Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Due to the small number of Muslims offering funeral prayer for those who die of (Coronavirus) COVID-19 and the possibility of not offering it for them, it is permissible to offer funeral prayer for the absent deceased Muslims with the intention that it is for those for whom no funeral prayers have been offered on condition that it is not scheduled for a specific time e.g. Friday.
In responding to this question, the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), states:
The rule is that funeral prayer is offered, while the corpse is placed in front of an Imam leading a congregation aligning in rows behind him.
As for funeral prayer offered for an absent deceased, it is permissible by virtue of the hadith about the Negus. Offering funeral prayer for someone for whom a funeral prayer has been offered is also permissible provided that it does not become a common practice.
Nevertheless, the funeral prayer has not been offered for every absent deceased.
Due to the small number of Muslims offering funeral prayer for those who die of (Coronavirus) COVID-19 and the possibility of not offering it for them, it is permissible to offer funeral prayer for the absent deceased Muslims with the intention that it is for those for whom no funeral prayers have been offered on condition that it is not scheduled for a specific time e.g. Friday.
Specifying certain time is impermissible and is not backed up by any proof. Ibn Tamyyah says: “Funeral prayer for a deceased body cannot not be offered daily, since this practice has not been reported. Offering it every day for every Muslim dying on that day is certainly an introduction of innovation to the religion.” (Al-Fatawa Al-Kubra, vol. 5, p. 360)
? Read Also: Is Holding Funeral Prayer for the Deceased Through Live Broadcast Valid?
Almighty Allah knows best.
Source: https://www.e-cfr.org/
