✿ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
◈ Supplications Between the Takbīrs Are Sunnah
It is Sunnah to recite specific supplications between the takbīrs in the funeral prayer:
✔ After the first takbīr – recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah
✔ After the second takbīr – recite Durūd Ibrāhīmī
✔ After the third takbīr – offer duʿāʾ for the deceased
✔ After the fourth takbīr – conclude with salām
[Sabil al-Salām: 2/753; Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz by al-Albānī: pp. 155–156]
✅ Narration from Abū Umāmah (رضي الله عنه)
A Companion informed Abū Umāmah (رضي الله عنه) of the Sunnah method of the funeral prayer:
“أن السنة فى الصلاة على الجنازة أن يكبر الإمام ثم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب بعد التكبيرة الأولى سرا فى نفسه ثم يصلى على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ويخلص الدعـا للجنازة فى التكبيرات الثلاث“
“The Sunnah in the funeral prayer is that the Imam says the takbīr, then recites Sūrah al-Fātiḥah silently after the first takbīr, then sends blessings upon the Prophet (ﷺ), and then sincerely makes duʿāʾ for the deceased during the remaining takbīrs.”
[Al-Umm by Imām al-Shāfiʿī: 1/239; al-Bayhaqī: 4/39; Ibn al-Jārūd: 265; al-Ḥākim: 1/360]
Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) commented:
“This indicates that Durūd is to be recited after the second takbīr, for if it were after the first, it would have been mentioned accordingly.”
This is also the view of the Ḥanafiyyah and Shāfiʿiyyah.
[Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz: p. 155]
Contrary views were expressed by Imām Ibn Ḥazm and Imām al-Shawkānī.
[Al-Muḥallā: 5/129; Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/35]
❖ Duʿās After the Third Takbīr
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“إذا صليتم على الميت فأخلصوا له الدعاء“
“When you pray over the deceased, make sincere supplication for him.”
[Ḥasan: Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 3/179, 732; Abū Dāwūd: 3199; Ibn Mājah: 1497; al-Bayhaqī: 4/40; Ibn Ḥibbān: 3077 – al-Iḥsān]
✿ Some Sunnah Duʿās to Be Recited After the Third Takbīr
➊ Duʿāʾ of ʿAwf ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه)
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ، وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الْأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ، وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ
[Muslim: 963; al-Nasāʾī: 4/73; Ibn Mājah: 1500; Aḥmad: 6/23]
➋ Duʿāʾ Reported from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه)
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا، وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا، وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا، وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا، اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ، وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz: p. 158; Abū Dāwūd: 3201; al-Tirmidhī: 1024; Ibn Mājah: 1498; Aḥmad: 2/368; al-Ḥākim: 1/358; al-Bayhaqī: 4/41]
➌ Duʿāʾ from Wāthilah ibn al-Asqaʿ (رضي الله عنه)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ، وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ، فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ، وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ، وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفَاءِ وَالْحَقِّ، فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz: p. 158; Abū Dāwūd: 3202; Ibn Ḥibbān: 758; Aḥmad: 3/471]
Shaykh al-Albānī said: “In shāʾ Allāh, its chain is ṣaḥīḥ.”
➍ Another Duʿāʾ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ عَبْدُكَ، وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ، وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ، كَانَ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ، وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ، وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُ
[Muwaṭṭāʾ: 1/227; Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz by al-Albānī: p. 159]
✅ Summary of the Funeral Prayer Order:
① First Takbīr → Sūrah al-Fātiḥah
② Second Takbīr → Durūd Ibrāhīmī
③ Third Takbīr → Supplication for the deceased
④ Fourth Takbīr → Salām
All supported by authentic narrations and the preferred practice of the scholars.
