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Fatwa CenterFuneral Prayer in a Loud Voice
Question
In our college one teacher is saying that we should not pray the Namaz of Janaza in a loud voice. We told him that we can pray in a loud voice, but our college teacher is not accepting that. He says that we should bring no Fatwa. Is it permissible or not? Some scholars pray Janaza loudly, and they claim that it is Sunnah to teach people since many people in our country (India) do not know what they should pray and how to perform the prayer.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The majority of the Muslim scholars are of the opinion that as a general rule the funeral prayer should be performed silently regardless on whether the prayer is performed at daytime or at night. Some of the Shaafi’i scholars are of the opinion that the prayer should be performed in a loud voice if it is performed at night and silently if it is performed at daytime.
We think that the first opinion is more preponderant for the narration reported in Musnad Ash-Shaafi’i from Abu Umaamah that one companion of the Prophet Muhammad informed him that "when offering a funeral prayer, it is Sunnah for the Imam to say aloud Allahu Akbar (first opening Takbeer), then to recite Al-Faatihah silently in one’s heart after the first Takeer, and then invoke blessings upon the Prophet, and then supplicate for forgiveness of the deceased. Nothing else is to be recited in between Takbeers. Finally, he should end his prayer with the salutation (Assalamu Alaykum) in his heart (i.e. silently)". [Imam Al-Bayhaqi strengthened this chain]
This Hadeeth recommends that a funeral prayer should be performed silently. However, performing a funeral prayer aloud is also permissible if there is any reason such as to teach the people how the prayer is performed and what is recited during it. Because performing the funeral prayer aloud is also proved from the sound Hadeeth narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari from Talha ibn Abdullah that he said: "I offered a funeral prayer that was led by Ibn ‘Abbaas and he recited Al-Faatihah and said: “You should know that it (i.e. recitation of Al-Faatihah in the funeral prayer) is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad .” The same Hadeeth is reported by Imam An-Nasaa’i with these words… “He (Ibn ‘Abbaas) recited Soorah Al-Faatihah and another Soorah aloud, and after completing the prayer he said: “This act is Sunnah and truth.” Ibn ‘Abbaas 
recited Soorah Al-Faatihah aloud as mentioned in Saheeh Al-Bukhari to teach the people that it should be recited in a funeral prayer.
In short, performing a funeral prayer silently is the opinion of the majority of the Muslim scholars and if there is no need to perform it aloud then offering it silently is recommended. However, if there is a reason, then performing it aloud is permissible as proved from Ibn ‘Abbaas .
For more benefit on the funeral prayer, please refer to Fataawa 335380, 339799, and 348124.
Allah knows best.
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