Step by step

The funeral prayer

Scholarly review: pending

This text comes from the Sabīl print library. Its scholarly review is still in progress; every item will carry its reviewers’ names and the date once two scholars have signed it.

1 of 8

Raise the hands, say the takbīr, then recite al-Fātiḥah

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allāhu akbar

Recited quietly. Some add a short passage after it.

Bukhārī · ṣaḥīḥ

Swipe, or use the arrow keys.

01
Raise the hands, say the takbīr, then recite al-Fātiḥah
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu akbar
Recited quietly. Some add a short passage after it.
Bukhārī · ṣaḥīḥ
02
Takbīr, then the ṣalāt upon the Prophet ﷺ
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ‘alā Muḥammadin wa ‘alā āli Muḥammad, kamā ṣallayta ‘alā Ibrāhīma wa ‘alā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ‘alā Muḥammadin wa ‘alā āli Muḥammad, kamā bārakta ‘alā Ibrāhīma wa ‘alā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd
O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Ibrāhīm and the family of Ibrāhīm — You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bestow favour upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You bestowed favour upon Ibrāhīm and the family of Ibrāhīm — You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Shown whole, from Adhkār of the Prayers. In print this text is set shorter.
The same words said in the tashahhud of every prayer.
03
Takbīr, then supplicate for the deceased
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ
Allāhumma-ghfir lahu wa-rḥamh, wa ‘āfihi wa-‘fu ‘anh, wa akrim nuzulah, wa wassi‘ mudkhalah, wa-ghsilhu bil-mā’i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naqqihi minal-khaṭāyā kamā yunaqqath-thawbul-abyaḍu minad-danas
O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, pardon him, honour his arrival, widen his entry, and cleanse him of his sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. For a woman, lahā in place of lahu; for more than one, lahum.
Muslim · ṣaḥīḥ. This is the heart of the prayer — the whole standing is for this supplication.
04
Takbīr, a short pause, then the salām
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa raḥmatullāh
Turned to the right, and to the left. The prayer is complete.
05
For a child who has not reached maturity
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ فَرَطًا وَذُخْرًا لِوَالِدَيْهِ، وَشَفِيعًا مُجَابًا
Allāhumma-j‘alhu faraṭan wa dhukhran li-wālidayh, wa shafī‘an mujāban
O Allah, make him one who goes ahead, a treasure for his parents, and an intercessor whose plea is answered.
Shown whole, from Janāzah. In print this text is set shorter.
O Allah, make him one who goes ahead, and a treasure stored up, for his parents. There is no asking of forgiveness for one who bore no sin.
06
At the graveside
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَىٰ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
Bismillāhi wa ‘alā sunnati rasūlillāh
Said as the body is lowered, laid on its right side facing the qiblah. Three handfuls of earth from each who is present. Then stand a while and ask forgiveness for him — he is being questioned now.
Abū Dāwūd · ṣaḥīḥ
07
If you arrive after the burial
The prayer is not missed. It is prayed at the grave itself, in the same four takbīrs, standing — as he ﷺ prayed over the woman who used to sweep the masjid, after they had buried her by night and had not told him.
The one who was buried without a prayer has a right upon whoever comes to know of it. It is prayed at the grave for up to a month after the burial, and some allow it longer.
Bukhārī, Muslim · ṣaḥīḥ
08
Ṣalāt al-ghā’ib — for one who died elsewhere
When a Muslim dies in a land where no one prayed over him, he is prayed over in absence, facing the qiblah, in the same four takbīrs — as he ﷺ prayed over the Negus on the day he died in Abyssinia.
Where the funeral prayer has already been offered in the land he died in, the scholars differ; the safer practice is to supplicate for him rather than to repeat it.
It is prayed in the masjid or at the place of burial. There is no fixed hour for it, and it is not delayed to gather a larger congregation.
Bukhārī, Muslim · ṣaḥīḥ
Whoever prays over a funeral has one qīrāṭ, and whoever stays until the burial has two — each like the mountain of Uḥud.
Bukhārī, Muslim · ṣaḥīḥ

Raise the hands, say the takbīr, then recite al-Fātiḥah

Raise the hands, say the takbīr, then recite al-Fātiḥah

Takbīr, then the ṣalāt upon the Prophet ﷺ

Takbīr, then supplicate for the deceased

Takbīr, a short pause, then the salām

For a child who has not reached maturity

At the graveside

If you arrive after the burial

Ṣalāt al-ghā’ib — for one who died elsewhere