Source: Mukhtaṣar Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāt al-Nabī ﷺ by Shaykh Zubair ʿAlī Zai (رحمه الله)
① Perform Wuḍūʾ
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“No prayer is accepted without purification.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 535; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6251)
② Fulfil the Conditions of Prayer
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 631)
③ Stand Facing the Qiblah
This is established by consensus. (al-Bukhārī 6251)
④ Say Takbīrat al-Taḥrīmah (الله أكبر)
Narrated with an authentic chain. (Musannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq 3/389–390 no. 1328)
⑤ Raise Hands with Every Takbīr
Ibn ʿUmar (RA) used to raise his hands in every takbīr of the janāzah.
(Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 3/296 no. 1380, ṣaḥīḥ isnād)
⑥ Place Right Hand Over the Left on the Chest
As in other prayers. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 740; Musnad Aḥmad 5/226)
⑦ Recite the Opening Supplication
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ…
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 775, ḥasan)
Then: Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm (al-Nasāʾī 906, ṣaḥīḥ)
⑧ Recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah
The Prophet ﷺ commanded it. (al-Bukhārī 1335; Ibn Jarūd 540)
It must be recited as Qur’an, not just as duʿāʾ.
Say Āmīn after it. (al-Nasāʾī 906, Ibn Ḥibbān 1805, ṣaḥīḥ)
⑨ Recite Another Sūrah
Any short sūrah may be recited. (al-Nasāʾī no. 1989, ṣaḥīḥ)
⑩ Say the Second Takbīr with Raising Hands
(al-Bukhārī 1334; Muslim 952)
⑪ Send Ṣalāh on the Prophet ﷺ
Example: Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammad… as in tashahhud.
(al-Bukhārī 3370; al-Tirmidhī 1382)
⑫ Say the Third Takbīr with Raising Hands
(Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 3/296, ṣaḥīḥ)
⑬ Make Duʿāʾ for the Deceased
There are many authentic supplications, e.g.:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا… (al-Tirmidhī 1024, ṣaḥīḥ)
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ… (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 963)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ… (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 3202, ṣaḥīḥ)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ… (al-Muwaṭṭaʾ of Mālik 1/228 no. 536, ṣaḥīḥ)
There is no fixed duʿāʾ exclusively for janāzah; one may combine several authentic supplications.
⑭ Say the Fourth Takbīr
(al-Bukhārī 1334; Muslim 952)
⑮ End with One Taslīm to the Right
Reported from Ibn ʿUmar (RA). (Musannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq 3/489 no. 6428; Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 3/307 no. 11491, ṣaḥīḥ)
Only one taslīm is authentically established. Reports of two taslīms are weak. Ibn al-Mubārak (رحمه الله) said:
“Whoever gives two salāms in janāzah is ignorant.” (Masāʾil Abī Dāwūd, p. 54, ṣaḥīḥ chain)
◈ Summary
- Janāzah prayer is a duʿāʾ for the deceased in the form of ṣalāh.
- It begins with wuḍūʾ, takbīr, and recitation of al-Fātiḥah.
- Includes takbīrs with raising hands, sending ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ, and duʿāʾ for the deceased.
- Ends with one taslīm to the right.
والله أعلم بالصواب
