Laws pertaining to the Imaam and Muqtadi

1. The takbeers and duas of the Janaazah Salaah will be read by both the imaam and the muqtadi. The only difference beween the imaam and muqtadi is that the imaam will make the takbeers and salaam aloud while the muqtadi will make them softly. The remainder portion of the salaah (i.e. the thanaa, Durood and dua) will be recited softly by the muqtadi as well as the imaam.^[1]

2. It is mustahab to make at least three saffs for the Janaazah Salaah. Hence, if there are only seven people present for the Janaazah Salaah, it is mustahab for them to make three saffs in the following manner. One person will be made the imaam, three people will stand in the first saff, two people in the second saff, and one person in the third saff.^[2]

عن مرثد بن عبد الله اليزني قال : كان مالك بن هبيرة إذا صلى على جنازة فتقال الناس عليها جزاؤهم ثلاثة أجزاء ثم قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من صلى عليه ثلاثة صفوف فقد أوجب (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: ١٠٢٨)

Whenever Maalik bin Hubairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) performed a Janaazah Salaah, he would split the congregation into three parts. He would then say that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The janaazah upon whom three saffs of people performed salaah earns Jannah”.

3. Those factors that invalidate normal salaah invalidate Janaazah Salaah.^[3] In regard to factors that invalidate the salaah, the only two differences between normal salaah and Janaazah Salaah are:

a.) If one laughs aloud in normal salaah, the salaah as well as the wudhu will be invalidated. However, if one laughs aloud in Janaazah Salaah, only the salaah will be invalidated. The wudhu will not be invalidated.

b.) If a woman stands next to a man in normal salaah, the salaah of the man breaks. In Janaazah Salaah, if a woman stands next to a man, his salaah does not break.^[4]

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[1] ويسر الكل إلا التكبير زيلعي وغيره لكن في البدائع العمل في زماننا على الجهر بالتسليم (الدر المختار ٢/٢١٣)

[2] يستحب أن يصف ثلاثة صفوف حتى لو كانوا سبعة يتقدم أحدهم للإمامة و يقف وراءه ثلاثة ثم اثنان ثم واحد (رد المحتار ٢/٢١٤)

[3] وتفسد صلاة الجنازة بما تفسد به سائر الصلوات إلا محاذاة المرأة كذا في الزاهدي (الفتاوى الهندية ١/١٦٤)

[4] فلا تنقض القهقهة في صلاة الجنازة وسجدة التلاوة لكن يبطلان (البحر الرائق ١/٤٣)