None to Perform the Janaazah salaah

Q: Janaa'iz-59: There are some villages where despite waiting for some time, there is none to perform the Janaazah salaah. The body is then buried without Janaazah salaah to prevent it from decaying. What is the ruling?

Answer: The Janaazah salaah is Fardh Kifaayah, meaning that the obligation will be discharged if some members of the community fulfil it. If not even one person performs it, all will be guilty for neglecting a Fardh act and the deceased will have sustained a tremendous loss. People must therefore learn how to perform the Janaazah salaah and teach it to others.

If there is none capable of performing the Janaazah salaah, a Muslim man or woman should perform wudhu, stand in front of the deceased, call out the Takbeer Tahreema and fold the hands. S/he should then proceed to call out the other three Takbeers before making Salaam. This will suffice as the Janaazah salaah and the rest of the community will be absolved of the obligation. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.3