Funeral Prayer

JANAZAH PRAYER (FUNERAL PRAYER)

It is a right of a Muslim that when he passes away, other Muslims should pray Janazah prayer for him. Janazah prayer is supererogatory prayer. If no one from the whole of the Muslim community prayed the Janazah prayer; then the whole community would be considered sinful in the Sight of Allah. If some of the people prayed the Janazah prayer then the whole community is saved from the Anger of Allah even though the reward will only be given to the participants only.

In Ahadith Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) emphasized and encouraged the Muslims to attend funeral ceremonies. So, every Muslim male should try his best to fulfill his duty for the deceased.

Janazah prayer should be prayed in congregation as this is more rewardful. It can be prayed in more than one congregation but by different people.

Janazah prayer should be offered in an open place but in case of rain or bad weather or any other reason it can be prayed in a mosque or a hall.

While Praying Janazah Prayer

The Imam should stand level with the head and shoulders of the dead body if the body is male. Imam should stand level with the middle part of the body if is a female.

Where Janazah prayer differs?

Janazah prayer is only slightly different from other prayers in that there is no Ruku, no Sajdah and no Tashahud in it. There is no fixed time for offering this prayer. It has to be prayed in a standing position only. Other conditions like purification, facing the Qiblah, Sutra, Dress etc. have to be satisfied as in the usual prayers.

Conduct of Janazah Prayer

Like other prayers facing Qiblah is a necessary condition. The Imam should ask the people to straighten their rows. There should be an odd number of rows as it is more rewardful. Making intention is necessary in Janazah prayer as it is necessary in other prayers. Before beginning prayer, the intention should be made in the heart as uttering any words of Niyah aloud was not the practice of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) or of his companions.

First Takbir or Takbir Tahrimah

Janazah prayer contains 4 Takbirs. First Takbir is Takbir Tahrimah. The Imam says Allahu Akbar and raises his hands up to the shoulder level with fingers stretching to the earlobes and the congregation does the same. Then the Imam folds his hands on his chest right hand over the left.

Du'a of Starting

Then the person can read one of those Du'a which are recommended in the First Rakaat of the usual prayer before recitation of Fatiha. For example:

"Glory be to You, O Allah, and all praises are due unto You, and blessed is Your Name and high is Your Majesty and none is worthy of worship but You."

Or he can say other Du'a. some scholars do not recommend Du'a of starting in Janazah prayer but reading it is preferable. However, if someone does not read it, it does not affect his prayer. Both ways are practiced by Muslim Scholars. Then the person should say: "A'udhu bil lahi min ashatan arajeem" and then he should recite Surah Fatihah.

Some people do not read Surah Fatihah in Janazah prayer but Surah Fatihah is necessary of the validity of any type of prayer as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has said that no prayer is valid without Surah Fatihah.

Talhah bin Abdullah bin Auf says that he prayed the Janazah prayer behind Abdullah bin Abbas and Abdullah bin Abbas read Surah Fatiha aloud. Afterwards he said: "I did read it out loud so that you may know that it is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)" (Bukhari)

This Hadith proves that reciting Surah Fatiha is necessary in Janazah prayer as well.

Recitation of a Surah

A chapter or part of a chapter can be read after the recitation of Surah Fatihah but it is not essential to read it.

Second Takbir

Then the Imam should say the second Takbir and the congregation should follow but it is not necessary to raise the hands up to the shoulder level but if someone does, it is alight. Both ways are practiced by great Ulama and scholars.

After the Second Takbir

After the second Takbir, the person praying Janazah should recite Darud in his heart. It is preferable to read the Darud which a person reads in Tashahud of his usual prayer.

Third Takbir

Then the Imam should say the third Takbir and the congregation should follow. Now, each person should pray for the deceased.

Alternatively the Imam can pray out loud and the congregation can say, Ameen, after him. all kinds of Du'a for the benefit of the deceased can be said. Some of these are mentioned below:

Du'a of Janazah

1. Abu Hurairah said that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) prayed Janazah of a Muslim and he said in his Du'a (the following words):

"O Allah, forgive our people who are still alive and who have passed away, forgive those who are present here and those who are absent, forgive our young and our elderly, forgive our males and females. O Allah, the one whom You wish to keep alive from among us make him live according to Islam and anyone whom You wish to die from among us, let him die in belief and faith. O Allah, do not deprive us from his reward and do not put us in Fitna (hardship or any type of trial) after his death."

2. Auf bin Malid said that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) prayed a Janazah prayer and I heard him saying the following Du'a and I memorized it:

"O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, pardon him, grant him security, provide him a nice place and spacious lodgings, wash him (off from his sins) with water, snow and ice, purify him from his sins as a white garment is cleansed from dirt, replace his present body with a better one, replace his present family with a better one, replace his present partner with a better one, make him enter Paradise and save him from the trials of grave and punishment of Hell."

3. Abu Hurairah said that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) prayed and said:

"O Allah, You are its Lord, You have created it, and you have guided it towards Islam, and You have taken out his should and You know best about its secret and open deeds. We have come as intercessors, so forgive him."

One thing we can see clearly from the above mentioned Ahadtih that every companion who narrated the Du'a of Janazah prayer says that he heard the Prophet (pbuh) saying the words of Du'a in Janazah prayer. this proves that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) used to say the Janazah prayer or at least the Du'a in Janazah prayer aloud. Therefore, there should not be any objection or confusion if the Imam recites aloud in Janazah prayer.

There are some other Du'a which are narrated from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and they can be found in Hadith books. All of these Du'a can be said together or individually. Other Du'a can be said with these Du'a but it is better to stick to Du'a approved by Prophet (pbuh).

Ending the Janazah Prayer (fourth Takbir)

Then the Imam should say the fourth Takbir and the congregation should follow and after that the Imam should say Asalamu alaykum wa rahmutal-la turning his face to the right first and then to the left and then congregation should do the same.

Note: some people stress a lot of saying Du'a after the completion of Janazah prayer but we did not find a single Hadith supporting this idea. Janazah prayer is designed so that all the Du'a a person wants to say for the deceased can be said after the third Takbir. This was the authentic practice of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions.