Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/349)

Those who say that what is meant is the Eid prayer ground argue that the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, gave this instruction in order to manifest the honor of this man and to repay his kindness, for he had given refuge to the Companions who emigrated to him. Holding his funeral prayer in the Eid prayer ground would be more conspicuous.

Other scholars have said that what is meant is the funeral-prayer ground, because the definite article refers to what is already known. Since this was a funeral prayer, it should be understood according to the established practice for funeral prayers, namely, the funeral-prayer ground.

The important point is that it has not been reliably reported from the Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, that he offered the funeral prayer for anyone absent other than the Negus; nor has this been reported from the Companions. Yet there is no doubt that prominent people and those of great service died during the lifetime of the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

This view is closer to what is correct.

His statement, “up to one month,” means that after one month, the funeral prayer should not be offered for him if it has already been offered. But if no funeral prayer was offered for him, then we should offer it, even if years have passed.

This issue often arose among the Bedouin in times of ignorance: a man might die among them, and they would bury him without washing, shrouding, or praying over him. They now come and ask about such cases, and the obligation is to offer the funeral prayer for him, as previously explained.

“THE IMAM SHOULD NOT OFFER THE FUNERAL PRAYER FOR ONE WHO MISAPPROPRIATED BOOTY OR FOR ONE WHO KILLED HIMSELF, …”

His statement, “The imam should not offer the funeral prayer for one who misappropriated booty”: when the jurists use the term imam without qualification, they mean the supreme imam—that is, the head of state. Thus, he should not offer the funeral prayer for one who misappropriated booty.

فمن قال: إن المراد مصلى العيد قال: إن النبي ﷺ أمر بذلك إظهاراً لشرف هذا الرجل، ورداً لجميله؛ لأنه آوى الصحابة الذين هاجروا إليه، وكونه يصلى عليه في مصلى العيد أظهر. وقال بعض العلماء: المراد مصلى الجنائز؛ لأن «أل» للعهد، وهذه صلاة جنازة، فتحمل على المعهود في صلاة الجنازة، وهو مصلى الجنائز. المهم: أنه لم يحفظ عن الرسول ﵊ أنه صلى على جنازة غائبة غير النجاشي، ولا عن الصحابة، مع أنه لا شك أنه يموت العظماء وذوو الغناء في عهد النبي ﷺ، وفي عهد الخلفاء الراشدين. وهذا القول أقرب إلى الصواب. وقوله: «إلى شهر»، أي: وبعد الشهر لا يصلى عليه إن صلي عليه، فإن كان لم يصلَّ عليه صلينا عليه، ولو بعد سنين. وهذه مسألة تقع كثيراً في البادية في زمن الجهل، فقد يموت عندهم الرجل ويدفنونه بدون تغسيل، ولا تكفين، ولا صلاة. ثم يأتون الآن يسألون عن هذا، فالواجب أن يصلى عليه كما سبق. وَلَا يُصَلِّي الإِمَامُ عَلَى الغَالِّ وَلَا عَلَى قَاتِلِ نَفْسِهِ، .............. قوله: «ولا يصلي الإمام على الغال»، إذا أطلق الفقهاء الإمام فالمراد به: الإمام الأعظم، أي: رئيس الدولة فلا يصلي على الغال.