Question:
Assalamualaikum wrm.wbt.,
Did the Prophet PBUH ever performed the funeral prayer in absentia?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrm. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
According to the above question, there is a hadith which narrates the Prophet PBUH performed this prayer:
- From ‘Imran bin Husoin RA, the Messenger PBUH said to us:
إِنَّ أَخَاكُمُ النَّجَاشِيَّ قَدْ مَاتَ، فَقُومُوا فَصَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ، قَالَ: فَقُمْنَا، فَصَفَفْنَا كَمَا يُصَفُّ عَلَى المَيِّتِ، وَصَلَّيْنَا عَلَيْهِ كَمَا يُصَلَّى عَلَى المَيِّتِ
“Your brother An-Najashi has died, so get up and offer the funeral prayer for him.' So, we got up and formed row to pray for him, as rows are formed to pray for the dead, and he led us in praying for him as people pray for the dead.”
Sunan al-Tirmizi (1039) and Sunan al-Nasa’ie (1975) [The hadith is evaluated as hasan sahih gharib from the route of Imam al-Tirmizi]
In this hadith, there is an apparent sign of prophethood of the Prophet PBUH for he informed his companions of the death of al-Najashi even when it happened far away in al-Habsyah and not in Medina. Furthermore, the hadith stated the sanctioning of funeral prayer in absentia and this is stated by al-Syafie, Ahmad and jumhur of the salaf. (See Tuhfah al-Ahwazi, 115/4)
Moreover, there is also another hadith where the Prophet PBUH performed the funeral prayer in absentia for al-Najashi:
- From Jabir bin Abdillah RA who said:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى عَلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ، فَكُنْتُ فِي الصَّفِّ الثَّانِي أَوِ الثَّالِثِ
“Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the funeral prayer for An-Najashi and I was in the second or third row.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1317)
- From Abu Hurairah RA, he said:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى عَلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ فَكَبَّرَ أَرْبَعًا
"The Prophet prayed and in the funeral prayer he for An-Najashi, said four Takbir."
Sunan al-Tirmizi (1022) [Syeikh Syu’aib evaluated the sanad of the hadith is sahih according to the conditions of Syaikhain]
In madhhab al-Syafie, if the deceased is in another place (absent) from the place where the funeral prayer want to be performed, then it is permissible to perform the prayer by facing the qibla or otherwise (for the deceased). As for the people who perform the prayer facing the qibla and the distance between the two places is irrelevant, regardless of whether it is near or far. (See al-Muktamad, 625/1)
Here, we also include several articles we have written previously on this issue:
- AL-KAFI #968: THE KAIFIAT (METHODOLOGY) OF PERFORMING JANAZAH PRAYER IN ABSENTIA
- AL-KAFI #1089: JANAZAH PRAYER IN ABSENTIA WHEN THE DECEASED IS IN THE SAME STATE
Conclusion
To conclude, the Prophet PBUH performed the funeral prayer in absentia with his companions R.Anhum when he received news of the death of al-Najashi who was at al-Habsyah at the time. Furthermore, there are numerous hadiths that narrates this incident. Lastly, may Allah SWT grant us all husn al-khatimah (a good ending). Amin.
Wallahua’lam.