Q 3: Is it preferable to accelerate the process of burying the dead or is it preferable to wait until people gather in large numbers and the time of an obligatory Salah (Prayer) becomes due? May Allah reward you with the best!

A 3: It is a Sunnah (action following the teachings of the Prophet) to accelerate the process of preparing, shrouding and praying for the dead, even at a time other than that of the obligatory Salah when a sufficient number of praying persons are present. Evidence for this is what has been narrated by Sa`id ibn Al-Musayyib on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Hurry the funeral up. If the deceased is righteous, you will be bringing him towards good and if otherwise, it will be an evil that you take down from your shoulders. (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). This is the wording of Al-Bukhari (vol. 2, p. 88). If the time of an obligatory Salah is approaching, Janazah (Funeral) Prayer can be delayed in order to be performed at the time of any obligatory Salah for the benefit of increasing the number of praying persons. This will be acceptable under the condition that the deceased will not be harmed. This is more preferable, according to the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: If a Muslim dies and forty men, who are not Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), perform the Janazah Prayer for him, Allah will let them intercede for him. Related by Imam Muslim in his Sahih (Authentic Hadith Book) and Abu Dawud in his Sunan (Hadith compilations classified according to jurisprudential themes). Abu Dawud reported in another narration on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Each dead person for whom a community of Muslims, whose number amounts to one hundred, performs Janazah Prayer (Part No. 7; Page No. 227) and wants to do Shafa`ah (intercession) for him, their Shafa`ah will be accepted. There is no contradiction between the two narrations. Allah (Exalted be He) informed His Prophet (peace be upon him) of the status of the dead person for whom one hundred persons prayed. The grace of Allah increases with giving the same reward for the deceased one for whom forty people offered Janazah Prayers, of which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed. The concept of how many does not serve as supporting evidence in the view of the Jumhur (dominant majority of scholars) of the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. Information on the acceptance of Shafa`ah of one hundred does not preclude the possibility of accepting the Shafa`ah of a less number. The grace of Allah is great and abundant.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.