What is the ruling on Salat al-Gha'ib (funeral prayer in absentia)?

Scholars have differed concerning the funeral prayer for an absent person. Imam Al-Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad held the view that it is permissible, citing as evidence the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer for the Negus. The Hanafis and Malikis, however, disagreed, considering the story of the Negus to be specific to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Meanwhile, Imam Ahmad, in one narration, held that it is permissible to perform the funeral prayer for an absent person who possessed virtue and precedence among the Muslims.

The preponderant opinion is that the funeral prayer for an absent person is permissible for one who dies in a land where there is no one to pray over him, similar to the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer for the Negus because he died among disbelievers and was not prayed over. However, for one who has been prayed over in the place where he died, the funeral prayer for the absent is not performed, as the obligation has been fulfilled by the Muslims' prayer over him. This is the view held by a group of meticulous scholars, such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim. This is further supported by the fact that many who died during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, even those who had significant contributions to the Muslims, were not prayed over with the funeral prayer for the absent.