Janaza — The funeral prayer

everything u need to know about Salatul Janaza ” Funeral prayers ”

Salatul Janzah is Fard Kafayah, that is, if one prays the prayer than all are bareeuz zimma [free of the responsiblity] otherwise all those who received the news but did not come are sinners. Jammat is not a condition for this prayer, it is sufficient even if one person prays, and to deny the fardiat, compulsion, of this salah is kufr, an act of disbelief .

* Abu Hurrairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that Allah’s Messenger (e) said:

“He who offered prayer over the dead, but did not follow the bier, for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who followed it, for him is the reward of two qirats. It was asked what the qirats were. He said the smaller among the two is equivalent to Uhud.” (Muslim)

*Prayers (Salat)

– This prayer is done while one is standing – there is no ruku or sujud in it.

– It is better that those praying divide themselves into three or more odd number of rows facing the qibla with the Imam in front.

– Put the body (or bodies) in front of the Imam.

– The Imam should stand by the middle of the body if the deceased is a man and by the shoulder if she is a woman.

– If there is more than one body, then they should be put one in front of the other, those of the men nearest to the Imam and those of the women furthest from him.

– Having the appropriate neeyat in your heart, raise your hands in the usual manner and say, Allahu Akbar.

– Then fold and hold your hands on your breast in the usual manner, the right hand on the left.

– Read Sana quietly.

“Subhanaka Allah humma wa bihamdika, wa tabaraka ismuka, wa ta’ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghairuk”

(Glory be to You Oh Allah, and praise be to You, and blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your Majesty, and there is none to be served besides You.)

** Follow the Imam

There are 4 takbir’s

1. After the 1st takbir, read Surah-al-Fatiha

2. After the 2nd takbir, read the Salawaat , It is better if you recite the whole Salatul-Ibrahimiyyah in the same way as you do in tashahud .

“Allah umma salli a’la Muhammadin wa ala aali Muhummadin, kama sallaita ala Ibraheema, wa ala aali Ibraheem, innaka hameedun majeed. Allah u mma barik a’la Muhammadin wa ala aali Muhummadin, kama barakta ala Ibraheema, wa ala aali Ibraheem, innaka h ameedun majeed”.

(O Allah! shower Your mercy upon Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad , as You showered Your mercy upon Ibrahim and the followers of Ibrahim. Behold, Your are Praiseworthy, Glorious.

Oh Allah! Shower Your blessing upon Muhammad , and the followers of Muhammad as You showered Your blessings upon Ibrahim and the followers of Ibrahim. Behold, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.)

3. After the 3rd takbir, make dua for the deceased

“Allahumma ighfir lihaayina wa mayitina wa shaahidina wa ghaa’ibina wa sagheerina wa kabeerina wa dhakarina wa unthaana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa ahyihi ‘ala’l-Islam wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawiffahu ‘ala’l -eemaan. Allahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa ‘aafihi wa a’fu ‘anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi’ madkhalahu waghsilhu bi’l -maa’ wa’l -thalj wa’l-barad, wa naqqihi min al-khataaya kama yunaqqa’ althawb al-abyad min al-danas. Allahumma abdilhu daaran khayra min daarihi wa ahlan khayra min ahlihi. Allahumma adkhilhu al-jannah wa a’idhhu min ‘adhaab il-qabri wa min ‘adhaab il-naar wa afsah lahu fi qabrihi wa nawwir lahu fihi. Allahumma laa tahrimna ajrahu wa la tadillanaa ba’dahu”

(O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are present among us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whoever You keep alive, keep him alive in Islam, and whoever You cause to die, cause him to die with faith. O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, keep him safe and sound and forgive him, honour the place where he settles and make his entrance wide; wash him with water and snow and hail, and cleanse him of sin as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, give him a house better than his house and a family better than his family. O Allah, admit him to Paradise and protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of Hell-fire; make his grave spacious and fill it with light. O Allah, do not deprive us of the reward and do not cause us to go astray after this).”

All of this was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
If you make du’a with other words, this is permissible. For example, one could say,
“Allahumma in kaana muhsinan fa zid fi ihsaanihi wa in kaana musee’an fa tajaawaz ‘an sayi’aatihi. Allahumma ighfir lahu wa thabbit-hu bi’l-qawl il-thaabit

(O Allah, if he was a doer of good, then increase his good deeds, and if he was a wrongdoer, then overlook his bad deeds. O Allah, forgive him and give him the strength to say the right thing).”

4. After the 4th takbir, pause for a little while, then you say one Tasleem to the right, saying “Assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat-Allah.” Make tasleem, to the right only.

~ may Allah have mercy on the souls of our dead and all Mulslims Aameen