Ten Important Rulings and Sunnah Methods of Funeral Prayer

Reward for Accompanying the Funeral and Performing the Prayer

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

“Whoever accompanies the funeral of a Muslim with faith and with the intention of earning reward, stays with it, performs the funeral prayer, and remains until the burial is completed, will have two qirats of reward. Each qirat is equivalent to the size of Mount Uhud. And whoever only performs the funeral prayer and then returns, will have one qirat of reward.”

Acceptance of Intercession through the Participation of Sincere Muslims

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

“If forty Muslims attend the funeral of a Muslim who do not associate partners with Allah, then Allah accepts their intercession on behalf of that deceased.”

It is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

“When a funeral prayer is offered by a hundred Muslims for a deceased, and all intercede on his behalf, their intercession is accepted for the deceased.”

Guarantee of Paradise through Good Testimony

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

“Four Muslims who praise and give good testimony about a Muslim, Allah will admit him into Paradise.”
We asked, “And three?”
He said, “Three as well.”
We asked, “And two?”
He said, “Two as well.
Then we did not ask about one.”

Note: Here, the testimony of those Muslims is meant whose belief, actions, morals, and character are according to the Book and Sunnah. And Allah knows best. (A, R)

The Position of the Imam in the Funeral Prayer

For the funeral prayer, the bier of the deceased should be placed so that the head of the deceased is towards the north and the feet towards the south. Then, after performing ablution, the rows should be formed.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه led the funeral prayer of a man and stood in front of his head. When the funeral of a woman came, he stood in the middle and said that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to do the same.

Sayyiduna Samrah bin Jundub رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led the funeral prayer of a woman who died in a state of postpartum bleeding and stood in the middle.

Takbeerat of the Funeral Prayer

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه says that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said four takbeerat in the funeral prayer of Najashi.

Sayyiduna Zaid bin Arqam رضي الله عنه generally said four takbeerat and sometimes five, and he said that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم also did so.

Raising the Hands with the Takbeerat

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما that:

“The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to raise his hands with every Takbeer in the funeral prayer and would say Salaam at the end.”

Recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha

Sayyiduna Abu Imamah bin Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Sunnah order of the funeral prayer is:

First Takbeer
Surah Al-Fatiha
Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah (Durood Sharif)
Supplication for the deceased
Then Salaam

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both) led the funeral prayer behind Talhah bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who recited Surah Al-Fatiha and said:

“I did this so that you know this is Sunnah.”

In another narration, Talhah bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he recited Surah Al-Fatiha and another Surah aloud behind Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas in the funeral prayer, then said:

“This is Sunnah and the truth.”

Note: This also proves the loud recitation. It is regrettable that some people consider Surah Al-Fatiha necessary but do not recite it in the funeral prayer. (A, R)

Order of the Funeral Prayer

➊ First Takbeer: Surah Al-Fatiha
➋ Second Takbeer: Durood Shareef (as in Salah)
➌ Third Takbeer: Any one of the supplications
➍ Fourth Takbeer: Salaam

1. General Supplication

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:

’’اَللّٰہُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَیِّنَا وَمَیِّتِنَا وَصَغِیْرِنَا وَکَبِیْرِنَا وَذَکَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا وَشَاہِدِنَا وَغَاءِبِناَ اَللّٰہُمَّ مَنْ أَحْیَیْتَہُ مِنَّا فَأَحْیِہِ عَلَی الإِیْمَانِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّیْتَہُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّہُ عَلَی الإِسْلَامِ اَللّٰہُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَہُ وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَہُ.‘‘

“O Allah! Forgive our living and our dead, the small and the great, the male and the female, the present and the absent. O Allah! Whomever You keep alive among us, keep him alive on faith, and whomever You cause to die among us, cause him to die on Islam. O Allah! Do not deprive us of the reward of this (deceased) and do not lead us astray after him!”

2. Detailed Supplication

Narrated from Sayyiduna Awf bin Malik رضي الله عنه:

’’اَللّٰہُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَہُ وَارْحَمْہُ وَعَافِہِ وَاعْفُ عَنْہُ وَاکْرِمْ نُزُلَہُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَہُ وَاغْسِلْہُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّہِ مِنَ الْخَطَایَا کَمَا نَقَّیْتَ الثَّوْبَ الْأَبْیَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَابْدِلْہُ دَارًا خَیْرًا مِنْ دَارِہِ وَأَہْلاً خَیْرًا مِّنْ أَہْلِہِ وَزَوْجاً خَیْرًا مِّنْ زَوْجِہِ وَادْخِلْہُ الْجَنَّۃَ وَأَعِذْہُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ.‘‘

“O Allah! Forgive him, have mercy on him, keep him safe, pardon him, grant him excellent hospitality, make his grave spacious, wash away his (sins) with water, snow, and hail, cleanse him of sins as You cleanse a white garment from dirt. Grant him a better home than his (worldly) home, better people than the (worldly) people, and a better wife than his wife. Admit him to Paradise, and save him from the torment of the grave and the punishment of Hell.”

3. Specific Supplication (So-and-so son of so-and-so)

Narrated from Wathilah bin Asqa’ (may Allah be pleased with him):

’’اَللّٰھم اِنَّ فُلَانَ ابنَ فُلَان فِی ذِمَّتِکَ وَحَبلِ جَوَارِکَ، فَقِہِ مِن فِتنَۃِ القَبرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّار، وَاَنتَ اَھلُ الوَفَاءِ وَالحَقِّ، فَاغفِر لَہ،وَارحَمہُ،اِنَّکَ اَنتَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِیمُ.‘‘

“O Allah! This so-and-so son of so-and-so is under Your protection and the shade of Your mercy. Protect him from the trial of the grave and the torment of the fire. Indeed, You are the One who fulfills promises and the Truthful. O Allah! Forgive him and have mercy on him, surely You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.”