Assalamo Alaikum

Shall the funeral prayer be offered on a still born, before burying it?

Name withheld

 

Walekum Assalam WRWB

 

Answer

First, we should understand that a still-born or aborted issue should not be given a bath.

Now there are different opinions on the definition of a still-born:  According to Shafa‘ee, a dead baby delivered before the six month pregnancy period has passed will not be given bath. Hanbalites say that no bath is needed for a dead baby born before four months pregnancy. Hanafites and Malikites say that there is no bath for a still born baby.

It is agreed that no funeral prayer would be offered for a body which was not given a bath. (Kitab-ul-Fiqh, Abdur Rahman Al-Jazeeri)

Allah knows the best.

Dr. Syed Hasanuddin Ahmad