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.
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.
Table of Contents
The Importance of Janazah Prayer
The Janazah prayer is a collective act of worship that demonstrates the unity and compassion of the Muslim community. It is a way to honor the deceased, seek Allah’s mercy for them, and remind ourselves of the transient nature of this world. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever attends the Janazah prayer until it is completed will have one Qirat of reward, and whoever stays until the burial is completed will have two Qirats.” (Sahih Bukhari)
How to perform Janazah prayer?
The Janazah prayer (صلاة الجنازة) is a special prayer in Islam performed for the deceased. It is a collective act of worship where Muslims gather to make dua (supplication) for the forgiveness and mercy of the deceased. Unlike regular prayers, Janazah prayer does not include Ruku (bowing) or Sujood (prostration). Instead, it consists of four Takbirs (saying “Allahu Akbar”) and specific supplications. Below is a detailed guide on how to perform the Janazah prayer correctly.
Preparation for Janazah Prayer
Before performing the Janazah prayer, ensure the following:
- The Body is Prepared: The deceased should be washed (Ghusl) and shrouded (Kafan) according to Islamic guidelines.
- Congregation: Janazah prayer is performed in congregation, led by an Imam. However, it can also be performed individually if necessary.
- Intention (Niyyah): Make the intention in your heart to perform the Janazah prayer for the deceased.
Steps to Perform Janazah Prayer
The Janazah prayer consists of four Takbirs and specific supplications. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: First Takbir (Allahu Akbar)
- Raise Your Hands: Raise your hands to your ears and say “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) to begin the prayer.
- Recite Surah Al-Fatihah: After the first Takbir, recite Surah Al-Fatihah (the opening chapter of the Quran). There is no need to recite any additional Surah or make any dua before or after it.
Step 2: Second Takbir (Allahu Akbar)
- Say the Second Takbir: Raise your hands and say “Allahu Akbar” again.
- Send Salah on the Prophet (ﷺ): Recite the Ibrahimic Salah (Durood) on Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This is similar to the second half of the Tashahhud:
“Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid.”
(O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.)
Step 3: Third Takbir (Allahu Akbar)
- Say the Third Takbir: Raise your hands and say “Allahu Akbar” again.
- Make Dua for the Deceased: After the third Takbir, make dua for the deceased. You can use the following supplications or any other authentic dua:
- “Allahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa ‘afihi wa’fu ‘anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ madkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma’i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naqqihi min al-khataya kama yunaqqa ath-thawb al-abyad min ad-danas. Wa abdilhu daran khayran min darihi, wa ahlan khayran min ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa adkhilhul-jannata wa a’idhhu min ‘adhabi al-qabri wa ‘adhabi an-nar.”
(O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, grant him safety, and pardon him. Honor his resting place, make his grave spacious, wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of his sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Replace his home with a better one, his family with a better one, and his spouse with a better one. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire.)
- “Allahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa ‘afihi wa’fu ‘anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ madkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma’i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naqqihi min al-khataya kama yunaqqa ath-thawb al-abyad min ad-danas. Wa abdilhu daran khayran min darihi, wa ahlan khayran min ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa adkhilhul-jannata wa a’idhhu min ‘adhabi al-qabri wa ‘adhabi an-nar.”
Step 4: Fourth Takbir (Allahu Akbar)
- Say the Fourth Takbir: Raise your hands and say “Allahu Akbar” for the fourth time.
- Make Dua for Yourself and Others: After the fourth Takbir, make dua for yourself, the deceased, and all Muslims. You can say:
- “Allahumma ighfir lana wa li mayyitina, wa li ahli baitina, wa li jami’il-mu’mineena wal-mu’minat.”
(O Allah, forgive us, our deceased, our family members, and all believing men and women.)
- “Allahumma ighfir lana wa li mayyitina, wa li ahli baitina, wa li jami’il-mu’mineena wal-mu’minat.”
Step 5: Taslim (Ending the Prayer)
Say Taslim: To end the Janazah prayer, say “Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah” (Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you) once to the right side. The majority of scholars and the Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) only performed one Taslim. However, if the Imam says Taslim twice (to the right and left), 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.
Learn Quran With The Best Native Tutors
Riwaq Al Quran is a comprehensive online platform that offers personalized Quran, Arabic and Islamic Studies Online classes for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
Their experienced instructors use a structured curriculum to cover Tajweed, Tafsir, and Memorization, providing easy and effective access to learning the Quran.
The advanced online classes allow for seamless communication and interaction between students and teachers. Join Riwaq Al Quran for a deeper connection with the Quran.
We offer several courses such as:
- Online courses for kids.
- Online Quran classes for kids and adults.
- Online Arabic courses
- Online Ijazah courses
- Online Islamic Studies courses.
Here are a sample of our set of Quran Courses that will be helpful for you:
- Online Tafseer Course: Delve into Quranic meanings with our insightful online Tafseer course.
- Noorani Qaida Online: Learn Quranic basics efficiently through our Noorani Qaida online program.
- Online Quran Recitation Course: Enhance Quranic recitation skills through our expert-led online course.
- Online Tajweed Classes: Master Tajweed rules for beautiful Quranic recitation in online classes.
- Quran Memorization Online Course: Memorize the Quran effectively with our specialized online memorization course.
- Online Qirat Course: Explore diverse Qirat styles with our comprehensive online Qirat course.
- Online Quran Classes for Kids: Nurture a love for the Quran in kids through interactive online classes.
Conclusion
Performing the Janazah prayer is a sacred duty and a way to show respect and compassion for the deceased. By following the steps outlined above, you can perform the Janazah prayer correctly and fulfill this important Islamic obligation. May Allah (SWT) grant us the ability to perform this prayer with sincerity and grant the deceased His mercy and forgiveness. Ameen.
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.
