WHO PERFORMED THE PRAYER OVER THE PURE BODY OF THE NOBLE PROPHET MUHAMMAD (ص)

﷽

_________________________________________

The established belief among us is that the first person to perform the funeral prayer for the body of the Messenger of Allah (ص) was Imam Ali (ع). He had taken on the responsibility of washing, anointing, and shrouding the Prophet. After completing these preparations, he allowed the Companions to enter the sacred chamber in groups to perform the prayer. He would bring them in group by group, or ten at a time, to offer individual prayers over the Prophet’s body, after which they would exit to allow others to enter. Imam Ali (ع) would say:

إنَّ رسولَ الله إمامٌ حيًّا وميِّتًا

"The Messenger of Allah is an Imam, both in life and in death." [1]

In Al-Kafi, it is narrated with a sound chain of transmission from al-Halabi, from Abu Abdullah (ع), who said:

أتى العباسُ أميرَ المؤمنينَ (ع) فقال: يا علي إنَّ الناس اجتمعوا أنْ يدفنوا رسولَ الله (ص) في بقيع المصلَّى وأنْ يؤمَّهم رجلٌ منهم، فخرج أميرُ المؤمنين (ع) إلى الناس فقال: يا أيُّها الناسُ إنَّ رسولَ الله (ص) إمامٌ حيًّا وميِّتًا وقال: إنِّي أُدفنُ في البقعةِ التي أُقبضُ فيها، ثمّ قام على الباب فصلَّى عليه ثم أمرَ الناسَ عشرةً عشرة يُصلُّون عليه ثم يخرجون

“Al-Abbas came to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (ع), and said, ‘O Ali, the people have gathered and intend to bury the Messenger of Allah (ص) in the Baqi' cemetery, with one of them leading the prayer over him.’ Then the Commander of the Faithful (ع) went out to the people and said, ‘O people, the Messenger of Allah (ص) is an Imam, both in life and in death. He said, "I am to be buried in the spot where I pass away."' He then stood at the door, prayed for him, and instructed the people to enter in groups of ten to pray for him and then leave.” [2]

And the following has been narrated in the book I’lām Al-Warā by al-Tabarsi, may Allah have mercy on him, quoting from the book of Aban bin Uthman who said:

حدَّثني أبو مريم عن أبي جعفرٍ الباقر (ع) وذكر حديثَ تجهيزِ رسولِ الله (ص) إلى أنْ قال: قال الناسُ كيف الصلاةُ عليه؟ فقال عليٌّ (ع): إنَّ رسولَ الله إمامُنا حيًّا وميِّتًا، فدخلَ عليه عشرةٌ عشرة فصلَّوا عليه يوم الإثنين وليلة الثلاثاء حتى الصباح ويوم الثلاثاء، صلَّى عليه كبيرُهم وصغيرُهم ذكرُهم وأُنثاهم وضواحي المدينة بغير إمام

"Abu Maryam narrated to me from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (ع), mentioning the process of preparing the Messenger of Allah (ص) for burial. He said, 'The people asked, “How shall we perform the prayer over him?” Ali (ع) replied, “The Messenger of Allah is our Imam, both in life and in death.” So, ten by ten entered and prayed for him on Monday and Monday night until the morning of Tuesday, and throughout Tuesday, all prayed for him — the young and old, men and women, and the surrounding residents of Medina — without an imam to lead them.’" [3]

And Ali bin Musa bin Tawus relates in the book At-Taraf from Isa Al-Mustafad, who narrated from Abu al-Hasan Musa ibn Ja'far (ع) from his father (ع), who said:

كان فيما أوصى به رسولُ الله (ص) أنْ يُدفن في بيتِه ويُكفَّن بثلاثةِ أثوابٍ أحدها يَمان، ولا يدخل قبرَه غيرُ عليٍّ (ع) ثم قال: يا عليُّ كنْ أنت وفاطمة والحسن والحسين وكبِّروا خمسًا وسبعين تكبيرةً، وكبِّرْ خمسًا وانصرف، وذلك بعد أنْ يُؤذنَ لك في الصَّلاة، قال عليٌّ (ع): ومَن يأذنُ لي بها؟ فقال (ص): جبرئيلُ يُؤذنُك بها، ثم رجال أهل بيتي يُصلُّون عليَّ أفواجًا أفواجًا ثم نساؤهم ثم الناس بعد ذلك قال (ع): ففعلتُ

"Among the instructions [of the last will] the Messenger of Allah (ص) gave was that he should be buried in his house and shrouded in three garments; one of which should be Yemeni cloth. He instructed that no one should enter his grave except Ali (ع). Then he said, ‘O Ali, let you, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn perform seventy-five takbirs [saying “Allahu Akbar” 75 times], then perform five takbirs and depart, after you have been granted permission for the prayer.’ Ali (ع) asked, ‘Who will give me this permission?’ The Prophet (ص) replied, ‘Gabriel will grant you permission.’ Then, the men of my family will pray for me in groups, followed by the women, and then the people in general.’ Ali (ع) said, ‘So I did as he instructed.’" [4]

_________________________________________

How the Prayer for the Prophet (ص) was performed

_________________________________________

Some authentic narrations suggest that the prayer performed by the Companions and their wives for the Prophet (ص) was more in the form of supplication [Du'a] for him and moving around his sacred body, rather than the customary prayer format [Salat Al-Mayyit]. It is noted that only Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn (ع) performed the conventional prayer [صلاة الميت] over the Prophet, with some reports adding Salman Al-Farisi, Abu Dharr, and Miqdad. As for the rest of the Muslims, they entered in groups, encircling his pure body, while the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (ع), stood among them, guiding them in what to recite as a supplication.

This is mentioned in a reliable narration from Abu Maryam al-Ansari, who said: "I heard Abu Ja'far (ع) say:

كُفِّن رسولُ الله (صلَّى الله عليه وآله) في ثلاثةِ أثوابٍ -إلى أنْ قال:- قلتُ: وكيف صُلِّي عليه؟ قال: سُجِّيَ بثوبٍ وجُعل وسطَ البيت، فإذا دخلَ قومٌ داروا به وصلُّوا عليه ودعوا له ثم يخرجون ويدخلُ آخرون

The Messenger of Allah (ص) was shrouded in three garments... I asked, 'How was the prayer over him performed?' He said: 'He was covered with a cloth and placed in the middle of the room. Groups would enter, surround him, pray over him, and make supplications for him, then leave as others entered.'" [5] 

And Al-Kulayni narrates a more detailed version through a reliable chain from Abu Maryam al-Ansari, who said: I asked Abu Ja'far (ع) how the prayer over the Prophet (ص) was conducted. He said:

لَمَّا غَسَّلَه أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (ع) وكَفَّنَه سَجَّاه ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ عَلَيْه عَشَرَةً فَدَارُوا حَوْلَه ثُمَّ وَقَفَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (ع) فِي وَسَطِهِمْ فَقَالَ: ﴿إِنَّ الله ومَلائِكَتَه يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْه وسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾ فَيَقُولُ الْقَوْمُ كَمَا يَقُولُ حَتَّى صَلَّى عَلَيْه أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ وأَهْلُ الْعَوَالِي

'When the Commander of the Faithful (ع) had washed and shrouded him, he placed a cover over him. Then, he brought in ten people at a time, who circled around him. The Commander of the Faithful (ع) stood among them and recited, “Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace abundantly” (Qur'an 33:56). The group would repeat after him, until everyone from the city and the surrounding prayed for him.' [6]

And Shaykh Al-Mufid, in al-Amali, has narrated the following through his chain from Abu Khalid al-Kabuli, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (ع), who said:

لمَّا فرغ أميرُ المؤمنين (عليه السلام) من تغسيل رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) وتكفينه وتحنيطه أذِنَ للناس وقال: ليَدخلْ منكم عشرة عشرة ليصلُّوا عليه، فدخلوا وقام أميرُ المؤمنين (عليه السلام) بينه وبينهم و قال: ﴿إِنَّ الله ومَلائِكَتَه يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْه وسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾" وكان الناس يقولون كما يقول. قال أبو جعفر (عليه السلام): وهكذا كانت الصلاةُ عليه صلَّى الله عليه وآله

“When the Commander of the Faithful (ع) finished washing, shrouding, and anointing the body of the Messenger of Allah (ص), he permitted the people to enter, saying, ‘Let groups of ten among you come in to pray over him.’ They entered, and the Commander of the Faithful (ع) stood between the Prophet and the people, reciting: “Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace abundantly” (Qur'an 33:56). The people would repeat these words after him.” Abu Ja'far (ع) said: “This is how the prayer over the Prophet (ص) was performed.” [7]

It appears that there is no contradiction between the narrations describing the way Muslims prayed over the body of the Prophet (ص) — that it was a form of supplication rather than the standard prayer — and the reports stating that Muslims entered in groups, prayed, and then left. While the phrase “they prayed” may initially suggest the customary prayer, this impression does not hold once other narrations clarify that the prayer was actually a form of supplication and not the standard prayer.

This interpretation is further supported by some Sunni sources which indicate that the prayer offered by the Muslims over the noble body of the Prophet (ص) was no more than greetings and supplication.

And All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds

References

[1] Al-Kafi, Shaykh Al-Kulayni, Volume 1, Book 4, Chapter #111, The Birth of The Holy Prophet (ص) and His Demise, Hadith 37

[2] Al-Kafi, Shaykh Al-Kulayni, Volume 1 Book 4, Chapter 111, The Birth of The Holy Prophet (ص) and His Demise, Hadith 37

[3] I'lam al-Wara bi-A'lam al-Huda, Shaykh At-Ṭabarsi, Volume: 1, Page 271

[4] Wasa'il al-Shi'a [of the family of the Prophet], Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 3, Page 83

[5] Wasa'il al-Shi'a [of the family of the Prophet], Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 3, Page 85

[6] Al-Kafi, Shaykh Al-Kulayni, Volume 1 Book 4, Chapter 111, The Birth of The Holy Prophet (ص) and His Demise, Hadith 35

[7] Al-Amali, Shaykh Al-Mufid, Page 31

The original text in Arabic can be found here

Question

_________________________________________

Answer

_________________________________________

Who performed the prayer over the pure body of the noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?

_________________________________________