Question about Janaza

[alf2]

:salam2: and ramadan kareem ya'll,

I've never been to a Muslim funeral, but my family are not Muslim, so who will pray for me? Obviously my friends at the Masjid, but can strangers go to funerals to pray for the dead?

 

[kashif_nazeer]

:salam2: and ramadan kareem ya'll,

I've never been to a Muslim funeral, but my family are not Muslim, so who will pray for me? Obviously my friends at the Masjid, but can strangers go to funerals to pray for the dead?

Ramadan mubarak to you too.
There is no problem if the strangers are muslims,as the following hadith says:

Abu Hurairah (Radhiallaho anhu) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:

Abu Hurairah (Radhiallaho anhu) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The rights of one Muslim over another are five: returning the greeting of salaam, saying ‘yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you)’ when he sneezes, accepting invitations, visiting the sick and attending funerals.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2625)

 

[Idris16]

It's normal to pray funeral prayer over a Muslim you dont know, whether the deceased is a man or woman.

 

[strive-may-i]

Walaikum Ssalaam Warahmathullaahi wabarakaatuh,

Ramlaan greetings to you, your dear ones and friends. Hope you are doing well!

Yes. its Obligatory on the community ( muslim men and women) arrange (honoring the mahram condition), attend the funeral prayer, And thereby fulfill the right of the dead muslim brother/sister - Farz Kifayah. Can be from home or mosque. Its one of the best things one can do for deceased brother/sister in community (or acquaintance) - Offer Funeral prayer, seek forgiveness, be there with the near and dear ones of deceased, provide financial support and condolences, soothing the grief, complete the affairs of the deceased if there is none able to complete it. Thats the right way to uphold the spirit of Universal brotherhood.

 

[Shak78]

What about attending a funeral of a non-Muslim? My Grandmother is going downhill and I have a sneaking suspicion she will pass soon, she is 90 and has alzheimers. I will attend her funeral but as a Muslim what am I supposed to do or not do?

 

[Idris16]

What about attending a funeral of a non-Muslim? My Grandmother is going downhill and I have a sneaking suspicion she will pass soon, she is 90 and has alzheimers. I will attend her funeral but as a Muslim what am I supposed to do or not do?

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

It is not permissible for a Muslim to attend the funeral of a non-Muslim even if it is a relative, because attending a funeral is a right that one Muslim has over another and it is a kind of showing respect, honour and friendship that it is not permissible to show to a kaafir.

Abu Taalib, the paternal uncle of the Prophet saw died, and he instructed ‘Ali to bury him, but the Prophet saw did not attend his funeral or his burial, even though Abu Taalib’s support and defence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was well known, and even though the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a great deal of compassion and mercy towards him. Nothing stopped him from doing that except the fact that Abu Taalib died in a state of kufr. In fact the Prophet saw said: “I shall certainly pray for forgiveness for you so long as I am not forbidden to do so.” Then the words were revealed (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaah’s forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief)” [al-Tawbah 9:113] and: “Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like,” [al-Qasas 28:56].

Abu Dawood (3214) and al-Nasaa’i (2006) narrated that ‘Ali said: I said to the Prophet saw: Your paternal uncle, the misguided old man, has died. He said: “Go and bury your father.”

Although Islam promotes upholding ties of kinship and treating relatives kindly, it forbids close friendship between the believer and the disbeliever, so whatever is one of the forms of close friendship is forbidden, but whatever is kindness that is less than close friendship is permitted.

Imam Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The Muslim should not wash his father if his father died as a disbeliever, or attend his funeral, or go down into his grave, unless he fears that he may be neglected, in which case he may bury him. End quote from al-Mudawwanah, 1/261

Continue reading: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/145532/funeral non muslim

Shak it's time for you to tell your grandmother to embrace islam, the religion of Jesus (`alayhis salam) before it's too late.

 

[Shak78]

Shak it's time for you to tell your grandmother to embrace islam, the religion of Jesus (`alayhis salam) before it's too late.

She doesnt even know who I am that is how far gone she is. I would if I could but she is in her own world and lost in her own mind. Alzheimers is a horrible disease.

 

[alf2]

Shak it's time for you to tell your grandmother to embrace islam, the religion of Jesus (`alayhis salam) before it's too late.

As Shak said, it is probably too late for her. Alzheimer's Disease is a form of Dementia. Dementia is deterioration of the brain. When people are in late stages of Alzhimers or other forms of Dementia, they cannot remember their name, where they live, what year it is, who their family is....And they also get to the point where they cannot feed themselves, cannot distinguish when they are using the bathroom or not, and need 24 hour care.

Shak I am very sorry to hear about your grandmother. I'm a nurse and work with these person's everyday...It never seems to get emotionally easier for me as a nurse, or for the families....

 

[Idris16]

As Shak said, it is probably too late for her.

Maybe it's not too late for her.

The Prophet saw said: “The Pen has been lifted from three: from the sleeper until he awakens, from the child until he reaches puberty and from the insane person until he comes to his senses -- or until he comes round.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4403), al-Nasaa’i (3432) and Ibn Maajah (2041). Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

In al-Mawsoo‘ah al- Fiqhiyyah (16/99) it says, defining insanity:

With regard to (fiqhi) terminology, the fuqaha’ and usooliyyeen defined it in various ways, such as:

It is mental disorder, in such a way that the person cannot do or say things properly, except rarely.

And it was said that insanity is loss of the ability to distinguish between right and wrong or to recognize their consequences.

The author of al-Bahr al-Raa’iq defined it as loss of the ability to understand issues from all angles. End quote.

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/146375/suicide

 

[strive-may-i]

What about attending a funeral of a non-Muslim? My Grandmother is going downhill and I have a sneaking suspicion she will pass soon, she is 90 and has alzheimers. I will attend her funeral but as a Muslim what am I supposed to do or not do?

If you have not yet visited her, Visit her now. You can attend her, because she is your granny.

Next, its a sensitive emotional and tough question. To get the clarity, you should seek a more learnt person and ask clear cut questions around the rituals. Its an important question, and this will come up again and again in one's life time. Once you have the clarity on where the red line is, it will be easier for you to interact with your family, in such moments of grief.

From what I know, if attending the funeral service means participating in rituals, then its a NO. But certainly you can visit the deceased (in house), to show your respect to deceased parents/grand-parents and also out of kindness, being present for your family at its/your hour of need. But stop from observing (or one approving) the non islamic-rituals. Given the emotional drain and the deep bonds, Its better to take some one along, while visiting. Ask more and get clarity.

 

[Shak78]

Maybe it's not too late for her.

Dear Brother I just saw her this last weekend and she had no idea who I was, where she was and was asking for her deceased Husband ie my Grandpa. She is living in her own realm that is not even close to reality. It was sad to see her like that.