Funeral prayer (Islam)

Salat al-Janazah
Salat al-Janazah of Shah Ahmad Shafi in Bangladesh (2020)
Official nameصلاة الجنازة
Also calledFuneral prayer
Observed byMuslims
TypeIslamic
SignificanceAn Islamic funeral prayer performed for a deceased Muslim
ObservancesSupplications for the deceased and all dead Muslims
FrequencyOccasionally
First time7th-century
Started byIslamic Prophet Muhammad
Related toSalah, Islamic funeral, Fard Kifayyah

Ṣalāt al-Janāzah (Arabic: صلاة الجنازة) is the Islamic funeral prayer performed for a deceased Muslim. It is performed in congregation to seek pardon for the deceased and all dead Muslims, and is a communal obligation (farḍ al-kifāya) upon all able Muslims; meaning if some Muslims take the responsibility of conducting the prayer, then the obligation is fulfilled, but if this obligation is not fulfilled by anyone, all Muslims will be accountable.

History and origin

The funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) developed as a distinct ritual during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslim community in Medina. The earliest accounts of this prayer describe it as a simple act of supplication and remembrance for the deceased, differing markedly from many pre-Islamic funeral practice, which were often accompanied by wailing and lamentations. The practice was established to offer a final act of honour and intercessionon behalf of a deceased Muslim before burial. It remains a central part of Islamic funeral process, symbolizing the community's collective support and prayer for the deceased's forgiveness.

Description

After washing the body thoroughly (ghusl) and shrouding it, the congregation is arranged in rows, often in odd numbers, with an imam positioned at the front facing the qibla. The body of the deceased is placed before the imam, and in cases involving multiple bodies, they are arranged in sequence. The prayer is most commonly performed in an open area, although it may also be conducted inside a mosque. Unlike the five daily prayers, the funeral prayer does not include bowing (ruku) or prostration (sujud).

Procedure

The structure of the Salat al Janazah differs from region to region, but classical sources describe a generally consistent form. It is performed while standing and usually consists of:

  1. First takbir: Recitation of al Fatiha is prescribed in most traditions, though Hanafi practice substitutes the thana (an introductory supplication).
  2. Second takbir: Invoking Salutations (Salawat) upon Muhammad and his family.
  3. Third takbir: Supplications are made for the deceased and for all deceased Muslims, asking for forgiveness, divine mercy, and elevation of rank in the Hereafter.
  4. Fourth takbir: The prayer is concluded with the final salutation (taslim).

Following the completion of the funeral prayer, the body is taken to the place of burial, where it is laid to rest according to Islamic rites.

The funeral prayer led by Ali Khamenei, then-Supreme Leader of Iran.

Funeral prayer in absentia (Salat al-Gha'ib)

Salat al ghaib is a funeral prayer performed for a Muslim who has died far away from those offering the prayer (i.e., when the body is not present). The practice is based on a story of the Muhammad praying for Najashi, the king of Abyssinia. This event is documented in well-known Islamic texts.

Jurisprudential differences

Jurisprudentially, Sunni scholars have different views. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools of thought usually allow for this prayer. However, the Hanafi and Maliki traditions often consider the Prophet's action to be a special case, or they limit the situations in which the prayer is appropriate. Contemporary fatwas and summaries of Fiqh still show these same differences and provide specific conditions for when the absentee prayer is recommended or allowed.

Shia jurisprudence generally does not permit the absentee funeral prayer, regarding the Prophet's prayer for the Negus as an exceptional case rather than a normative practice.

Exceptions

According to an authentic hadith, Muhammad did not perform funeral prayer of a person who committed suicide;

Jabir b. Samura reported: [The dead body] of a person who had killed himself with a broad-headed arrow was brought before the Apostle of Allah, but he did not offer prayers for him. Another exception is for one who hasn't paid off debts until someone paid them on the deceased person's behalf.

— Sahih Muslim, 004:2133

References

  1. ↑ Nzomiwu, John Paul C. (1989). The History and Message of Islam. Meks-Unique. ISBN 978-9782702616 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Saqib, Muhammad Abdul Karim (13 April 2015). "A Guide to Salat (Prayer) in Islam". Salaam – Salah Vision – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ Tritton, A. S. (1965). "Djanāza". In Bosworth (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). Brill. pp. 441–442. ISBN 90-04-07026-5.
  4. 1 2 Wood, Angela (1998). Islam for Today. Oxford University Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-19-917253-5.
  5. ↑ Hughes, Thomas Patrick (1885). A Dictionary of Islam: Being a Cyclopaedia of the Doctrines, Rites, Ceremonies, and Customs. W.H. Allen & Co.
  6. ↑ Sheikh Ramzy (2012). The Complete Guide to Islamic Prayer (Salāh). Author House. p. 143. ISBN 978-1477214657.
  7. ↑ Ramzy, Sheikh (2012). The Complete Guide to Islamic Prayer (Salâh). Author House. p. 289. ISBN 978-1477214657.
  8. ↑ Ibn Baaz, 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn 'Abd-Allaah. Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn 'Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (in Arabic). Vol. 13. Dar al-Qasim. p. 141.
  9. ↑ al-Bukhari, Imam (2013). Sahih al-Bukhari: The Early Years of Islam》Chapter:THE BEGINNINGS OF ISLAM; Section:XIV THE DEATH OF THE NEGUS. Translated by Muhammad Asad. The Other Press. pp. 174, 179. ISBN 978-967-506-298-8. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  10. ↑ Öztürk, Levent (2006). "NECÂŞÎ ASHAME" (in Turkish). İslâm Ansiklopedisi. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  11. ↑ Sayyid, Sabiq (2006). Fiqh al-Sunnah Jild 1 (in Urdu). Translated by Muhsin, Abdul Kareem. Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah. p. 497.
  12. ↑ مرتضی, رحیمی (2022-03-21). "واکاوی مبانی مشروعیت نماز میت غیابی در فقه مذاهب اسلامی". مطالعات تطبیقی فقه و اصول مذاهب. 5 (1). doi:10.34785/j023.2022.007. Archived from the original on 2022-11-15.
  13. ↑ "Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement". cmje.usc.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-04-14. Retrieved 2018-04-13.