Does the Hanafi Madhab permit women to attend a burial?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

No, the Hanafi Madhab considers it Makruh Tahreemi for women to attend a burial. However, they are permitted to subsequently visit the grave.

Explanation

عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، قَالَتْ: نُهِينَا عَنِ اتِّبَاعِ الجَنَائِزِ، وَلَمْ يُعْزَمْ عَلَيْنَا

Umm Atiyyah said: We were forbidden from following funeral processions. And it was not obligated upon us. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1278). 

The above Hadith constitutes clear evidence for the Hanafi Madhab. Since they say it is not permitted for women to attend a burial. The first half of the Hadith above undoubtedly supports that notion. However, the second statement in the Hadith could cause some difficulty for the Hanafi position. That is because Hanafis consider it Makruh Tahreemi (prohibited). And many have claimed the second half of the Hadith asserts that the prohibition was not emphatic. However, the Hanafis dispute this. 

Commentary

أَي: كَمَا عزم على الرِّجَال بترغيبهم فِي اتباعها بِحُصُول القيراط، وَنَحْو ذَلِك. انْتهى. وَأحسن حالات الْمَرْأَة مَعَ الْجِنَازَة أَنَّهَا لَا تُوجد فِي حُضُورهَا. (عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري)

Meaning, like he obliged men by persuading them with the reward of a Qirat, and the like. End quote. The best situation for a woman with regard to a funeral is that she is not present at it. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni 855H, Umdatu al-Qari, Commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Nass (text) above, makes it clear that the second sentence in the Hadith was not referring to the prohibition not being emphatic. Rather it was explaining that the encouragement to attend a burial is not applicable to women. Thus, the prohibition stands. And the Hanafis are correct.

ولم يعزم علينا أي: لم يفرض علينا، وأصل العزم: الجد والصبر، وفيه من الفقه كراهة اتباع النساء للأموات حيث يُشيعُ إلى القبور. (شرح سنن أبي داود)

And it was not obligated upon us, meaning: He did not make it obligatory upon us. The root of the word ‘Azm’ (determination) is seriousness and patience. In it is the legal ruling that it is disliked for women to follow the deceased when they are being taken to the graves. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni 855H, Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud).

Other Hadith narrations 

As we have seen above, the Hanafi position that it is prohibited (Makruh Tahreemi) for women to attend a burial is supported by a Hadith in Bukhari. There are other weaker narrations that also support the Hanafi view. Although they are weak, they will further strengthen the Hanafi view. 

قَالَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ: وَحَضَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَنَازَةَ رَجُلٍ، فَلَمَّا وُضِعَتْ لَيُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهَا أَبْصَرَ امْرَأَةً، فَسَأَلَ عَنْهَا، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: هِيَ أُخْتُ الْمَيِّتِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: ارْجِعِي وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ

Yazid ibn Abi Habib said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ attended the funeral of a man. When it was placed down for him to pray over, he ﷺ saw a woman and asked about her. He was told: She is the sister of the deceased, O Messenger of Allah. He said to her: Return. And he ﷺ did not pray over the deceased until she disappeared. (Musnad Abi Ya’la, 6747).

رَوَاهُ أَبُو يَعْلَى فِي آخِرِ حَدِيثٍ ذَكَرَهُ، وَرِجَالُهُ ثِقَاتٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ مُنْقَطِعُ الْإِسْنَادِ.

Abu Ya’la narrated it at the end of a hadith he mentioned. Its narrators are trustworthy, but its chain of transmission is broken. (Imam Noorud-deen al-Haythami 807H, Majma’ al-Zawaaid wa Mamba’ al-Fawa’id).

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَإِذَا نِسْوَةٌ جُلُوسٌ، فَقَالَ: مَايُجْلِسُكُنَّ قُلْنَ: نَنْتَظِرُ الْجِنَازَةَ، قَالَ: هَلْتَغْسِلْنَ قُلْنَ: لَا، قَالَ: هَلْتَحْمِلْنَ، قُلْنَ: لَا، قَالَ: هَلْتُدْلِينَفِيمَنْيُدْلِي، قُلْنَ: لَا، قَالَ: فَارْجِعْنَمَأْزُورَاتٍغَيْرَمَأْجُورَاتٍ

(Sayidina) Ali said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out and saw some women sitting. So he said: ‘What are you sitting for?’ They said: ‘We are waiting for the deceased.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Are you going to wash (the deceased)?’ They said: ‘No.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Are you going to carry (the deceased)?’ They said: ‘No.’He ﷺ said: ‘Are you going to lower (the deceased into the grave) with those who lower?’ They said: ‘No.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Then go back sinful and not rewarded.’ (Sunan Ibn Maja, 1578).

رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ بِإِسْنَادٍ ضَعِيفٍ مِنْ رِوَايَةِ إسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ الْأَزْرَقِ وَنَقَلَ ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ تَضْعِيفَهُ عَنْ أَعْلَامِ هَذَا الْفَنِّ. (المجموع شرح المهذب)

Ibn Majah narrated it with a weak chain of transmission from the narration of Ismail ibn Sulayman al-Azraq. Ibn Abi Hatim transmitted his weakness from the leading scholars of this field. (Imam Yahya bin Sharaf al-Nawawi 676H, al-Majmoo).

It is Tahreemi

Leading Hanafi Imams clarified that it is Makruh Tahreemi for women to attend a burial. One of the difficulties for students in the Hanafi Madhab is that the texts of the Madhab will mention something is Makruh without clarifying whether it is Tahreemi or Tanzeehi. So, an abundance of research is sometimes required when seeking clarification. 

However, this is not the case regarding this issue. Some of the most renowned works of the Madhab have confirmed that it is Makruh Tahreemi. Therefore, it is sinful and they must refrain. 

وَيُكْرَهُ خُرُوجُهُنَّ تَحْرِيمًا، وَتُزْجَرُ النَّائِحَةُ، وَلَا يُتْرَكُ اتِّبَاعُهَا لِأَجْلِهَا

(قَوْلُهُ وَيُكْرَهُ خُرُوجُهُنَّ تَحْرِيمًا) لِقَوْلِهِ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «ارْجِعْنَ مَأْزُورَاتٍ غَيْرَ مَأْجُورَاتٍ» رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ بِسَنَدٍ ضَعِيفٍ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

Imam al-Haskafi: Their going out is prohibitively disliked (Makruh Tahreeman). the wailing woman should be reprimanded. But following it (the funeral procession) should not be abandoned because of her.

Imam Ibn Abideen: His statement, “And it is disliked for them to go out, due to its prohibition” is based on the Prophet ﷺ saying: Return burdened with sin and without reward. This was narrated by Ibn Majah with a weak chain of transmission (Sanad).

ويكره اتباع النساء الجنائز. (مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح)

It is disliked for Women to follow funeral processions.(Imam Hasan bin Amar al-Shurunbulali 1069H, Maraaqi al-Falah Sharh Nur al-Idah).

قوله: “ويكره اتباع النساء الجنائز” أي تحريما كما في الدر. (حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح)

His statement: “It is disliked for women to follow funeral processions,” meaning it is forbidden (Tahreeman), as stated in al-Durr. (Imam Ahmad bin Muhammad al- Tahtawi 1231H, Haashiyah al-Tahtawi on Maraaqi al-Falah).

Difference of opinion 

The Hanafi opinion deems it is sinful for women to attend a burial. However, other Madhabs may well differ. Such differences of opinion must be respected. And it is permissible for a follower of one Madhab to take a dispensation from another, provided they adhere to the necessary conditions. 

Conclusion 

The Hanafi Madhab considers it Makruh Tahreemi for women to attend a burial. Meaning it is sinful for them to attend. Hanafi scholars have numerous Hadith narrations to support their position. As for the abundance of Hadith narrations that undoubtedly permit women to go to graveyards, they are understood to be referring to visiting the grave after burial. 

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (19.11.25)