Can you repeat Janazah if the local Imam led the original prayer?

No, it is not permitted to repeat the Janazah if the local Imam led the original prayer. This is according to the strongest opinion in the Hanafi Madhab.

عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ يَعْنِي مَوْلَى مَيْمُونَةَ، قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ عَلَى الْبَلَاطِ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ، فَقُلْتُ: أَلَا تُصَلِّي مَعَهُمْ، قَالَ: قَدْ صَلَّيْتُ، إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: لَا تُصَلُّوا صَلَاةً فِي يَوْمٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ

(Sayidina) Ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) said, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, ‘Do not pray a prayer twice in the same day.’ (Sunan Abi Dawood 579, Sahih).

Normally the funeral prayer is not repeated (see answer below for more details). However, in very particular circumstances, it may be permitted for the Wali (closest male relative) to repeat it. The question is whether he can repeat it if the initial prayer was led by the local Imam. The Hanafi scholars differ over who has the greater right to lead a funeral prayer, the Wali or the local Imam. Nevertheless, this is a slightly different discussion. Even if we accept that the Wali has a greater right, can he repeat the prayer if it was initially prayed by the local Imam?

وَبِهِ ظَهَرَ ضَعْفُ مَا فِي غَايَةِ الْبَيَانِ مِنْ أَنَّ لِلْوَلِيِّ الْإِعَادَةَ لَوْ صَلَّى إمَامُ الْحَيِّ لَا لَوْ صَلَّى السُّلْطَانُ لِئَلَّا يَزْدَرِيَ بِهِ أَفَادَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

Thus becomes clear the weakness of what is mentioned in Ghayatu al-Bayaan, that the Wali (closest male relative) can repeat the Salah even if the local Imam led the prayer, but he is not permitted if the Sultan led it, so that he (the Sultan) is not undermined. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtar).

وَلَا يُصَلَّى عَلَى مَيِّتٍ إلَّا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَالتَّنَفُّلُ بِصَلَاةِ الْجِنَازَةِ غَيْرُ مَشْرُوعٍ، كَذَا فِي الْإِيضَاحِ، وَلَا يُعِيدُ الْوَلِيُّ إنْ صَلَّى الْإِمَامُ الْأَعْظَمُ أَوْ السُّلْطَانُ أَوْ الْوَالِي أَوْ الْقَاضِي أَوْ إمَامُ الْحَيِّ. (الفتاوى الهندية)

And the deceased is only prayed over once. Nafl is not permitted with Salatu al-Janazah (funeral prayer). As has been mentioned in al-Eedaah. The Wali does not have the right to repeat the Salah if the great Imam (Khalifah), Sultan, governor, judge or local Imam has led the prayer. (al-Fataawa al-Hindiyah).

The Nusoos above are clear regarding the issue, the Wali cannot repeat the prayer if the local Imam led the initial prayer. However, these Hanafi Imams did not make it an issue of greater right. Other Imams did bring this issue up in the discussion.

رَجُلٌ صَلَّى عَلَى جِنَازَةٍ وَالْوَلِيُّ خَلْفَهُ وَلَمْ يَرْضَ بِهِ، إنْ تَابَعَهُ وَصَلَّى مَعَهُ لَا يُعِيدُ لِأَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَرَّةً، وَإِنْ لَمْ يُتَابِعْهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ الْمُصَلِّي السُّلْطَانَ أَوْ الْإِمَامَ الْأَعْظَمَ فِي الْبَلْدَةِ أَوْ الْقَاضِيَ أَوْ الْوَالِيَ عَلَى الْبَلْدَةِ. أَوْ إمَامَ حَيٍّ لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُعِيدَ لِأَنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ هُمْ الْأَوْلَوْنَ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ غَيْرَهُمْ. فَلَهُ الْإِعَادَةُ. وَكَذَا ذَكَرَ فِي التَّجْنِيسِ وَالْفَتَاوَى الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ. (العناية شرح الهداية)

A person prayed over a Janazah and the Wali was behind him but was dissatisfied with him (leading the prayer). However, if he prayed with him then he cannot repeat the Salah, because he has prayed once. If he did not follow him (in prayer), then if the Imam (of the prayer) was the Sultan, the great Imam, judge, governor or local Imam, then he (the Wali) cannot repeat the prayer. As they all have more right than he does. However, if it was someone else then he has the right to repeat (the funeral prayer). As mentioned in al-Tajnees and al-Fatawaa al-Dhaheeriyah. (Imam al-Babarti, al-Inayah Sharh al-Hidaayah).

Imam Babarti seems to link this Masalah to the fact that the local Imam has more right to lead the Janazah than the Wali. If we base the ruling on this issue then we have some room for Ikhtilaaf (difference of opinion) because there are leading Hanafi Imams that said the Wali has more right than the local Imam. In any case, when it comes this Masalah most scholars did not make the link between first right and permissibility to repeat the funeral prayer.

Another factor to consider is that it is only permitted for the Wali to repeat the Janazah prayer if he did not permit the initial prayer (as explained in the answer below). Bearing all of this in mind, it is highly unlikely for a Wali to be permitted to repeat Janazah according to the Hanafi Madhab.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (25.01.2022)

See also:

Is it permitted to repeat the Janazah Prayer?

How strong is the Hadith about not repeating prayers?

If a funeral prayer is repeated, can you pray again?

See also (video):