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Fatwa ID: | 87746 |
Title: | Offering daily funeral prayers in absentia for those who died as a result of COVID-19 |
Category: | Prayer |
Scholar: | AMJA Resident Fatwa Committee |
Date: | 04/04/2020 |
Is it permissible to form groups which enjoin upon one another the task of offering daily funeral prayers in absentia for those who died as a result of COVID-19?
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Grantor of Mercy
All praise is due to Allah, SWT. May His peace and blessings
be upon his Messenger his family, his Companions, and those that followed.
It is a matter of agreement among the scholars that the
absentee funeral prayer, whether offered during the Covid-19 pandemic or any
other calamity for that matter, is prescribed to be performed for someone who
dies in absentia and did NOT have a funeral prayer offered for them at their
time of death. It is also a prevailing view among the scholars that the funeral
prayer is offered in absentia for those who have played a crucial role in the
religion of Islam. That includes, but is not limited to, our major Islamic
scholars, the callers (du’at) to Islam, fighters in a legitimate cause
(mujahideen), as well as philanthropists (who have aided the Ummah), and their
likes. This is proven by the actions of the Prophet (PBUH) who prayed for al-Najashi
(the Negus) in absentia, for he was counted amongst the righteous Islamic
rulers because he had given aid to the Muslim immigrants in his land, and
enabled them to worship Allah (SWT) freely during their stay in Abyssinia. It
is also known that the Prophet (PBUH) had written to him, inviting him to
Islam, and he had accepted the invitation. For that reason, the Prophet (PBUH) performed
the absentee funeral prayer for him. It was narrated in the agreed-upon hadith
that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) announced the death of al-Najashi on same the
day that he died, and he then proceeded with the Companions to the prayer
ground, where he lined them up and offered the funeral prayer with four takbeerat.
So we can apply the example above to those who die from
amongst our major scholars, Islamic propagators, fighters in the way of Allah, and
those who have done outstanding good works/deeds, who would all be counted
amongst the forerunners in their contributions toward the victory of Islam and
Muslims.
And it is worth mentioning that this is a matter which is
based on ijtihad, or the independent judgement of our scholars, based on their
interpretation of the Revelation. As a result, our scholars have differed on
the matter of the absentee funeral prayer and the matter of its legislation in
Islam.
Whether or not the absentee funeral prayer is offered for
every Muslim who dies in absentia is a matter on which there are several opinions:
- According
to the Shafi‘ee and Hanbali school of thought, the absentee funeral prayer
is prescribed for every Muslim who dies in absentia, even if the prayer is
performed over them in the town or place where he/she died.
- The
second view is that it is prescribed to offer the absentee prayer for a Muslim
who dies in absentia with the condition that the prayer was not performed
for them in the place where he/she died. If the prayer was performed for
them in that place, then the funeral prayer in absentia would not be
legislated. This view is the second view attributed to Imam Ahmad, and it
is the chosen view of Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim,
as well as the more contemporary Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
- The
third opinion in this matter is that it is prescribed to offer the
absentee prayer for the Muslim who dies in absentia, if he had provided benefit
to the Muslims. This would include individuals such as our major scholars,
fighters in Allah’s way, and philanthropists who benefited people through their
wealth, as well as others who would fit into this category. This view is
also attributed to Imam Ahmad, and it was chosen by the Permanent
Committee for Scholarly Research and Iftaa in Saudi Arabia.
The opinion we find to be strongest is the view that it is
legislated to pray the absentee prayer on the one for whom the funeral prayer
was not performed in the place where he/she died, and likewise upon those who have
benefited the Muslims and Islam. So we say that in the same way it is
legislated to offer it for the one who died in absentia and the funeral prayer was
not offered where he/she died, it is also prescribed to pray it for those who
have benefited Islam and played a crucial role in serving the religion, as well
as those who have offered benefit to the Muslims at large.
As for everyone else, it is sufficient to pray the standard
funeral prayer for them. Whoever missed the funeral prayer can offer it at the
deceased's grave, or supplicate for them from anywhere. It is known that many of
the Companions died, or were killed, in absentia during the Prophet lifetime,
and it is not mentioned that he performed the absentee prayer for every one of
them, nor is it recorded that the Righteous aliphs prayed it for every Muslim
who died in a different land. This proves that it is not prescribed to pray it
for every individual Muslim who dies in absentia.
It is important to note this is a matter of scholarly judgement
(ijtihad), and giving precedence to one view over the other can be relative to
the scholar making that judgement call. Thus, the opinion selected as
preponderant by one scholar might not be the chosen opinion in another madhhab,
or among other scholars. And by default, we do not reproach the one who holds a
different view in these types of matters when there are different valid
opinions. Whoever finds one opinion to be stronger should work according to it,
but at the same time, we should not reproach someone who finds another opinion
to be stronger.
In conclusion, there is no harm in forming groups in times
of pandemics and widespread calamities which enjoin upon one another the
establishment of certain communal obligations, if those obligations are not
being established by others who would normally perform them, whether due to
negligence or inability. By doing this, they will absolve everyone else from
the sin of not having performed this communal obligation.
What has been discussed thus far pertains to the absentee
funeral prayer offered for those who die in absentia, AND the funeral prayer
for them was NOT offered where they died, OR because the individual is someone
who played a crucial role in serving Islam and Muslims.
As for regular prayers that do not intend a specific
deceased Muslim, then this is something for which we do not know any precedent;
so avoiding such action is more befitting. That is because any time we differ
on whether an act is a sunnah or an innovation, refraining from that act
becomes better than performing it.
And Allah the Exalted knows best.