Is the formal public announcement of a death (Na'i) discouraged?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Funerals
Primary text
The formal public announcement of a death, which involves sending a caller to inform people so they may attend the funeral, is disliked (Makruh). This is based on the report from Hudhayfah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, forbade announcing deaths. Al-Tirmidhi classified this hadith as Hasan (good). A group of scholars, including Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, 'Alqamah, Al-Rabi' ibn Khaythum, and 'Amr ibn Sharahbil, held the opinion that people should not be informed of funerals. 'Alqamah stated, 'Do not announce me to anyone,' and 'Amr ibn Sharahbil stated, 'When I die, do not announce me to anyone.'
Supporting text
Many scholars permitted informing specific individuals such as brothers, acquaintances, and people of virtue without public calling. Al-Ibrahim al-Nakha'i permitted informing a man's friend and companions, stating that what was disliked was the public parading announcement, 'I announce the death of so-and-so,' which resembled the practice of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance). Scholars who permitted this include Abu Hurayrah, Ibn 'Umar, and Ibn Sirin.