16 August, 2020
Q
We cannot go to the grave to offer Funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) because of the safety precautions to avoid Coronavirus (COVID-19). Can we offer funeral prayer in absentia at home during the COVID-19 lockdown?
Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
1- Due to the current circumstances of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we cannot go to graves to offer the Funeral prayer (salat al-Janazah) at the graveyard.
2- Therefore, there is nothing wrong with offering funeral prayer in absentia at home whether individually or collectively.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, answers your question in this video:
Almighty Allah knows best.