What is strictly obligatory in this regard is to cover the private parts; anything beyond that is a sunnah. If the next of kin disagree over what to shroud him in, they are to be ordered to use garments comparable to those he wore on Fridays and the Eids, unless he directed that something less be used, in which case his wishes are to be followed. If he directed that an extravagant shroud be provided, one view is that the excessive provision is disallowed; another is that it is charged against one-third of his estate. The recommended characteristics of the shroud, and what should be avoided, are set out in the foundational works, so there is no point in repeating them here.

Section: The Obligation to Offer the Funeral Prayer

As for the funeral prayer, one view is that it is a collective obligation, like jihad: those who perform it discharge the duty on behalf of the others. This is the position of Ibn ʿAbd al-Hakam. His evidence is the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:

“Never pray over any of them who dies.” [Al-Tawbah: 84]

The prohibition against praying over the hypocrites is taken as evidence of a command to pray over Muslims. This evidence is weak, however, since there is disagreement over whether even an explicit command denotes recommendation or obligation. How much more so when the command is established only through the implied sense of the wording, whose authority is itself disputed. Another view is that it is a collective sunnah. This is the position of Asbagh.

Section

The sunnah is to offer the funeral prayer before the deceased is buried. If he is buried before the prayer has been offered, he is to be brought out and prayed over, provided it is not too late to do so. If it is too late, the prayer is offered over him in his grave. This is the position of Ibn al-Qāsim and Ibn Wahb. Another view is that, if it is too late, no prayer is offered over him, lest this become a means leading to praying over graves. This is the position of Ashhab and Sahnūn.

There is disagreement over when it becomes too late. One view is that this occurs once earth has been cast over him after the mud bricks have been set in place, even if the burial has not been completed. So long as earth has not been cast over him, he is to be brought out and prayed over, even if the mud bricks have been set in place. This is Ashhab’s view. Another view is that it does not become too late until the burial is complete. This is Ibn Wahb’s view as recorded in ʿĪsā’s transmissions. A further view is that even completing the burial does not make it too late: he is to be brought out and prayed over so long as there is no fear that his body has begun to deteriorate. This is the position of Sahnūn and ʿĪsā ibn Dīnār, and is also what the latter transmitted from Ibn al-Qāsim in his collection of reports.

The prayer is offered over him in the grave only if it has not [been so long that] his body is thought most likely to have disintegrated through decay or otherwise. Abū Hanīfah said: No