Is it permitted to repeat the Janazah prayer after it has already been prayed?

No, it is not permitted to repeat the Janazah prayer except in very specific circumstances.

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).

In the authentic Hadith above we find that the general rule is the same prayer (Salah) is not to be repeated, rather every prayer is prayed once. This rule will apply to all prayers, including Janazah prayer, unless evidence is provided to specify this general rule. Due to this, the Hanafi scholars said Janazah prayer is not repeated.

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).

وَلَا يُصَلَّى عَلَى مَيِّتٍ إلَّا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَا جَمَاعَةً وَلَا وُحْدَانًا عِنْدَنَا، إلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ الَّذِينَ صَلَّوْا عَلَيْهَا أَجَانِبَ بِغَيْرِ أَمْرِ الْأَوْلِيَاءِ، ثُمَّ حَضَرَ الْوَلِيُّ فَحِينَئِذٍ لَهُ أَنْ يُعِيدَهَا. (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع)

And the deceased is not prayed over except once. Irrespective of it being an individual or congregational prayer, with us (the Hanafis). Unless the people who prayed over the deceased were strangers and did not have authorisation from the Awliyaa. In such a case the Wali has permission to repeat the prayer when he arrives. (Imam al-Kaasaani, Badai al-Sanaai).

وَيَدُلُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الْهِدَايَةِ فَإِنْ صَلَّى غَيْرُ الْوَلِيِّ أَوْ السُّلْطَانِ أَعَادَ الْوَلِيُّ لِأَنَّ الْحَقَّ لِلْأَوْلِيَاءِ، وَإِنْ صَلَّى الْوَلِيُّ لَمْ يَجُزْ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بَعْدَهُ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

The statement of al-Hidaayah substantiates it (the fact the Wali can repeat the Janazah), ‘If other than the Wali or Sultan prays then the Wali can repeat it, because the right is his. However, if the Wali prayed then no one has the right to pray it after him.’ (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtaar).

In the above Nusoos (texts) we find the position of the Hanafi Madhab. It is not permitted to repeat the Janazah Salah, unless it is prayed in a manner that violates the right of the Wali (closest male relative). Unfortunately, many Hanafis in our communities have misunderstood this issue, they fail to recognise that the Wali has the right to repeat the Salah if he did not permit the original prayer. They think he can repeat it as long as he did not pray in the original prayer, irrespective of him permitting it or not.

وللولي أَن يَأْذَن لغيره فَإِن صلى غير من ذكر بِلَا إِذن أعَاد الْوَلِيّ إِن شَاءَ

  (بِلَا إذْنٍ)
أَيْ لَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَهُ الْوَلِيُّ الْأَحَقُّ وَلَمْ يُتَابِعْهُ. (مجمع الأنهر في شرح ملتقى الأبحر)أَيْ لَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَهُ الْوَلِيُّ الْأَحَقُّ وَلَمْ يُتَابِعْهُ

Multaqa al-Abhur: The Wali can permit another (to lead the funeral prayer). However, if someone other than those mentioned pray (without the Wali) without (his) permission, then the Wali can repeat it if he wishes.

Majma al-Anhur (commentary of Multaqa al-Abhur): Without permission means the Wali with the greatest right did not permit it nor did he pray (the Janazah prayer) behind him (the Imam).

(قَوْلُهُ وَإِنْ صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ الْوَلِيُّ لَمْ يَجُزْ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ أَحَدٌ بَعْدَهُ)
لِأَنَّ الْفَرْضَ يَتَأَدَّى بِالْأَوْلَى وَالنَّفَلُ بِهَا غَيْرُ مَشْرُوعٍ وَلَوْ صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ الْوَلِيُّ وَلِلْمَيِّتِ أَوْلِيَاءُ آخَرُونَ بِمَنْزِلَتِهِ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يُعِيدُوا. (الجوهرة النيرة)

Imam al-Quduri: If the Wali prays upon him (the deceased), then it is not permitted for anyone after him to pray (over the deceased).
Imam al-Haddadi: This is because the Fard (obligation) is accomplished with the first prayer, and Nafl in it (Salatu al-Janazah) is not permitted. If the Wali prays over him but there are other Awliyaa, at the same level, then they are not permitted to repeat it. (al-Jowharah al-Nayirah).

It is clear in the Nusoos above and in many other texts that the Wali can only repeat the prayer if he did not permit the original Janazah. This is highly unlikely. People do not go ahead and pray someone’s Janazah without consulting his closest relatives. Therefore, the practice of praying over a deceased person once in his country of residence (e.g. the UK) and then again in his country of ethnic origin (e.g. Pakistan), is unlikely to be permitted in the Hanafi Madhab. It is important to note that sometimes the deceased will have more than one Wali. In such a case it is not permitted to repeat the prayer if even one of the Awliyaa prayed in the initial Janazah prayer.

ولو اقتدى بعض الأولياء مع رجل وصلى ليس للباقين الإعادة. (البناية شرح الهداية)

And if some of the Awliyaa pray (Salatu al-Janazah) behind a person, then the other (Awliyaa) cannot repeat it. (Imam al-Ayni, al-Binayah).

وَلَوْ صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ الْوَلِيُّ وَلِلْمَيِّتِ أَوْلِيَاءُ أُخَرُ بِمَنْزِلَتِهِ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يُعِيدُوا، كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ، فَإِنْ صَلَّى غَيْرُ الْوَلِيِّ أَوْ السُّلْطَانِ أَعَادَ الْوَلِيُّ إنْ شَاءَ، كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ. (الفتاوى الهندية)

If the Wali prays over him (the deceased), but the deceased has other Awliyaa at the same level, then they cannot repeat (the Janazah). As has been mentioned in al-Jowharah al-Nayirah. If other than the Wali or Sultan prayed (over the deceased) then the Wali can repeat it, if he wishes, as mentioned in al-Hidaayah. (Fataawa Hindiyah).

These are the legal rulings related to repeating Salatul al-Janazah according to the Hanafi Madhab. Other Madhaahib may well differ regarding some of these details. As Sunni Muslims we must respect such differences within the Madhaahib.

Another issue to consider is the permissibility of the Wali repeating the funeral prayer if the local Imam led the initial prayer. This is a fairly detailed discussion, so I have answered it in another post. (Please see the link below).

And Allah Most High Knows Best

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (25.01.2022)

See also:

How strong is the Hadith about not repeating prayers?

How to respect difference of opinion?

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

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

See also (video):