Ritha' (praising the dead in verse or speech): its meaning and its ruling

الرثاء

Ritha' in the lexicon is compassion for the dead, weeping, praise and recounting his virtues, and in the jurists' sense it is praising the dead and recounting his good qualities. ¹ It is distinguished from ta'bin, weeping and praising the dead, and from nadb, recounting his virtues. ^{1 2} The Hanafis allow an elegy in verse or prose, but dislike excessive praise, especially at the funeral; al-Nawawi disliked recounting the dead's ancestors, and preferred asking forgiveness for him. ² The Hanbalis count as forbidden wailing whatever stirs grief through preaching or recited verse. ²