Ruling on those who drowned in the Egyptian ferry, and offering the funeral prayer for them
Question

                In the last few days the Egyptian ferry sank and the number of those who drowned in this accident is nearly one thousand. Are they considered to be martyrs? How can we offer the funeral prayer for those of them who have not been found?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Undoubtedly all things are in the hand of Allaah, may He be 
    glorified and exalted, and He controls them as He wills. We may note the 
    following about this incident: 

    Firstly: 

    Allaah may choose from among His believing slaves some types 
    of people, individually or in groups, and send calamity upon them so that 
    the calamity may raise them in status and expiate their sins. So calamities 
    are a means of expiating sins and raising one in status. The Prophet  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is nothing that 
    befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will record 
    one good deed for him thereby or erase one bad deed.” Narrated by Muslim 
    (2572). 

    Secondly: 

    What is prescribed for a Muslim if calamity befalls him is to 
    be patient, and to say that which the Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) enjoined upon us. It was narrated that Umm Salamah (may 
    Allaah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no Muslim who is 
    stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has enjoined – ‘Verily to 
    Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my 
    affliction and compensate me with something better’ – but Allaah will 
    compensate him with something better.” Narrated by Muslim (918). 

    Thirdly: 

    Whoever dies by drowning is a martyr (shaheed) and 
    will have the reward of the martyrs with Allaah, may He be exalted. It was 
    narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 
    “The martyrs are five: the one who dies of the plague, the one who dies of a 
    stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is killed by a falling wall 
    and the martyr (who dies) for the sake of Allaah.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari 
    (2829) and Muslim (1914). According to a version narrated by Muslim (1915): 
    “the one who drowns is a martyr.” 

    Ibn al-Teen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: All of these 
    deaths involve hardship and Allaah has shown favour to the ummah of Muhammad 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by making them a means of 
    erasing their sins and increasing their reward, and causing them to attain 
    the status of the martyrs. 

    Fath al-Baari (8/438). See also 
    the answer to question no. 22140. 

    Fourthly: 

    Whomever Allaah has saved from this accident and brought 
    forth safely, let him praise Allaah for that, and do good for the rest of 
    his life, for death will certainly come to man, but Allaah delayed it and 
    saved him. If He had willed, it could have turned out otherwise. 

    Fifthly: 

    If a person is brought out dead, then he must be washed and 
    shrouded, and the funeral prayer offered for him. With regard to the one who 
    cannot be found, the funeral prayer must be offered for them in absentia, 
    because offering the funeral prayer is a communal obligation (fard 
    kafaayah) which must be fulfilled. So the people should form rows and 
    the imam should go forward and lead the prayer for him as if the bier were 
    in front of them. 

    It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah: 

    If the drowned person can be found, then he should be washed 
    and shrouded and the funeral prayer offered for him as with any other 
    deceased person, but if he cannot be found, then the funeral prayer should 
    be offered for him in absentia, according to the Shaafa’is and Hanbalis. End 
    quote. 

    Al-Bukhaari (1318) and Muslim (951) narrated that Abu 
    Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus to his 
    companions on the day he died, and he led them out to the prayer-place, then 
    he went forward and they formed rows behind him, and he said takbeer four 
    times. 

    Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is 
    evidence for al-Shaafa’i and those who agreed with him with regard to 
    offering the funeral prayer in absentia. End quote. 

    We have discussed the issue of offering the funeral prayer in 
    absentia in the answer to question no. (35853). 

    We ask Allaah to accept them as martyrs and to grant their 
    families patience and consolation. 

    And Allaah knows best.