Chapter on the Prayer over the Dead

Ali ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Kufi, whose nickname was Hamdan, from Muhammad ibn Abdullah from Muhammad ibn Abi Hamzah from Muhammad ibn Yazid from Abu Basir who said: I was sitting with Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, when a man entered and asked Imam عليه السلام about the (amount of) takbir over the funerals. Imam عليه السلام said: “Five takbirs.” Then another man entered and asked Imam عليه السلام about the prayer over the funerals. Imam عليه السلام said to him: “Four prayers.” So the first man said: “May I be your ransom, I asked you and you said five (takbirs), and this one asked you and you said four (takbirs).” Imam عليه السلام said: “You asked me about the takbirs, and this one asked me about the prayers.” Then Imam عليه السلام said: “They are five takbirs, between them are four prayers.” Then Imam عليه السلام opened his palm and said: “Indeed, they are five takbirs, between them are four prayers.”