[Roxanjbra]

Ghaaibana Namaz-e-Janaaza.

Funeral Prayer in absentia.

In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful.
Nowadays people must be wondering at seeing announcements of Funeral prayers in absentia alongside advertisements of religious programs pasted on the building walls of many cities. This word (ghaaibana) has become common in the market-places but even on intensive searching is not to be found in the Qur’an and Hadith literature along with the term “Salat al Janaaza”. Also, the use of this term is not to be found amongst the Companions (Sahaaba-e-Kiraam), the Sub-Companions (Tabi’in-e-‘Azzam or Followers) or the Sub-Followers (Tab-Tabi’in ‘Allam).
‘Allama ibn Qayyim writes, “Many among the Muslims passed away when they were far from the Prophet but he did not offer the Funeral prayer in absentia for any of them. (Zaad al Ma’ad)
Similarly many recitor (Qaari) Sahaba were martyred while fighting against Musaylima al Kadhhab and the other apostates during the blessed Khilafa of Hadrat Abu Bakr. Many other major Sahaba died in cities other than Madina but the Khalifa of Rasullah(saws) without doubt, Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq and the other Sahaaba did not offer Funeral prayers in absentia for them.
The era of the Leader of the Just, the rightly guided Caliph, Hadrat ‘Umar Faruq is known as the Golden Era of Muslim conquests. Many Companions were killed in far flung provinces and countries and many passed away outside Madina al Rasul(saws). But during the entire Farooqi era, not once was Funeral prayer in absentia announced or performed. So, the Funeral prayer in absentia was not read over anyone who died outside Madina. (And neither during the reign of Hadrat Abu Bakr)
Then came the Khilafa of the Chief of the Faithful, the Possessor of the two lights (Dhu’n Noorayn), our Master ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. The borders of the Islamic State were reaching for the stars. Many Companions were martyred and many died but Hadrat ‘Uthman Ghani did not offer the Funeral prayer in absentia for even one of them. Hadrat ‘Uthman himself was martyred in a state of great oppression. We searched the pages of the books of Hadith and history to see if Funeral prayers in absentia were held for the oppressed martyr in Makka or Kufa or in Basra. But in this period, even the name of the Funeral prayer in absentia is not to be found.
After this came the Khilafa of the Lion of Allah, the Victorious, our Master Hadrat ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. In no Islamic book will one find a note that he offered the Funeral prayer in absentia for anyone or that any person in any city offered the same for him after his martyrdom.
We have repeated this challenge in many debates; “Bring evidence that any of the rightly guided Caliphs offered this prayer or such a prayer was offered for any one of them”.
Till today, no one has brought forward any evidence for the same and till the dawn of Qiyama no one will be able to do so, Allah willing,

Janaaza-e-Najjashi (Funeral Prayer of Negus):

A man said, “The Holy Prophet and the Companions offered the Funeral prayer in absentia for Negus (King of Abyssinnia at that time). We have not recited the Kalima of the 4 rightly guided Caliphs but of the Prophet. If they did not act on it, then we will act on the Hadith of Nabi.”

I asked him whether he really believed like the Rafidis do that the four Khulafa opposed the Sunna of the Messenger or at least were so careless and carefree about it and that the desire and enthusiasm to act upon and establish the Sunna was so deficient in them that even the Ghayr Muqallidin of the 15th Century had more of it?

He said, “I will not fall for your tricks. The two principles of the Ahl Hadith school, Obey Allah and obey his Rasool.”

I answered , “Allah says in Surah Noor that the mission of the Caliphs was the same – that they would establish the beloved Deen of Allah firmly on this earth and the Prophet also declared the Sunna of the Khulafa Rashidin as something to be compulsorily followed. (Abu Dawud, Al Nasa’i, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
By refusing to follow the Caliphs you have opposed the command of “Obey Allah” and “Obey the Messenger” too.

He said, “When these 4 Caliphs did not act upon the Hadith, then we also do not follow them.”

I said that people used to believe earlier on that you do not follow (any of) the four Imams. Hence you are “smaller Rafidis”. But it seems that you even reject the rightly guided Caliphs now and have graduated to “bigger Rafidis”.

He answered, “We do not follow the Imam of Kufa. We are of Madina.”

I said, “ The Imam of Madina (Imam Malik) has included this Hadith in Muwatta’ Malik in the chapter, “Bab Takbir ‘al al Janaa’iz”. Neither has be included a section on Funeral prayer in absentia nor is he inclined to this opinion.

He responded, “He (Imam Malik) has narrated a Hadith from Hadrat Abu Hurayra that the Prophet led the funeral prayer for Al Najjashi and it contained four takbirs.”

I asked him, “When did Hadrat (Najjashi) die?”

He answered, “I do not know.”

I said, “It is written in the super commentary of Muwatta’ that it was on a Thursday in Rajab, 09 H.” Then I further asked, “When did Hadrat Abu Hurayra pass away?”

He answered, “I do not know.”

I said, “59 H. This shows that Abu Hurayra lived for 50 years after this incident. Now you prove to me that Hadrat Abu Hurayra offered the Funeral prayer in absentia for even one man in this period.”

(to be continued)