Funeral Of Prophet (saws)-Unique Prayer

“Bismillahir Rahmannir Raheem”Al-Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen was Salaatu was- Salaamu ‘Alaa Sayidinaa Muhammadin wa Aalihi wa Asabihi Ajma ‘een (tauheed- risalat- ahkirat and islam-iman-ihsan)

The Funeral Prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ)

The funeral prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ) did take place in this unique way.
Even in the books of fiqh, it is reported that “this is a matter upon which there is consensus and no difference of opinion exists.” (Hashiya al-Tahtawi)

1.although there was a washing, prayer and burial as the sacred law normally instructs, approximately 30,000 people prayed the funeral prayer individually, with no one acting as the Imam

[according to al-Bayjuri’s estimate]

.

2. Since there was no imam to lead the Muslim community initially, the Companions decided to start praying individually without an imam.

3. Abu Bakr (ra) was busy with straightening the affairs of the Muslims, he was the last to pray and no one after that prayed the funeral prayer.

4. Ibn ‘Abidin mentions there is disagreement as to when exactly Abu Bakr (ra) prayed, in relation to ‘Abbas, who was the next-of-kin.

5.The pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr was given while the ghusl was taking place, so if a was leader was needed, they had one.

6. It would’ve been nearly impossible to gather them all inside or around the house of the Aisha (ra), in which at most perhaps 10 people at a time could stand.

7. Had one large prayer been performed by the Caliph initially, those who missed out would not have a chance to make a second congregation as the group funeral prayer is prayed only once, with the ruler of the Muslims most deserving to lead it.

8. al-Ramli mentions the speculation that (in the absence of the ruler) if the nearest-of-kin (the wali) to the deceased has the right to lead the funeral prayer in normal circumstances, it would have been the Prophet’s (ﷺ) paternal uncle, al-`Abbas (ra) who would have had this right. [al-Ramli, Nihayah al-Muhtaj ‘ala al-Minhaj]
 

9. al-`Abbas did not claim that right fearing that it would mislead the people into believing that he was the new Caliph, which could  potentially cause discord and confusion. [al-Ramli, Nihayah al-Muhtaj ‘ala al-Minhaj]

10. Ibn Kathir, in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, quotes from al-Bayhaqi and al-Bazzaar, that Ibn Mas’ud (ra) said, “Part of the last will and testament of the Prophet (ﷺ) was that he be washed by the men of his family, and that he said, ‘Shroud me in these pieces of cloth, or the Yemeni ones, or the white Egyptian ones,’ and that when they had shrouded him, they should place him on the edge of his grave and then leave him [in ‘Aisha’s house] till the angels prayed on him, then the men of his family would pray on him, and then the people, individually.”

11.Ibn Kathir mentions that …….would have been a divinely-ordained form of worship, the true meaning of which the intellect would be unable to encompass [as with all revealed forms of worship]. [Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah]

12.Ibn Kathir : “And no one can say that [the reasoning behind praying individually] was due to the absence of a leader (imam), because they only began to prepare his body (ﷺ) after the completion of the oath of fealty to Abu Bakr [as the Caliph] and after his approval (to begin praying the Janazah)… [Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah]

13. And some scholars have said that there was no imam leading them only so each person could have a direct prayer upon him (ﷺ), and so the prayers of the Muslims upon him would repeat time after time, from one person to the next, from each of the Companions – each man, woman and child amongst them – and even each of their bondsmen and bondswomen…

14.As for al-Suhayli, …allah has commanded each Believer to send blessings upon him directly from themselves, and the prayer upon him after his death is seen from this angle… Also, that the angels are [like] imams for us in this. And Allah knows best.” [Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah]

15.There was an opportunity for each Companion to intimately experience, and be in control of, their last direct interaction with the Prophet (ﷺ)

16. It also allowed lesser-prominent companions, including women, children and slaves who may not have always gotten a chance to be up front and close, to have this special opportunity, emphasizing the importance of each Muslim in his eyes, ﷺ.
17.Due to the supreme rank of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), it was not befitting for anyone to intend to be a leader (imam) over him in his passing. This was the highest form of respect and deference.

When I want to talk to allah I say prayers and when I want that he talk to me I recite quran- Hazrath Ali(ra)

Make sure you forward this to others .