Religious Guidance pertaining to Absentee (Gha’ib) Janaza Prayer

09.06.2021

28.10.1442

 

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullaahi Wa Barakaathuhu.

 

Religious Guidance pertaining to Absentee (Gha’ib) Janaza Prayer

 

All Praise is due to Allah alone. May Allah send His peace and blessings upon His final Messenger Muhammed (Peace be Upon Him) and upon the Family of Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and his Companions!

 

Offering the Janaza Prayer is one of the obligations to be performed for a Janaza. The purpose of the prayer is to make Dua (supplicate) for the deceased. The following Hadith clarifies this:

 

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: «مَا مِنْ مَيِّتٍ يُصَلِّى عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَبْلُغُونَ مِائَةً كُلُّهُمْ يَشْفَعُونَ لَهُ إِلَّا شُفِّعُوا فِيهِ. (صحيح مسلم : 947)

‘A’isha RadhiAllahu Anha reported Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) saying:

“If a company of Muslims numbering one hundred pray over a dead person, all of them interceding for him, their intercession for him will be accepted.” (Saheeh Muslim: 947)

 

عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ مَاتَ ابْنٌ لَهُ بِقُدَيْدٍ – أَوْ بِعُسْفَانَ – فَقَالَ: يَا كُرَيْبُ، انْظُرْ مَا اجْتَمَعَ لَهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ، قَالَ: فَخَرَجْتُ، فَإِذَا نَاسٌ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: تَقُولُ هُمْ أَرْبَعُونَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: أَخْرِجُوهُ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُوتُ، فَيَقُومُ عَلَى جَنَازَتِهِ أَرْبَعُونَ رَجُلًا، لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِاللهِ شَيْئًا، إِلَّا شَفَّعَهُمُ اللهُ فِيهِ»، (صحيح مسلم : 948)

‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas RadhiAllahu Anhum reported that his son died in Qudaid or ‘Usfan. He said to Kuraib to see as to how many people had gathered there for his (funeral). He (Kuraib) said:

 

“So I went out and I informed him about the people who had gathered there. He (Ibn ‘Abbas) said: Do you think they are forty? He (Kuraib) said: Yes. Ibn ‘Abbas then said to them: Bring him (the dead body) out for I have heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him.” (Saheeh Muslim: 948)

 

ويُسَنُّ) حَيْثُ كانُوا سِتَّةً فَأكْثَرَ (جَعْلُ صُفُوفِهِمْ ثَلاثَةً فَأكْثَرَ) لِلْخَبَرِ الصَّحِيحِ «مَن صَلّى عَلَيْهِ ثَلاثَةُ صُفُوفٍ فَقَدْ أوْجَبَ أيْ غُفِرَ لَهُ» كَما فِي رِوايَةٍ والمَقْصُودُ مَنعُ النَّقْصِ عَنْ الثَّلاثَةِ لا الزِّيادَةِ عَلَيْها ومِن ثَمَّ قالَ فَأكْثَرَ وفِي مُسْلِمٍ «ما مِن مُسْلِمٍ يُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ أمَةٌ مِن المُسْلِمِينَ يَبْلُغُونَ مِائَةً كُلُّهُمْ يَشْفَعُونَ لَهُ إلّا شُفِّعُوا فِيهِ» وفِيهِ أيْضًا مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ فِي الأرْبَعِينَ(تحفة المحتاج – فَصْلٌ فِي الدَّفْنِ وَمَا يَتْبَعُهُ)

Generally, the Janaza prayer is performed placing the deceased person in the direction of the Qibla.

Differing from this norm, the prayer performed for a person who has passed away in another distant location, is known as the Absentee (Gha’ib) Janaza prayer. There are differences of opinion among religious scholars on this matter of Absentee Janaza prayer.

A majority of scholars including those from the Shafi Mad’hab state that there is permission in religion to perform the Absentee Janaza prayer.

 

(وَيُصَلَّى عَلَى الْغَائِبِ عَنْ الْبَلَدِ) وَإِنْ قَرُبَتْ الْمَسَافَةُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي جِهَةِ الْقِبْلَةِ خِلَافًا لِأَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَمَالِكٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «أَخْبَرَ النَّاسَ وَهُوَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ بِمَوْتِ النَّجَاشِيِّ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ وَهُوَ بِالْحَبَشَةِ» . رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ. (مغني المحتاج – فَصْلٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ عَلَيَّ الْمَيِّت)

(وَيُصَلَّى عَلَى الْغَائِبِ عَنْ الْبَلَدِ) بِأَنْ يَكُونَ بِمَحَلٍّ بَعِيدٍ عَنْ الْبَلَدِ بِحَيْثُ لَا يُنْسَبُ إلَيْهَا عُرْفًا أَخْذًا مِنْ قَوْلِ الزَّرْكَشِيّ عَنْ صَاحِبِ الْوَافِي وَأَقَرَّهُ أَنَّ خَارِجَ السُّورِ الْقَرِيبَ مِنْهُ كَدَاخِلِهِ وَيُؤْخَذُ مِنْ كَلَامِ الْإِسْنَوِيِّ ضَبْطُ الْقُرْبِ هُنَا بِمَا يَجِبُ الطَّلَبُ مِنْهُ فِي التَّيَمُّمِ وَهُوَ مُتَّجَهٌ إنْ أُرِيدَ بِهِ حَدُّ الْغَوْثِ لَا الْقُرْبِ وَلَا يُشْتَرَطُ كَوْنُهُ فِي جِهَةِ الْقِبْلَةِ وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «أَخْبَرَ بِمَوْتِ النَّجَاشِيِّ يَوْمَ مَوْتِهِ وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ» رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَجَاءَ «أَنَّ سَرِيرَهُ رُفِعَ لَهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – حَتَّى شَاهَدَهُ» وَهَذَا بِفَرْضِ صِحَّتِهِ لَا يَنْفِي الِاسْتِدْلَالَ لِأَنَّهَا – وَإِنْ كَانَتْ صَلَاةَ حَاضِرٍ بِالنِّسْبَةِ لَهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – هِيَ صَلَاةُ غَائِبٍ بِالنِّسْبَةِ لِأَصْحَابِهِ. (تحفة المحتاج – فَصْلٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ عَلَيَّ الْمَيِّت)

الْمُتَّجَهُ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَبَرَ الْمَشَقَّةُ وَعَدَمُهَا فَحَيْثُ شَقَّ الْحُضُورُ وَلَوْ فِي الْبَلَدِ لِكُبْرِهَا وَنَحْوِهِ صَحَّتْ وَحَيْثُ لَا وَلَوْ خَارِجَ السُّورِ لَمْ تَصِحَّ (حاشية الشرواني)

(وَيُصَلِّي إمَامٌ) أَعْظَمُ (وَغَيْرُهُ عَلَى غَائِبٍ عَنْ الْبَلَدِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ دُونَ مَسَافَةِ قَصْرٍ، أَوْ) كَانَ (فِي غَيْرِ جِهَةِ الْقِبْلَةِ) أَيْ: قِبْلَةِ الْمُصَلِّي (بِالنِّيَّةِ إلَى شَهْرٍ) كَالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ، لَكِنْ يَكُونُ الشَّهْرُ هُنَا مِنْ مَوْتِهِ، كَمَا فِي شَرْحِ الْمُنْتَهَى لِأَنَّهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – صَلَّى عَلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ فَصَفَّ – أَيْ: النَّاسَ – وَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ أَرْبَعًا ” (كشاف القناع عن متن الإقناع -فَصْلٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ)

They quote the following Hadith to support this:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَعَى النَّجَاشِيَّ فِي اليَوْمِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ خَرَجَ إِلَى المُصَلَّى، فَصَفَّ بِهِمْ وَكَبَّرَ أَرْبَعًا.  (صحيح البخاري : 1245)

Narrated Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu Anhu:

“Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) informed (the people) about the death of An-Najashi on the very day he died. He went towards the Musalla (praying place) and the people stood behind him in rows. He said four Takbirs (i.e. offered the Funeral prayer).” (Sahih Bukhari: 1245)

Scholars from the Hanafi Mad’hab view that no such prayer exists by quoting other related references.

Based upon the view of the Shafi Mad’hab of being able to perform the Gha’ib Janaza prayer, it is permissible in the religion to perform the Gha’ib Janaza prayers for those who have deceased at a distanced location, or even if they have passed away within the same locality, but participation in the Janaza Prayers is restricted due to compelling reasons of diseases or lockdowns.

Accordingly, due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, the government has permitted the Janaza prayer to be performed for only a limited number of persons by abiding by health guidelines. Similarly, with towns being locked down, and due to various other reasons, there prevails a situation where we are unable to participate in the Janaza prayers of those who have passed away.

Hence, it is permissible in religion for those who are restricted from participating in the Janaza prayers due to such compelling circumsatnces, to perform the Gha’ib Janaza prayer.

Generally, if one is unable to participate in the Janaza prayer due to some reason, and the Janaza prayers have been already offered and buried, it is permissible in religion to stand close to the Qabr (grave) and perform the Janaza prayer again.

 

(وَإِذَا صُلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ) أَيْ الْمَيِّتِ (فَحَضَرَ مَنْ) أَيْ شَخْصٌ (لَمْ يُصَلِّ) عَلَيْهِ (صَلَّى) عَلَيْهِ نَدْبًا (مغني المحتاج – فَصْلٌ فِي دَفْنِ الْمَيِّتِ وَمَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِهِ)

The following Hadith clarifies this:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ امْرَأَةً – أَوْ رَجُلًا – كَانَتْ تَقُمُّ المَسْجِدَ – وَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلَّا امْرَأَةً – فَذَكَرَ حَدِيثَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «أَنَّهُ صَلَّى عَلَى قَبْرِهَا. (صحيح البخاري:  460)

Narrated Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu Anhu:

“A man or a woman used to clean the mosque, and once he or she was deceased and buried, The Prophet  (ﷺ) went near the grave and prayed” (Saheeh Bukhari: 460)

 

Accordingly, as several areas have been enforced with lock downs due to the prevailing situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, those who were unable perform Janaza prayers, it is permissible to perform the Gha’ib Janaza prayers, or once the restrictions are eased it is permissible in religion to perform the Janaza prayers at the respective Qabr (graves).

May Allah forgive those who die of such diseases, and grant them Jannath-ul-Firdous, and may He console and grant patience to the families of the deceased.

Allah is the All Knower!

 

 

Ash Shaikh M.L.M. Ilyas

Secretary – Fatwa Division

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

 

 

Ash Shaikh I.L.M. Hashim Shoori

Supervisor – Fatwa Division

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

 

 

Ash Shaikh M. Arkam Nooramith

General Secretary

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

 

 

Mufti M.I.M. Rizwe

President

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama