The Ruling Regarding Praying Funeral Prayer Whilst Wearing Shoes

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter: Can funeral prayer be offered in shoes?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   If the shoes and ground beneath it is pure, it is permissible to offer funeral prayer with shoes on. If any of these conditions are not fulfilled, i.e., if the ground or the shoe is impure, the prayer will be invalid. If the ground is pure and there is no compelling need, it is appropriate to remove one’s shoes. This is because even if the shoes are pure, they will still be dirty.

   If there is doubt regarding the purity of the ground, caution lies in removing the shoes and offering the funeral prayer whilst standing on top of them. In this case, it is only necessary for the upper portion of the shoe to be pure. If the bottom part of the shoe or the ground is impure, then according to the opinion of Imam Muḥammad رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, upon which fatwā is issued, the prayer will be valid.

   It is stated in Fatāwā ꜤĀlamgīrī:

ولو قام على النجاسة وفي رجليه نعلان أو جوربان لم تجز صلاته. كذا في محيط السرخسي ولو خلع نعليه وقام عليهما جاز سواء كان ما يلى الارض منه نجسا او طاهر اذا كان مايلى القدم طاهرا ،هكذا في فتاوى قاضي خان[1]

   In response to a question regarding offering funeral prayer with shoes in a place where horses urinated, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes:

   If said place was impure due to urine or those who offered prayer did so in impure shoes, their prayer is not valid. Caution lies in removing the shoes and offering prayer whilst standing on them, because even if the ground or bottom of the shoe is impure, it will not affect the prayer.

   It is stated in Radd al-Muḥtār:

قد توضع فی بعض المواضع خارج المسجد فی الشارع فیصلی علیھا و  یلزم منہ فسادھا من کثیر من المصلین لعموم النجاسۃ وعدم خلعھم نعالھم المتنجسۃ

   In some areas, the funeral bier is placed on the road outside the masjid and funeral prayer is offered. This results in the prayer of many people being invalid, as those places are impure and people do not remove their impurity-stained shoes.

   It is also mentioned in it:

فی البدائع لوصلی علی مکعب اعلاہ طاھر وباطنہ نجس عندمحمد یجوز لانہ صلی فی موضع طاھر کثوب طاھر تحتہ ثوب نجس اھ وظاھرہ ترجیح قول محمد وھوالاشبہ

   It is stated in BadāˈiꜤ that if he offered prayer on a shawl of which the upper part was pure but inner portion was impure; according to Imam Muhammad رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, it is permissible, because prayer was offered in a pure place. Just as is the case when there is a pure cloth and there is an impure cloth beneath it. Its apparent is giving preference to Imam Muhammad’s opinion and that is most preponderant.[2]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered By: Abu Muhammad Sarfraz Akhtar Attari

Verified by: Mufti Fuzayl Raza Attari

Ref No: Mul-625

Date: 2nd ShaꜤbān al-MuꜤaẓẓam 1444 AH/23rd February 2023