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Kitab  - Zad-ul Ma?ad, by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jauziyyah (English Translation/Volume-4) Published by Madinah Publishers and Distributors Translated by Jalal Abualrub Page 100-104 After Prophet, salla allahu ?alaihi wa-sallams death, the companions recited four, five or six Takbirs. For example, Zaid ibn Arqam recited five Takbirs and stated that the Prophet, salla allahu ?alaihi wa-sallam did same; Muslim (1589) collected this ?Hadith. Ali ibn Abi Talib raliallaahu anhu said six Takbirs in the janazah Prayer on Sahl ibn ?Hanaif, may Allah be pleased with him. [Ali ibn Abi talib, may Allah pleased with him, did this in front of many companions, none of whom criticized him. Therefore, reciting six and also seven Takbirs is established. Al-Albani said in, ?A?hkam al-Jana-iz? Pg.143, ?Ibn ?Hazm collected this report in his book, al-Mu?halla (4:126), stating that its chain of narration is very authentic. I-al-Albani say that the part of it regarding ?Ali?s action was collected by Abu Dawood in his book, Masa-il al-Imam Ahmed. Pg.152, and also at-Tahawi (1:287), a;-?Hakim (3:409) and al-Baihaqi (4:36), using an authentic chain of narration that follows the conditions set by the, Two Sahihs. Al-Bukhari collected this story (7:253), except for mentioning the number six.?] Ad-Daraqutni reported that ?Ali ibn Abi Talib raliallaahu anhu recited six Takbirs on those who participated in the battle of Badr, five on the rest of the companions and four on the rest of the people. [Al-Albani said in, ?A?hkam al-Jana-iz? Pg.144, ?This Hadith was collected by at-Tahawi, ad-Daraqutuni (191), and al-Baihaqi (4:37) through ad-Daraqutuni, using a Sahih chain of narrations containing reliable narrators.?] Sa?eed ibn Mansur reported that, al-?Hakam ibn ?Uthaibah said, ?They used to recite five, six and seven Takbirs on the people of Badr.? [For instance, Musa ibn ?Abdullah ibn Yazid said that Ali ibn Abi talib recited seven Takbirs for the Janazah of abu Qatada, who participated in the battle of Badr. At-Ta?hawi and al-Baihaqi (4:36) collected this statement, using as authentic chain of narration that follows the conditions set by Muslim in his, Sahih; refer to, ?A?hkam al-Jana-iz?, Pg.144.] All these are authentic narrations, and therefore, reciting more than Four Takbirs should not be rejected. The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not forbid reciting more that Four Takbirs. To the contrary, he sallallaahu ?alaihi wa-sallam, and his companions after him, practiced this. Those who said it is not legislated to recite more than Four Takbirs during the Funeral Prayer relied, for evidence, on a ?Hadith collected from ?Abdullah ibn ?Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who was reported to have said that in the last Janaza prayer the Prophet sallallaahu ?alaihi wa-sallam led, he recited four Takbirs. [Al-Hafidh ibn JHajar al-?Asqalani said in his book, at-Talkhis (5:167), also al-?Hazimi said in, al-I?tibar, Pg.95, and al-Baihaqi in, as-Sunan (3:74), that this ?Hadith was collected through several chains of narration, all of which are weak.] This group said that since this was the last practice the Prophet sallallaahu ?alaihi wa-sallam performed, then it should be the adopted practice. Al-Khallal said in his book, al-Ilal, that ?Harb said that, Imam Ahmed was asked about this ?Hadith, which was reported by Abu al-Mali?h, from Maimun, from ?Abdullah ibn ?Abbas raliallaahu anhu. Imam Ahmed said, ?This is a fabricated narration and does not have any basis. Muhammad ibn Ziyad at-Tahhan reported this ?hadith; he used to fabricate ?Hadith narrations.? This group also relied, for evidence, on a report collected from maimun ibn Mehran, who said that ?Abdullah ibn ?Abbas raliallaahu anhu said that, when angels offered the Janazah Prayer on Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, they recited four Takbirs, saying ?This is your Sunnah, O, Children of Adam!? Al-Athram said, regarding the last ?Hadith, ?We were discussing the trustworthiness of Muhammad ibn Mu?awiyah an-Naisaburi, who used to live in Makkah. I heard Abu ?Abdullah [Ahmed ibn ?Hanbel] say, ?I believe that his narrations are fabtricated.? For example, Imam Ahmed mentioned what Muhammaad reported from Abu al-Mali?h, from Maimun ibn Mehran, from ?Abdullah ibn ?Abbas, that when the angels offered the Funeral Prayer on Adam, they recited four Takbirs. Abu ?Abdullah talked in serious termns about such reports, saying that Abu al-Mali?h was more trustful and fearful of Allah that to report such narrations. [thus, indicating that Muhammad ibn Mu?awiyah an-Naisaburi fabricated this narration] They also relied on a ?Hadith collected by al-Baihaqi, from Ya?hya, from Ubai, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet, sallallaahu ?alaihi wa-sallam, said, ?When the angels offered the Janaza Prayer on Takbirs, saying ?This is your Sunnah, O, Children of Adam !? However, this is not an authentic narration, which in some narrations was attributed to the Prophet sallallaahu ?alaihi wa-sallam. The students of Mu?adh [ibn Jabal] raliallaahu anhu used to recite five Takbirs [during the Funeral Prayer]. Alqamah said ?I said to ?Abdullah [ibn mas?ud] raliallaahu anhu, ?Some of the companions of Mu?adh raliallaahu anhu, from ash-Sham Area, recited five Takbirs on someone who died.? ?Abdullah raliallaahu anhu said, ?There is no limit for the number of Takbirs recited on the dead. Say as many Takbirs as the Imam says. When the Imam ends [the Janazah Prayer]  you too end it.? [Ibn ?Hazm collected this narration in his book, al-Mu?halla (5:126), stating that its chain of narration is very authentic.]