the takbīr and whose conclusion is the taslīm has purification as its key. (1)

Second issue: Its form and the takbīrs within it

The funeral prayer is performed standing; it contains no bowing, prostration, or sitting.

It consists of four, five, six, seven, or nine takbīrs. All of these are established and represent a permissible diversity of practice; whichever a Muslim performs is sufficient.

It is preferable to take the deceased’s merit into account, increasing the number of takbīrs up to nine as appropriate. If one of these forms must be consistently followed, it should be four, because of the many hadiths reported concerning it.

The evidence for this is as follows:

Ibn Hazm said: “There is no disagreement that it—the funeral prayer—is performed standing, with no bowing, prostration, sitting, or tashahhud.” (2) End quote.

The evidence concerning the takbīrs is as follows:

The evidence for four takbīrs is the report from Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—: “The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—announced the death of the Negus on the day he died. He went out with them to the prayer ground, arranged them in rows, and pronounced four takbīrs over him.” Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim. (3)

The evidence for five takbīrs is the report from Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Laylā, who said: “Zayd [ibn Arqam] used to pronounce four takbīrs at our funerals, but once he pronounced five over a funeral,