What is the evidence for this congregational supplication that we make aloud at the grave after burial, while everyone else says amin?

The prevalent form (one person raising his hands and leading the supplication aloud, the rest saying amin) is not established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Companions; the Sunnah way is: each person should individually supplicate for the deceased for forgiveness and steadfastness.

1. The established Sunnah: 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, may Allah be pleased with him: “When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, finished burying the deceased, he would stand by him and say: 'Seek forgiveness for your brother, and ask steadfastness for him, for he is now being questioned'” (Sunan Abi Dawud: 3221; al-Albani: sahih). Note: he, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded each person to ask himself, using the plural forms “istaghfiru / salu” (seek forgiveness / ask) — he did not say “I shall lead the supplication, you say amin”. The individual supplication: “O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, make him steadfast”.

2. Absence of proof: he, peace and blessings be upon him, conducted hundreds of burials — not even once is congregational supplication in this form established; nor is there proof in the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the righteous predecessors.

3. Review of the evidences of those who hold it: the general virtues of supplication are presented; the principled rule: an act of worship whose cause and occasion existed in the Prophetic era, but which was not practised in that specific form, to make it customary in that very form is an additional innovation (bid'ah idafiyyah). The funeral prayer is itself a congregational supplication; after burial, the instruction is individual seeking of forgiveness.

4. The major scholars: the Permanent Committee (Fatawa, vol. 9, p. 17): “Congregational supplication for the deceased after burial is an innovation... the Sunnah is that each person supplicates alone”; Ibn 'Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy on him, has the same fatwa.

The way: After burial, by the grave, each person should himself, in a low voice, supplicate for forgiveness, deliverance from the punishment of the grave, and steadfastness.

Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.