Monday, February 1, 2021

Sawab Of Shouldering The Bier

It is stated in a blessed Ḥadīš, ‘Whoever carries the bier on shoulder and walks 40 steps, 40 of his major sins will be forgiven.’ It is also mentioned in a blessed Ḥadīš that the one who carries the bier on his shoulder from all four posts (of the funeral bier) will be granted ultimate forgiveness by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
  • Al-Jauĥara-tun-Nayyaraĥ, pp. 139:
  • Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 158, 159: 
  • Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 823:

Rulings Pertaining To A dead Infant

If a Muslim’s baby was born alive i.e. he was alive whilst the most part of his body was out (during birth) and then died, he will be bathed, shrouded and his funeral Ṣalāĥ will be offered. Otherwise, he will be washed (ritual bath not required), wrapped in a cloth and buried. Ritual bathing, coffin and funeral Ṣalāĥ are not required for him according to the Sunnaĥ. If the baby’s head comes out first, then ‘the most part’ means from head up to the chest in this case. Therefore, if the baby’s head came out and he cried but died before coming out up to the chest, his funeral Ṣalāĥ will not be offered. If the feet come out first then ‘the most part’, means from feet up to the waist in this case.

Whether the baby is born alive or dead or lost in miscarriage (pre-mature birth), he should be named as he will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement. 

(Durr-e-Mukhtār, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, vol. 3, pp. 152, 153; Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 841)

Rows In Fneral Salah | Missing Part Of Congregational Funeral Salah | Funeral Of Person Who Committed Suicide

  • How many rows should there be in a funeral Ṣalāĥ?
It is better to have three Ṣafs (rows) in the funeral Ṣalāĥ as it is mentioned in a blessed Ḥadīš, ‘The one whose (funeral) Ṣalāĥ was offered by three Ṣafs, he will be forgiven.’ If there are only 7 people, one should become Imām, three should stand in the first Ṣaf, two in the second Ṣaf and one in the third Ṣaf. (Ghunyaĥ, pp. 588) In the funeral Ṣalāĥ, the last Ṣaf is most excellent than all other Ṣafs. 
(Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 131)
  • If one missed some part of the congregational funeral Ṣalāĥ, then…
The Masbūq (the person who has missed some of the Takbīrāt) will say his remaining Takbīrāt after the Imām has performed Salām on either side. If he suspects that the people would carry the bier up to the shoulders in case of reciting supplications etc., he should just utter Takbīrāt and leave out the supplications etc. If a person arrives after the fourth Takbīr, he may join the Ṣalāĥ (before the Imām performs Salām), utter Takbīr three times after Imām’s Salām and then perform Salām.
(Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 136)
  • Funeral of an insane person or the one who committed suicide
The one who is insane from birth or became insane before reaching the age of puberty and died in the state of insanity, the supplication of a minor will be recited in his funeral Ṣalāĥ. (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 835; Jauĥaraĥ, pp. 138; Ghunyaĥ, pp. 587) The funeral Ṣalāĥ of the one who committed suicide will be offered. 
(Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 128)

Salah Standing Upon Shoes | Funeral Salah In Absentia | Salah For More Than One Funeral

  • To offer funeral Ṣalāĥ whilst standing upon shoes
In case of offering the funeral Ṣalāĥ whilst wearing shoes, the shoes as well as the part of the earth beneath them must be pure, while, in case of offering the Ṣalāĥ placing the feet upon the shoes having taken them off, the purity of the sole of the shoes and the ground is not necessary. In reply to a question, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن says, ‘If the place was impure due to urine etc., or those who offered the Ṣalāĥ wearing such shoes whose soles were not pure, their Ṣalāĥ would not be valid. It is, therefore, safer to offer the funeral Ṣalāĥ by taking the shoes off and place the feet upon them so that the Ṣalāĥ would not be affected even if the sole of the shoes or the earth is impure.’ 
(Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ, vol. 9, pp. 188)
  • Funeral Ṣalāĥ in absentia
Presence of the corpse in front is necessary. Offering funeral Ṣalāĥ in absence of the corpse is not valid. It is Mustaḥab for the Imām to stand in front of the chest of the corpse. 
(Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 123, 134)
  • Method of offering joint Ṣalāĥ for more than one funeral
Ṣalāĥ of several funerals may be offered jointly. It is optional to either place the corpses parallel such that chest of all remain in front of the Imām or place them in a queue such that the feet of the one corpse are towards head of the other and so on. 
(Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 839; ‘Ālamgīrī, vol. 1, pp. 165)

Method Of Funeral Salah (Hanafi) And Dua Of Funeral

The Muqtadī should make the following intention: ‘I make the intention of offering this funeral Ṣalāĥ for Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and making supplication (Du’ā) for this dead person, following this Imām.’

(Fatāwā Tātār Khāniyaĥ, vol. 2, pp. 153)

Now the Imām and the Muqtadīs should raise their hands up to their ears and fold them below the navel as usual whilst saying اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ, and then recite Šanā. After ‘وَتَعَالٰي جَدُّكَ’ read ‘وَجَلَّ ثَنَآءُكَ وَلَآ اِلٰهَ غَيۡرُكَ.’ Then, without raising the hands, say اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ and recite Durūd-e-Ibrāĥīm. Without raising the hands again, say اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ and now recite the supplication (the Imām should say the Takbīrāt loudly whilst the Muqtadīs should do the same in a low voice. Both the Imām and Muqtadīs should recite the remaining invocations in a low voice).

After the supplication, say اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ, unfold the hands and perform Salām on both sides. During the Salām, the intention should be made for the deceased person, for angels and for the participants of the Ṣalāĥ, same as in the Salām of other Ṣalāĥs; the only difference here is the addition of the intention for the deceased person as well. 
(Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 829, 835)

Supplication for funeral of adults (man and woman):

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَ مَيِّتِنَا وَ شَاهِدِنَا وَ غَآئِبِنَا وَ صَغِيْرِنَا وَ کَبِيْرِنَا وَ ذَ کَرِنَا وَ اُنْثٰنَا ط اَللّٰهُمَّ مَنْ اَحْيَيْتَهٗ مِنَّا فَاَحْيِه عَلَی الْاِسْلَامِ ط وَ مَنْ تَوَ فَّيْتَهٗ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهٗ عَلَی الْاِيْمَانِ ط

O Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)! Forgive all of our living ones and all the dead ones, and all those who are present and all those who are not present, and all our young ones and all our elderly ones, and all our men and all our women. Yā Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)! Whomever you keep alive from among us, keep him alive in Islam, and whomever of us you make die, make him die with faith.

(Al-Mustadrak lil-Ḥākim, vol. 1, pp. 684, Ḥadīš 1366)

Du’ā for a male minor:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّ اجْعَلْهُ

لَنَاۤ اَجْرًا وَّ ذُخْرًا وَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَّ مُشَفَّعًا ط

O Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)! Make him a fore-runner to become a support for us, and make him a recompense for us, and make him our intercessor, and the one whose intercession is accepted.

(Kanz-ud-Daqāiq, pp. 52)

Du’ā for a female minor:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّ اجْعَلْهَا

لَنَاۤ اَجْرًا وَّ ذُخْرًا وَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَۃً وَّ مُشَفَّعَۃً ط

O Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)! Make her a fore-runner to become a support for us, and make her a recompense for us, and make her our intercessor, and the one whose intercession is accepted.

Fundamentals & Sunnahs In The Funeral Prayers

The two fundamentals are:
  • (1) To recite ‘اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ’ four times
  • (2) Qiyām (to stand).
The three Sunan-e-Muakkadaĥ are:
  • (1) Šanā
  • (2) Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī
  • (3) Supplication for the deceased.
(Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 829)

The Funeral Salah is Fard-e-Kifayah

The funeral Ṣalāĥ is Farḍ-e-Kifāyaĥ, i.e. if even a single person offered it, everyone would be relieved of the obligation; if no one offered it, and all those who were aware of it will be sinners. Jamā’at (congregation) is not a condition for this Ṣalāĥ; if even one person offered it, the Farḍ will be fulfilled. The denial of its Farḍiyyat (obligation) is Kufr (infidelity). 

(Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 825; ‘Ālamgīrī, vol. 1, pp. 162; Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 120)