Reward For Attending Funeral of Muslim

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

"Every Muslim has five rights over another Muslim (i.e., he has to perform five duties for another Muslim):

1) To return the greetings,
2) To visit the sick,
3) To accompany funeral processions,
4) To accept an invitation,
5) To respond to the sneezer [i.e., to say: `Yarhamuk-Allah (may Allah bestow His Mercy on you),' when the sneezer praises Allah].''

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Reward for Attending Funeral

Narrated by Abu Hurayra that Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "(A believer) who accompanies the funeral procession of a Muslim out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's reward and remains with it till the funeral prayer is offered and the burial ceremonies are over, he will return with a reward of two Qirats. Each Qirat is like the size of the (Mount) Uhud. He who offers the funeral prayer only and returns before the burial, will return with the reward of one Qirat only." [Bukhari]

Dawud b. 'Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that while he was sitting along with 'Abdullah b. 'Umar, Khabbab, the owner of Maqsura, said: Ibn 'Umar, do you hear what Abu Hurayra says that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say:" He who goes out with the bier when taken out from its residence and offers prayer for it and he then follows it till it is buried, he would have two qirats of reward, each qirat being equivalent to Uhud; and he who, after having offered prayer, (directly) came back would have his reward (as great) as Uhud"? Ibn 'Umar sent Khabbab to 'A'isha in order to ask her about the words of Abu Hurayra (and also told him) to come back to him (Ibn 'Umar) and inform him what 'A'isha said. (In the meanwhile) Ibn 'Umar took up a handful of pebbles and turned them over in his hand till the messenger (Khabbab) came back to him and told (him) that 'A'isha testified (the statement of) Abu Hurayra. Ibn 'Umar threw the pebbles he had in his hand on the ground and then said: We missed a large number of qirats. [Muslim]

Prerequisites and Requirements for a Funeral Prayer

The prerequisites for a funeral prayer are the same as for the obligatory prayers. Anyone intending to offer funeral prayer must be in a state of purity, be free from all minor and major impurities, must cover his or her "awrah," and stand facing the direction of the Ka'bah. Certain requirements must be met for a valid funeral prayer, and failure to meet any of these may invalidate the prayer (Standing except valid excuse, Intention, Salam, Supplication, Takbirs). See Fiqh of Funerals and Funeral Prayers

The Soul after Death

Abu Sa`id al-Khudri heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) say, “The dead man recognizes his washer and those that carry him and lower him into his grave.” [Hakim]

Qurtubi relates that Malik ibn Dinar said, “There is not a person who dies except that his soul is in the hand of an angel while he looks at his body, how it is washed, shrouded, carried and buried.” Munawi adds that this does not negate the narrations which mention of the soul’s rising beyond the seven heavens to their Lord, as it is possible that this happens and the soul returns to witness the burial. [Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir Sharh Jami` al-Saghir]

Returning of the Soul to the Body

Nawawi, in his Bustan al-`Arifin, relates a story in which the jurist Muhammad al-Nawawi confirmed that the soul returns to the body for questioning, after burial. Many prophetic narrations seemingly support this view.

`Uthman ibn `Affan relates that when the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to finish burying someone, he would stand by the grave and say, “All of you, ask Allah to forgive your brother and make him steadfast, for he is now being asked.” [Abu Dawud]

May Allah forgive us and our parents, and shower His mercy on our loved ones who have gone before us and make their graves the first stage of Jannah for them, and grant patience to those they left behind. Ameen.

Oh Allah, make me only as concerned about my worldly life as the time that I will spend in it.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam