1. Perform ablution (Wudu).
Hadith: لا تقبل صلوة بغير طهور There is no prayer without ablution.
2. Fulfill the conditions of prayer.
Hadith: وصلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي “And pray as you have seen me praying.”
3. Stand facing the Qiblah.
4. Say Takbeer الله أكبر.
Intention of funeral prayer is not established by language alone.
5. Raise the hands with Takbeer.
عن نافع قال: ”كان عبدالله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما يرفع يديه فى كل تكبيرة على الجنازة.“
6. Place your right hand over your left forearm.
7. Place the right hand over the left hand on the chest.
Note:
This hadith is general for prayer which includes funeral prayer because funeral prayer is also a prayer.
8. Recite أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلسَّمِيعِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ.
9. Recite «بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم».
10. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha:
Since Surah Al-Fatiha is the Quran, it should be recited considering it as Quran (recitation). Those who think that Surah Al-Fatiha should not be recited as Quran in funeral prayer but only as a supplication, their statement is invalid.
11. Say Ameen.
12. Recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم.
13. Recite one Surah.
14. Then say Takbeer again and raise the hands.
From Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and also from Khalud, Zuhri, Qais bin Abi Hazim, Nafi’ bin Jubair, and Hasan Al-Basri and others, raising hands in funeral prayer is established. See the hadith:
and this is the consensus of the majority and the common practice. Also see funeral matters
15. Send blessings (Salat) upon the Prophet (peace be upon him).
For example:
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
16. Say Takbeer.
17. And raise the hands.
17. Pray sincerely for the deceased.
Note:
This refers to the supplication inside the funeral prayer.
See باب ما جاء فى الدعاء فى الصلوة على الجنازة
Some recommended supplications are as follows:
اللَّهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا، اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى ٱلْإِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْإِيمَانِ
اللَّهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْلَهُ وَٱرْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَٱعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مَدْخَلَهُ وَٱغْسِلْهُ بِٱلْمَاءِ وَٱلثَّلْجِ وَٱلْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ ٱلْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ ٱلثَّوْبَ ٱلْأَبْيَضَ مِنَ ٱلدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَدْخِلْهُ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ ٱلْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ، فَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ ٱلْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ ٱلْوَفَاءِ وَٱلْحَقِّ، اللَّهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لَهُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ ، كَانَ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلهَ إلَّا أَنْتَ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِاً فَزِدْ فِي حَسَنَاتِهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيأُ فَتَجَاوَزُ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِ ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا تحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَةَ وَلَا تَفْتِتَا بَعْدَهُ.
اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَعـوذُ بِكَ مِـنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر
From Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) or Mawkuf, this supplication was recited by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) on the funeral of an innocent child.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا، اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنْهُمْ فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ وَمَنْ أَبْقَيْتَهُ مِنْهُمْ فَأَبْقِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِهَذِهِ النَّفْسِ الْحَنِيفِيَّةِ الْمُسْلِمَةِ وَاجْعَلْهَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهَا عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ
18. There is no fixed (specific) supplication for the deceased.
Therefore, any established supplication is permissible. From the statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) and the sayings of the Tabi‘un, it is understood that many supplications can be combined for the deceased.
19. Then say Takbeer again.
20. Then turn your face to the right side and say Salam.
Note:
There is no evidence from other Companions for turning Salam on both sides in funeral prayer. Sheikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him)
citing
wrote the narration of Salam on both sides in funeral prayer and graded it Hasan. But its chain is weak for two reasons:
① Hammad bin Abi Sulayman is a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain) and this narration is not before his mudallas period.
② Hammad bin Kuraib is a tadlis (one who practices tadlis). See
and the narration is munn‘an (disconnected). Imam Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak (may Allah be pleased with him) said that whoever gives two Salams in funeral prayer is ignorant.
