What are the ruling and conditions of the funeral prayer?
As the shrouding and preparation of the deceased person is a fard kifayah, so too is the salat janazah. When a Muslim person dies, the Muslims around this person are required to attend his funeral. Allah says: “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea.”[1] If nobody attends the funeral of a believing person, then all Muslims in the area are held accountable and have sinned.
It is required for people who will perform the funeral prayer to have wudu’, turn to the qiblah and to carry out satr ‘awra.
The mandatory acts of the salat janazah are five: Intention, four takbeerat, supplication for the deceased person, giving salam to one side, making qiyam during the prayer.
The following are mandub: Lifting hands to shoulders for the first takbeer, beginning the supplication by praising and thanking Allah and sending salawat upon the Prophet, making the supplication silently, imam standing in front of the middle section of the deceased male, and in front of the shoulder alignment of other deceased persons.
[1] Surah Isra verse 70
Source: Fiqh1 (According To The Maliki School Of Islamic Law), Erkam Publications
