Funeral prayer (Islam)

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-bodied 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.

The funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) as a distinct ritual began with the Islamic 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, which was very different from pre-Islamic funerals, which were often accompanied by wailing and lamentations. The practice was established to offer a final act of honour and intercession for a fellow Muslim before burial. It's a key part of the Islamic funeral process, signifying the community's collective support and prayer for the deceased's forgiveness.

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).

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:

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.

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.

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.