Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Mufti. We are commanded to hasten the management and funeral of a deceased. But, in our society, it is a norm that after the funeral prayer, the imam will make supplication. Is this considered as delaying the funeral of a deceased?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam. Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many 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.
In general, we are commanded to hasten the process of the management of a deceased. This is stated in a hadith from Abu Hurairah RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
أَسْرِعُوا بِالْجَنَازَةِ فَإِنْ تَكُ صَالِحَةً فَخَيْرٌ تُقَدِّمُونَهَا عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ تَكُنْ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَشَرٌّ تَضَعُونَهُ عَنْ رِقَابِكُمْ
"Hasten with the Janazah, for if it was righteous then you are taking it toward something good, and if it was otherwise, then it is an evil of which you are relieving yourselves."
Sahih Muslim (944)
Imam al-Nawawi commented on the above hadith saying: “The above hadith is a commandment of hastening the process of the management of a deceased due to the wisdoms stated by the Prophet PBUH.”
He further explained: “Our ashab (shafi’ite scholars) has stated: It is sunnah to hasten the funeral of a deceased as long as it does not exceed the duration that the deceased body will deteriorate.” Refer Al-Minhaj Syarah Sahih Muslim, Al-Nawawi (7/13).
Some scholars commented on the meaning of hastening the process of the deceased funeral stating the estimated duration for it. This is stated by Syeikh Abu Abdillah al-Maliki: “Some scholars state, what is meant by hastening (in the process of managing a funeral) is the duration which includes; bathing, shrouding, carrying it in a funeral procession to the grave, where the steps taken is not too slow.”
While for the act of supplication after janazah prayer, it is permissible and not considered as delaying the funeral of the deceased.
This is supported by a general statement of Allah SWT:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ
“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
Surah al-Baqarah (186)
The word إِذَا in the verse إِذَا دَعَانِ is the condition clause which brings to the general meaning of the verse. Hence, any supplications that one asks, as long as it is not done in a prohibited time and place is permissible and answered by Allah SWT.
Closing
To conclude, we state that it is permissible to supplicate after janazah prayer. Furthermore, as soon as a Muslim passes away until he is buried is a duration where the living should pray for forgiveness, blessing and love of Allah for the deceased.
Although supplication for the deceased is included in the janazah prayer, most people in our society do not memorize the complete supplication but just remember the simplified version of it. Hence, for the imam of janazah prayer to take his own initiative to supplicate with the complete supplication and at the same time letting others to listen to him supplicating is a commendable act.
Lastly, may Allah SWT give us the correct understanding in practising our religion. Amin.