The funeral prayer over a debtor

Question

Over which Muslims should the funeral prayer not be performed? A hafiz of the Qur’an, who knows nothing apart from memorising the Qur’an, narrated a hadith that a janaza was brought before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he ﷺ learned that this was a debtor, so he ﷺ did not perform the funeral prayer over him. Yet today the religious scholars perform the funeral prayer over anyone and everyone. Is it correct that the funeral prayer should not be performed over a debtor?

Answer

The jurists have written concerning a number of people that the funeral prayer is not to be performed over them. When a janaza was brought before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he ﷺ asked: “Is there a debt on him?” He was told: “There is.” Then he asked: “Has he left enough for the debt to be paid off?” He was told: “No.” At this he said: “Pray over your deceased yourselves.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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