Zād al-Maʿād - Ibn al-Qayyim - (1/670)

Zād al-MaʿādIbn al-Qayyim

al-Najāshī in the same manner as he offered the funeral prayer over a deceased person (1).

People differed over this, adopting three approaches:

The first is that this was legislation established by him and a sunnah for the Muslim community: offering the funeral prayer for every deceased person who is absent. This is the view of al-Shāfiʿī and of Ahmad according to one of the two reports from him.

Abū Hanīfah and Mālik said: This was exclusive to him and does not apply to anyone else. Their followers said: It is possible that the deceased’s bier was raised up before him, and he prayed over him while seeing him, just as he would pray over someone physically present and visible, despite the distance between them. Even if the Companions did not see him, they were following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the prayer. They said: This is supported by the fact that it has not been reported that he offered the funeral prayer for all other deceased persons who were absent. His refraining from an action is a sunnah, just as his performing it is a sunnah. No one after him has any means of seeing the deceased’s bier from a great distance and having it raised up before him so that he can pray over him. Thus, it is known that this was exclusive to him (2).

It has also been reported that he offered the funeral prayer for Muʿāwiyah ibn Muʿāwiyah al-Laythī in his absence (3). However, this report is not authentic, for its chain of transmission includes al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Zayd—also called Ibn Zaydal—of whom ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī said (4): “He used to fabricate hadith.” It was also narrated by Mahbūb (5) ibn Hilāl, from

(1) Recorded from Abū Hurayrah by al-Bukhārī (1245) and Muslim (951). (2) See al-Mabsūt by al-Sarakhsī (2:67), Fath al-Qadīr by Ibn al-Humām (2:117), and Sharh al-Talqīn (3:1183). (3) Recorded by al-Bayhaqī (4:50). (4) See Mīzān al-I‘tidāl (3:99). Al-Bukhārī said in al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr (6:520): “He is a narrator of objectionable hadiths.” (5) Jīm reads: “Mahmūd,” a textual corruption.

النجاشي صلاته على الميِّت (١). فاختلف الناس في ذلك على ثلاثة طرق: أحدها: أنَّ هذا تشريع منه وسنَّة للأمة: الصلاة على كلِّ غائب. وهذا قول الشافعي وأحمد في إحدى الروايتين عنه. وقال أبو حنيفة ومالك: هذا خاصٌّ به، وليس ذلك لغيره. قال أصحابهما: ومن الجائز أن يكون رُفِعَ له سريرُه، فصلَّى عليه وهو يراه صلاتَه على الحاضر المشاهَد وإن كان على مسافة من البعد. والصحابة وإن لم يروه فهم تابعون للنبي ﷺ في الصلاة. قالوا: ويدل على هذا أنه لم ينقل عنه أنه كان يصلِّي على كلِّ الغائبين غيره، وتركُه سنَّة كما أنَّ فعلَه سنة، ولا سبيل لأحد بعده إلى أن يعاين سرير الميت من المسافة البعيدة، ويُرفَع له حتى يصلِّي عليه، فعُلِم أنَّ ذلك مخصوص به (٢). وقد روي عنه أنَّه صلَّى على معاوية بن معاوية الليثي وهو غائب (٣). ولكن لا يصحُّ، فإنَّ في إسناده العلاء بن زيد ــ ويقال: ابن زيدَل ــ قال علي بن المديني (٤): كان يضع الحديث. ورواه محبوب (٥) بن هلال، عن

(١) أخرجه من حديث أبي هريرة البخاري (١٢٤٥) ومسلم (٩٥١). (٢) انظر: «المبسوط» للسرخسي (٢/ ٦٧) و «فتح القدير» لابن الهمام (٢/ ١١٧) و «شرح التلقين» (٣/ ١١٨٣). (٣) أخرجه البيهقي (٤/ ٥٠). (٤) انظر: «ميزان الاعتدال» (٣/ ٩٩)، وقال البخاري في «التاريخ الكبير» (٦/ ٥٢٠): «منكر الحديث». (٥) ج: «محمود»، تحريف.