1. The Funeral of the Deceased

2. funeral prayer for a deceased person is a collective obligation or fard kifayah.
The Prophet commanded the Muslims to offer it, and they have been doing so ever since they received this commandment.
Abu Hurairah reported that when the Prophet was informed of the death of a person, he used to ask: Does he owe anything to anyone?' If the answer was in the affirmative, he would then ask: 'Has he (the deceased) left anything to settle his debt?' If he had left something to settle his debt, he would offer the funeral prayer for him.
Otherwise, he would say to the Muslims: 'Offer a (funeral) prayer for your brother"'
(Bukhari and Muslim).

3. Reward of doing the Funeral Prayer
Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet said: "Whoever follows a funeral procession and offers the prayer for the deceased, will get one kerat 68 of reward. And whoever follows it and remains with it until the body is buried, will get two kerats of reward, the least of which is equal in weight to 'Mount Uhud' or he said 'one of them is like Uhud.'
[This is reported by the group.]
Khabbab reported that he asked "O 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar! Did you hear what Abu Hurairah says? He says that he heard Allah's Messenger, saying. 'Whoever leaves his house to attend a funeral prayer, offers funeral prayer, and then follows the funeral procession until the body is buried will receive two kerats of reward, each of which is like the mountain of Uhud. And whoever offers the funeral prayer and then leaves for home (This proves that a person does not need permission of the family of the deceased to leave after attending the funeral) will get a reward like the mountain of Uhud" (Muslim).
Ibn 'Umar sent Khabbab to 'Aishah asking her about the statement of Abu Hurairah. She said, "Abu Hurairah has told the truth." When Ibn ' Umar was informed about this he said, "We have indeed lost many a kerat."

4. Conditions of being able to offer the Funeral Prayer
The prerequisites for a funeral prayer are the same as for the obligatory prayers. Anyone intending to offer funeral prayer must be in a state of purity, be free from all minor and major impurities, must cover his or her "awrah," and stand facing the direction of the Ka'bah.
Malik reported from Nafi' that Abdullah Ibn 'Umar used to say: "One should not offer a funeral prayer unless he is in a state of purity."
The funeral prayer differs from the prescribed prayers in that there is no fixed time for offering it. It may be offered at any time, including the times when regular prayers may not be offered.

5. However Certain requirements must be met for a valid funeral prayer, and failure to meet any of these may invalidate the prayer.
-1- Intention
The real intention is what is in the heart, and its verbal utterance is not legally required. Allah says in the Qur'an: "And they have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true in (faith)." Qur'an 98.5 And the Prophet said: "Verily, all deeds (of a person) will be judged in the light of the intentions behind them, and every person will attain what he intends."
-2- Standing Prayer
The majority of scholars regard it as an essential condition for a valid funeral prayer to stand while praying if one is physically able to do so. A funeral prayer offered while sitting or riding, without any valid excuse, is not valid.
It is reported in Al-Mughni "It is not permissible for one to offer a funeral prayer while riding, as in this case an essential condition - standing while praying - would be missing."
It is preferable to put one's hands together, placing the right on the left, as is done in the prescribed regular prayer. Some disagree, but in our view it is better and preferable.

6. Funeral Prayer begins with 4 loud Takbirs
This is based on a report transmitted by both Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Jabir who said:
"Allah's Messenger offered funeral prayers for Najashi (Negus) and said four takbirs. (That is, he said Allahu akbar four times)
Tirmizhi said:
Most of the learned Companions of the Prophet and others followed and acted in accordance with the above example of the Prophet. They hold that four takbirs should be said in a funeral prayer.
Among these scholars are Sufyan, Malik, Ibn Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq.

7. Raising the hands during Takbir
It is sunnah to raise one's hands while uttering the first takbir.
There is nothing related from the Prophet to show that he raised his hands in funeral prayer except for the first takbir.
Therefore one should raise one's hands only on saying the first takbir. For the rest of the (three) takbirs no such instruction is available, except when one changes from one posture to another as in the regular prayer. There is no such change of posture required in the funeral prayer, so there is no need for raising hands in other than the first "takbir".

8. Al Fatihah during Funeral Prayer is a sunnah not obligation
Narrated from Abu Umamah ibn Sahl that one of the Companions of the Prophet told him that when offering a (funeral) prayer it is sunnah for the imam to say aloud Allahu Akbar (first opening takbir), then to recite al- Fatihah silently in his heart, and then send salutations to the Prophet and then pray for forgiveness of the deceased.
Nothing else is to be recited in between takbirs.
Finally, he should end his prayer with salutations in his heart.
Bukhari reported from Talha ibn Abdullah that he said: "I offered a funeral prayer that was led by Ibn Abbas. He recited Al-Fatihah and said: 'This is a sunnah of the Prophet,."'
Tirmizhi also reported this and remarked that this has been the practice of some of the learned among the Companions of the Prophet.
Others prefer to recite Al-Fatihah after the first takbir.

9. Sending Blessing upon the Prophet
Prayer for peace and blessings upon the Prophet may be said in any form. If someone were to say: "O Allah, bless Muhammad," it should suffice. It is better, however, to use the prayers transmitted through tradition, like the following::
(Allahumma Salli 'ala-Muhammad wa'ala ali Muhammad kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahim wa barik 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad kama barakta' ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahim innaka hamidun Majid)." "O Allah! Grant peace to Muhammad and his family as you did to Ibrahim and his family. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and his family as you blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly You are Most Glorious and Most Praiseworthy.'
This should be said after the second takbir, as is obvious, though there is nothing specifically reported in this regard as to its precise place in the funeral prayer.

10. To Be Continued