FatwaFederal TerritoriesFunerals & Death
IRSYAD HUKUM KE-34: JUMLAH JEMAAH UNTUK MENGERJAKAN SOLAT JENAZAH
How many people are required to perform the funeral prayer?
Short answer
The funeral prayer is sufficiently discharged by a single person as a communal obligation (fardu kifayah).
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Funerals & Death
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The funeral prayer is sufficiently discharged by a single person as a communal obligation (fardu kifayah). However, the more people who pray over the deceased the better, and a congregation of 40 or more is encouraged based on the hadith of Ibn Abbas RA. It is recommended to form three rows, and a number above 40 is said to indicate greater reward.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Solat jenazah mamadai dengan seorang sahaja sebagai fardu kifayah.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM KE-34: JUMLAH JEMAAH UNTUK MENGERJAKAN SOLAT JENAZAH”, 2 July 2015. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/1976-34. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/number-of-people-for-funeral-prayer/