Is it permissible to perform the funeral prayer in absentia for the deceased before the prayer is offered for him in his country, and is it a condition for it to have a ghusl and shrouding? What is the ruling on that if the prayer is offered collectively for him on Friday before his burial in his country? And what is the view of the Shafi'i and Hanafi schools of thought on this issue?

According to the Shafi'is, prayer for the absent deceased is legislated on condition of knowing or having a strong presumption that the deceased has been ritually washed (ghusl), or by having the intention to pray for him if he has been washed. Sheikh Zakariya al-Ansari explicitly stated this in "Asna al-Matalib," citing the Prophet's (peace be upon him) prayer for al-Najashi as evidence. Scholars differed on whether it fulfills the obligation, and the more preponderant view is that it does fulfill it, as the objective is achieved. It should not be permissible to pray for the absent deceased unless it is known or strongly presumed that he has been ritually washed, or the worshiper intends to pray for him if he has been washed.