It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, informed the Companions in Madinah Munawwarah of the death of Najashi. Then the Companions performed the funeral prayer behind the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he, peace and blessings be upon him, led the funeral prayer and said four takbirs during it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whether it is day or night, when you pray over your dead, say four takbirs.

It is narrated from Abu Salman the muezzin that Abu Sarihah (Hudhaifah bin Asid) passed away and Sayyiduna Zaid bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) led his funeral prayer and said four takbirs in it and said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also did the same.

Ibn Abi Layla says: Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say four takbirs in our funeral prayers. In one funeral, he said five takbirs. When people asked about this, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say takbirs in this manner.

(Second Chain) Abdul A’la says: I performed the funeral prayer behind Sayyiduna Zaid bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said five takbirs. Abu Isa Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila went to him, took his hand, and said: Did you forget? He replied: No, I did not. I performed the funeral prayer behind my beloved Abu al-Qasim (peace and blessings be upon him), and he also said five takbirs, so I will not abandon this practice.

Yahya bin Abdullah says: I performed the funeral prayer in Mada'in behind Isa, the servant of Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him). He said five takbirs, then turned towards us and said: I was neither mistaken nor forgetful; I have said the takbirs just as my master, Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), used to say them. He performed a funeral prayer and said five takbirs, then turned towards us and said: I am neither forgetful nor mistaken; the fact is that I have said the takbirs just as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said five takbirs.

Ibrahim Hijri reports that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) led the funeral prayer for his daughter and said four takbirs, then stood for a while. When some of the followers said "Subhan Allah" to prompt him, he ended the prayer with salam and said: Did you think that I was going to say a fifth takbir? The people replied: Yes. Then he said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had said the fourth takbir, he would remain standing for a while in that state, then when the bier was set down, he would sit down and we would also sit down with him.