Offering Salat-ul-Gha'ib

Q 2: Is it true that it is not valid to offer Salat-ul-Gha'ib (Funeral Prayer in absentia) and that the Messenger (peace be upon him) only offered Salat-ul-Gha'ib over Al-Najashy because Allah made Al-Najashy visible before him out of honor to the Messenger (peace be upon him)?

A: Offering Janazah (Funeral) Prayer over an absent dead person is permissible, provided the deceased was a person who benefitted or rendered services to Islam, since this was done by the Prophet (peace be upon him) upon receiving the news of the death of Al-Najashy, the King of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), where he (peace be upon him) ordered his Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them) to form a row and led them in Janazah Prayer.The basic ruling is that offering Salat-ul-Gha'ib is not just confined to Al-Najashy (may Allah be pleased with him). It is permissible to offer it over any prominent person in Islam. What was stated by your teacher that Al-Najashy was made visible before the Prophet (peace be upon him) is false and has no basis.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.