The funeral prayer in absentia

Question

(1) Is it permissible according to the Hanafis to perform the funeral prayer in absentia or not? If it is permissible, then on what grounds — please write in full. (2) Is it permissible according to any of the four imams or not? If it is permissible, then according to whom and why? (3) I recall an incident from the hadith that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the funeral prayer in absentia over someone. Who was that, and what was the reason for it?

Answer

(1) According to the Hanafis it is impermissible. [ar]شرائط صحتها شرائط الصلاة المطلقة، وإسلام الميت، وطهارته، ووضعه أمام المصلي، وبهذا القيد علم أنها لا تجوز على غائب[/ar] “The conditions of its validity are the conditions of prayer in general, and that the deceased be a Muslim, his purity, and his being placed in front of the one praying; and by this condition it is known…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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