Short answer
In the Hanafi school, no. Once the janazah has been prayed by the walis (the close family) or with their permission, it is not repeated, even by people who missed it. If strangers prayed it without the family's consent, the wali may pray it again. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools allow those who missed it to pray it again.
Repeating the janazah prayer is not permitted once it has been prayed by the wali or by someone with a greater right, such as the ruler or the local imam. If it was prayed by someone with no right and without the wali's permission, the wali may repeat it, and those who prayed the first time do not join him.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Someone who has not prayed may pray it afterwards, alone or in a group, even at the grave.
- Hanbali
- Someone who has not prayed may pray it afterwards, and at the grave up to about a month after burial.
- Maliki
- Repeating the janazah after it has been prayed in a group is disliked.
Explanation
This often comes up when a body is flown home, or when one mosque prays and the family wants a second janazah where relatives live. It also comes up when a person arrives just after the prayer ended.
The Hanafi reasoning. The janazah is a communal duty. Once it has been done properly, the duty is fulfilled, and a repeated janazah would be a voluntary one, which does not exist in the Hanafi school. The exception is the family's own right: if others prayed without the wali's knowledge or permission, the wali may pray again, because the right to the prayer was his.
What this means in practice:
- Body sent abroad. If the main janazah is prayed here with the family's agreement, it should not be repeated at the destination. If the family wants it prayed there, they should hold off here and make dua instead. See sending a body home.
- You arrived late. Make dua for the dead, follow the body and attend the burial. The reward of following the funeral is still yours.
- Janazah in absentia. Praying in another city over someone already prayed over is not done in the Hanafi school; see janazah in absentia.
The other schools rely on the Prophet ﷺ praying at the grave of a woman who used to clean the mosque, after others had buried her. Hanafi scholars answer that he had the greatest right over every believer's janazah, so his prayer was like the wali's. If you follow another school, or the family does, there is no need to argue at a funeral.
The evidence
Sahih al-Bukhari 1337
Sahih... دلوني على قبره ...
"Show me his grave."
The report the other schools use to allow praying again at the grave; Hanafi scholars explain it by the Prophet's ﷺ special right.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, Bab al-Jana'iz, section on who has the right to lead. The wali may repeat it if someone else prayed without right; otherwise it is not repeated.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, Bab Salat al-Janazah. No voluntary repetition of the janazah.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Jana'iz, praying over a grave. The Hanbali allowance to pray at the grave within about a month.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.