It also shows the esteem in which this black woman was held, and gratitude for her service.

Points:

First: The prescribed funeral prayer is offered at the grave. If the deceased is a man, one stands by his head; if the deceased is a woman, one stands opposite the middle of the grave, placing the grave between oneself and the qiblah.

Second: If someone falls into a well and we are unable to retrieve him, the funeral prayer is offered over him in it; then the well is filled in. The obligations of washing and shrouding him are waived, since this cannot be done.

Third: If several graves are together, the funeral prayer is not offered separately over each one. If they are all before him, he offers a single funeral prayer over all of them; otherwise, he offers the prayer at each grave.

His statement, “and for an absent deceased person by making the intention,” means that the absent deceased is not before him for him to intend prayer over someone present before his eyes; rather, he prays based on intention.

His statement, “absent,” means absent from the town, even if he is closer than the distance that permits shortening the prayer. As for one who is in the town, it is not legislated to offer the absentee funeral prayer for him. Rather, what is legislated is to go out to his grave and pray over him.

For this reason, some ignorant people are mistaken when they offer the funeral prayer for a deceased person at the outskirts of the town while he has died within their town. This is contrary to the sunnah. The sunnah is that one should go out to the grave and pray over him.

His statement, “up to one month,” means that the funeral prayer may be offered for an absent deceased person, and at the grave, until the end of one month.