Praying over a dead Jew

23-10-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

I would like to know if Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) prayed on a dead Jewish man because I heard something like that. But my husband told me that is not true and we have to pray on dead Muslims only.

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

The funeral prayer is performed only on one who dies a Muslim, and it is (should not) not be performed on anyone who dies a non-Muslim, i.e. Christians, Jews or …..
This prayer is meant for supplication on behalf of the dead Muslim only, and it is Haram to seek Allah's pardon on behalf of a non-Muslim.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allâh's Forgiveness for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) 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).} [9: 113].
Then, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) did not pray over a Jew at all.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And never (O Muhammad SAW) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, …} [9: 84].
The above-verse tells us the state of hypocrites who show Islam and we deal with them as Muslims, and the Qur'an orders us not to pray on them.
For sure, with greater reason, we are not to pray for disbelievers.
However, our sister, the inquirer should not confuse the Prophet's (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) standing up as a respect to a funeral of a Jew as performing the prayer on a Jew.
al-Bukhari reported from Sahl Ibn Hanif and Qais Ibn Sa'd that "the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) stood up to a funeral procession that passed by him. And when some one told him: 'It is of a Jew'. He said: "Is it not a human being? I.e. (It is a human being)" .
As for standing for a funeral procession, there is disagreement among Muslim scholars. Some believe it is an obligation; others recommend it. A third group believes this ruling is abrogated.
Finally, we state the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) did not perform a funeral prayer on a Jew.
Allah knows best.