ Answer:
The method of offering the funeral prayer mentioned in the books of Hadith highlights two specific occasions for supplicating for the deceased:① During the funeral prayer itself
② At the grave after burial
The common practice—particularly among the Barelwi and some Deobandi circles—of sitting or standing to make duʿā immediately after the funeral prayer is not established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), or the Tābiʿīn (رحمهم الله).
❖ Qur'anic Indication
The Qur'an provides two instances where duʿā for the deceased is recognized:When the Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for the hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, Allah revealed the following verse:
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلٰى أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ مَّاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلٰى قَبْرِهِ
[Surah At-Tawbah: 84]
"Do not ever offer the funeral prayer for any of them (hypocrites) who die, nor stand at their graves."
This verse indicates that the practice of offering funeral prayer and standing by the grave for duʿā did exist during the era of the Prophet ﷺ. Allah explicitly prohibited it in the case of the hypocrites.
If there were a third instance of making duʿā immediately after the funeral prayer, Allah would also have addressed and prohibited that.
❖ Hanafi Jurisprudence
Even Hanafi jurists have disapproved of making duʿā immediately after the funeral prayer. As mentioned by Sayyid al-Hamudi:«لا يقوم بالدعاء بعد صلاة الجنازة لانه يشبه الزيادة فى صلاة الجنازة»
[Kashf al-Ramz ‘ala al-Kanz, p. 131]
"Do not stand for duʿā after the funeral prayer, because it resembles adding something to the prayer."
❖ Misinterpretation of Hadith
Some proponents of post-funeral duʿā rely on the hadith:
«اذا صليتم على الميت فاخلصوا له الدعاء»
[Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab al-Du‘a lil-Mayt 3199]
They translate it as:
"When you have offered the funeral prayer, then sincerely make duʿā for the deceased."
However, the correct translation is:
"When you offer the funeral prayer, then sincerely supplicate for the deceased."
This translation aligns with the spirit of the hadith. The Prophet ﷺ is instructing believers to be sincere in their supplication during the prayer, not to pray insincerely first and make a proper duʿā afterwards.
❖ Invalid Reasoning Exposed
Applying the proponents' faulty translation logic to other texts would produce absurd meanings. For example:
- فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللهِ
Correct: “When you recite the Qur'an, seek Allah’s protection.”
Faulty: “When you have recited the Qur'an, seek Allah’s protection.” (Clearly incorrect) - «وإذا لبستم وإذا توضأتم فابدءوا بأيامنكم»
Correct: “When you put on clothing or perform wudu, start with the right side.”
Faulty: “After wearing clothes or completing wudu, start with the right side.” (Again, illogical)
