The funeral prayer over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

Question

If, by the Messenger’s command, Hazrat Abu Bakr ﵁ was the Messenger’s deputy, then after the Messenger all responsibilities rested upon Hazrat Abu Bakr ﵁, even the prayer and the like. Why then did everyone perform the prayer over the Messenger’s ﷺ bier separately? After all, upon the Messenger’s ﷺ passing, Hazrat Abu Bakr’s ﵁ first task was to lead the funeral prayer over the Messenger in congregation and to bury [him].

Answer

If the guardian (wali) of the deceased has prayed, then no one else retains the right to pray over that bier. Had Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ﵁ led the prayer in congregation at the very outset, countless noble Companions ﵃ would have been deprived of this felicity; therefore this was not done.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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