owe any debts, he would pray over him. If he owed debts, he would not pray over him, but would permit his Companions to do so. His prayer was an intercession, and his intercession was certain to take effect; yet a servant remains bound by his debt and does not enter Paradise until it is paid on his behalf. Once Allah granted him conquests, he would pray over those who owed debts, undertake to repay their debts, and leave their property to their heirs (1).

When he began the funeral prayer, he would declare Allah’s greatness, then praise and extol Him (2).

Ibn ‘Abbās offered a funeral prayer and recited al-Fātihah (the Opening) aloud after the first declaration of Allah’s greatness, saying, “So that you may know that this is the Sunnah” (3). Likewise, Abū Umāmah ibn Sahl said that reciting al-Fātihah after the first declaration of Allah’s greatness is the Sunnah (4).

It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ instructed that al-Fātihah be recited in the funeral prayer, but the report’s chain of transmission is not sound (5). Our teacher said, “Reciting al-Fātihah in the funeral prayer is not obligatory; rather, it is recommended” (6).