Namaz Janaaza in the Masjid

It is undesirable to perform the Salaah of Janaaza inside the Masjid. According to a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: 

"Whoever performs the Salaah of Janaaza in the Masjid gets nothing". (Abu Daawud)

It is an authentic Hadith which is quite clear to show that performing the Salaah of Janaaza in the Masjid is an undesirable practice. It is true that some 'Ulama qualified this Hadith as weak due to the presence of a narrator named Saalih Maula Bin At-Taw'amah. But in principle, he is an honest and authentic narrator. It was only when he became old that he got some problem of being confused. As for Hadith that he had previously reported, they are all reliable without any problem. Now, one must know the epoch of this Hadith. This Hadith is reported by one of his former students named Ibn Abu Zi'b. Thus, it is a Hadith that was reported much earlier when he did not yet have the problem of being confused. According to Ibn Adi, the Hadith that his former students like Ibn Abu Zi'b, Ibn Juraiji, Ziyaad Bin Sa'd etc. have reported, are correct. Thus, this Hadith is authentic and can be used as argument and proof. On the other side, there is a Hadith of Saheeh Muslim reported by Hazrat 'Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha) which apparently supports the practice of performing the Salaah Janaaza in the Masjid. According to this Hadith, Hazrat 'Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha) had asked to bring the Janaaza of Hazrat Sa'd Bin Abu Waqqaas (Radiyallaahu Anhu) in the Masjid so that she could perform his Janaaza Salaah. But the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallaahu Anhum) found it strange. As justification, Hazrat 'Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha) reported a case where Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) performed the Salaah of Janaaza of Hazrat Souhail Bin Al Baida (Radiyallaahu Anhu) in the Masjid. The attitude of the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallaahu Anhum) reveals that the practice of performing the Salaah of Janaaza in the Masjid was not a normal practice. How could it be possible that the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallaahu Anhum) forgot a customary practice? It seems very strange. This shows that according to the normal and habitual practice, the Janaaza Salaah was performed outside the Masjid. Moreover, according to a Hadith of Bukhari Shareef, there was a special place allocated near Masjid Nabawi to perform the Salaah of Janaaza. These random Salaah of Janaaza that were performed in the Masjid were exceptional cases that may have had specific circumstances and reasons. A practice that has taken place under specific conditions and circumstances cannot have a general application. It must be restricted to the specific conditions. The general principle concerning the Salaah of Janaaza is to perform it outside the Masjid.

Moreover, according to the principle established by the Fuqaha (jurists), when there is a contradiction between the practice and the statement of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam), we give preference to the statement of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) because this concerns the entire 'Ummah. On the other hand, whatever he practiced, he may have performed it for some specific reasons and in some specific circumstances.

According to this principle, the Hadith of Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) in which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said that "there is no reward or there is nothing for the one who performs the Salaah of Janaaza in the Masjid" will have preference over the Hadith of Hazrat 'Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha) which mentions that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) had performed the Janaaza Salaah of a Sahaabi in the Masjid. At most, we can say that performing the Salaah Janaaza in the Masjid is permitted in some cases but in general, it is better, more recommended, and more in accordance to the Sunnah to perform it outside the Masjid.

[English version of "Namaz janazah dans masjid" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.12]