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Fatwa CenterThe soundness of the funeral prayer if one decreased one Takbeerah
Question
I led the funeral prayer. After I recited the supplications in favor of the deceased I forgot to say the fourth Takbeerah and then I said the Tasleem, so what is the ruling pertaining to me as well as the followers?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It is obligatory to say four Takbeerahs in the funeral prayer. Therefore, if someone intentionally decreased one Takbeerah, his prayer is invalid. However, if someone forgot one Takbeerah and then he remembered before the burial he may make it up. In case of long separation he has to reoffer the prayer.
If he remembered after the burial whereas he did not offer any other funeral prayer on him except that one, he can offer the prayer at the grave because his prayer is incomplete as if he did not offer the funeral prayer at all. It is impermissible to prostrate for forgetfulness in any of these cases.
In his book Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudaamah, the Hanbali scholar 
said: “If he intentionally decreased one Takbeerah, his prayer is invalid like the case of the individual who drops one Rak‘ah intentionally. However, if he dropped it out of forgetfulness, he may make it up as Anas 
did. He may say this Takbeerah unless there is a long separation like the case of forgetting one Rak‘ah. It is not permissible to prostrate for forgetfulness in either case.”
The followers have the same ruling of the Imaam.
Allaah Knows best.
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