upon him. The followers of al-Shāfi'ī and Ahmad offer two answers:

The first is that the second prayer counts as an obligatory prayer for the person offering it. They say likewise concerning all communal obligations: whoever performs one thereby discharges his own obligation, even if someone else has already performed it. He may choose either to be content with its having been discharged by another or to discharge the obligation through his own action.

The other answer is that it is voluntary. They reject the claim that the funeral prayer cannot be offered voluntarily; rather, it may be offered voluntarily when there is a reason calling for it.

These two lines of reasoning give rise to the following question: if someone who did not offer the funeral prayer initially comes to the funeral, may someone who already offered it pray again alongside him, joining him as is done in the case of an obligatory prayer? There are two views.

One holds that this is not permissible here, because his prayer in this case is indisputably voluntary, and the funeral prayer is not offered voluntarily.

The other holds that he may repeat it, for when the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) offered the funeral prayer at the grave, people who had already offered it prayed behind him. This view is closer to being correct, since this repetition is prompted by a reason calling for it, rather than being sought for its own sake. This is permissible in both the obligatory prayer and the funeral prayer.

And Allah knows best. May Allah bless Muhammad, his family and his Companions, and grant them abundant peace.