Janazah prayer is a prayer that the living Muslims pray for their recently deceased brother/sister before burial.
Janazah prayer is the right of a dead Muslim on the living Muslim. The Muslims should make Dua for him, as he died and is unable to make any Salah or Dua before getting into the grave and getting questioned.
The Janazah prayer is different from other prayers as it doesn’t have Rukuh or Sujud. Here is a guide on how to perform it as well as general advice regarding Janazah.
Table of Contents
What is the Janazah Prayer?
The Janazah prayer, also known as the funeral prayer, is a special prayer performed by Muslims for a deceased person. It is a collective supplication to ask for forgiveness and mercy for the departed soul and is an essential part of Islamic funeral rites.
How to perform Janazah: (Funeral) prayer
Janazah prayer is four Takbirat: Say (Allahu Akbar) four times while standing. Then say Taslim also while standing.
The purpose of the Janazah prayer is to make Dua for the dead person and here is how to do so:
After the First Takbir:
Read surah Al-Fatiha only.
Read it Directly without saying any dua before it or any Surah after it.
After the Second Takbir:
Say the Ibrahimic Salah on prophet Muhamad peace be upon him.
Like the second half of Tashahud.
After the Third Takbir:
Make Dua for the dead person or people.
Dua for forgiveness, to be steady while questioned in the grave, not to suffer in the grave, and so on.
After the Fourth Takbir:
Ask forgiveness for yourself and the rest of the Muslims, and the ones who are dead, and so on
Taslim Once: To finish Janazah prayer say one Salam to the right. The majority of Scholars and Sahabah only did one Taslim. But if the Imam did two you can follow his lead.
What do you say during Janaza prayer?
Takbir, recitation, and Dua should be silent. Each one makes Dua on his own. Only the Imam says Takbir out loud to follow.
First Takbir:
Recite Surah Al-Fatiha
If you don’t know how you can learn here
Second Takbir:
Recite: Allahuma Salli Ala Muhammadan wa aali Muhamad, Kama Sallita Ala Ibrahim wa aali Ibrahim fi Al-Aalamin, Innaka Hamidun Majid
Allahuma Barik Ala Muhammadan wa aali Muhamad, Kama Barakta Ala Ibrahim wa aali Ibrahim fi Al-Aalamin, Innaka Hamidun Majid.
Third Takbir:
Say (O Allah, we ask your forgiveness and mercy for (The dead person))
Say General Dua for the deceased in Arabic or English (Examples in the next section)
Fourth Takbir:
Translitiration: Allaahumma ‘inna [name the person] fee thimmatika, wa habli jiwaarika, faqihi min fitnatil-qabri wa ‘athaabin-naari, wa ‘Anta ‘ahlul-wafaa’i walhaqqi. Faghfir lahu warhaw.hu ‘innaka ‘Antal-Ghafoorur-Raheem
English: O Allah, surely [name the person] is under Your protection, and in the rope of Your security, so save him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Fire. You fulfill promises and grant rights, so forgive him and have mercy on him. Surely You are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Taslim:
Say (Al-Salam Alikum wa Rahmatu Allah) or (Al-Salam Alikum) as the minimum.
What is the Dua for Janaza?
Scholars say that in Dua, you can use your language if it’s hard to make Dua in Arabic. There are many Dua for Janazah mentioned in Sunnah as well.
Here are some Dua you can say for Janazah
1- After Third Takbir
Translitiration: Allaahum-maghfir lahu warhamhu, wa ‘aafihi, wa’fu ‘anhu, wa ‘akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bilmaa’i waththalji walbaradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataayaa kamaa naqqaytath-thawbal-‘abyadha minad-danasi, wa ‘abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi, wa ‘ahlan khayran min ‘ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa ‘adkhilhul-jannata, wa. ‘a’ithhu min ‘athaabil-qabri[wa ‘athaabin-naar]
English: O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him and cause his entrance to be wide and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home, and a family better than his family, and a wife better than his wife. Take him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave [and from the punishment of Hell-fire].
In the last and fourth Takbeer:
Translitiration: Allaahum-maghfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa’ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa wa kabeerinaa, wa thakarinaa wa ‘unthaanaa. Allaahumma man ‘ahyaytahu minnaa fa’ahyihi ‘alal-‘Islaami, wa man tawaffaytahu minnaa fatawaffahu ‘alal-‘eemaani, Allaahumma laa tahrimnaa ‘ajrahu wa laa tudhillanaa ba’dahu
English: O Allah forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our menfolk and our womenfolk. O Allah, whomever you give life from among us give him life in Islam, and whomever you take away from us take him away in Faith. O Allah, do not forbid us their reward and do not send us astray after them.
And many more. You can say the mentioned Dua or whichever you would like to make Dua by. Consider yourself in his place and that you are making Dua for yourself.
Can we pray Janazah prayer alone?
The Sunnah is to pray Janazah prayer in a group, but if people pray individually, it’s permissible as the majority of scholars say.
And it’s known that when the Sahabah prayed the Janazah prayer on prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, they prayed individually. They would go in one by one pray Janazah and go out, men then women. This is because they hated to have an Imam for them in front of the prophet peace be upon him.
Note that if the dead person had any debt, his debt should be the first thing that gets cleared by his inheritors. Monetary debt should be cleared and if it’s something else like fighting or unresolved issues, then Islam commends pardoning, as those who seek the pardon of their Lord should pardon His creation.
What are Janazah prayer Niyat (Intentions)?
Niyat (Intentions) for Janazah prayer are plenty and here are some examples:
-Remember death and that one day it will be you.
-Following the Sunnah of the prophet peace be upon him.
-The prophet peace be upon him said: (“Whoever prays on a Janazah will have a (Qirahand follow it until it’s buried will have two (Qirat)” and it was asked (What are two Qirat) he said (Like two great mountains)) muslim:945
– Make dua for others as you would for yourself, so when your time comes you may find those who make dua for you.
– Make Dua for others so that you find that as a good deed when your death comes.
– Fulfill your duty towards your Muslim brother.
– Seeking forgiveness from Allah and repenting to him.
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Conclusion
The moment of Death is an awakening call to return to Allah for those who witness it. Returning to Allah shouldn’t just be a spite-of-the-moment fire that fades away later. The best way to keep on the path of Allah until your own time comes is by changing your daily habits to be centered around getting closer to Allah. Make your environment, friends, and habits things that help you in your journey to your Lord.
In the end, all of that will leave you and you will stand alone before your maker with only your deeds.
