What does funeral means in islam? How to perform of funeral prayer in islam? What is the dua for funeral in islam?
A) Recommended Acts Before Death and During Death
The event of death is basically a transfer from one realm to another. In this sense, death is not annihilation, but the separation of the soul from the body. According to the majority of scholars of Islamic theology, the soul is a sublime being intertwined with the body, like water penetrating a wet tree. According to the Ahl al-Sunnah creed, the soul is interminable, so it does not disappear. The meaning of Allah Almighty’s verse, “It is Allah who takes the souls (of men) when they die”[1] means that this takes place “when their bodies die”. Allah has given a great value to the human being and has ordained a life that extends to eternity for him or her. In fact, human life can be divided into four phases: a) The time between the creation of the spirits and the time when the spirit is blown into the body, b) the life in this world, c) the life in the grave (barzakh), and d) the life in the hereafter that extends to eternity.
Remembering death and preparing for it is recommended for every Muslim. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Increase in remembrance of the severer of pleasures (i.e. death)”[2], and “Remember death and the decay of bones and corpses after death. Whoever desires the life of the hereafter abandons the adornments of the life of this world.”[3] Even if a believer is very pious or sinful, his wish for death is not welcomed. According to a narration from Abu Hurayra, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “None of you should wish for death. Either he is a doer of good, so perhaps he may do more good, or he is an evildoer but perhaps he will give up his evil ways.”[4] The narration from Anas Ibn Malik is as follows, “None of you should wish for death because of some harm that befalls him, rather he should say: O Allah, keep me alive so alive so long as life is good for me, and cause me to die when death is good for me.”[5]
Visiting the ill is a sunnah and Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib (ra) said: “The Messenger of Allah (saw) ordered us to attend funerals and visit the ill.”[6] In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayra (ra) that is marfūʿ, it is stated, “A Muslim has six rights over another Muslim: a) Greet when you meet him, b) Attend to his invitation when he invites, c) Give advice when he asks for advice, d) When he sneezes and says alḥamdulillāh”, say “yarḥamukallāh (May Allah have mercy on you), e) Visit him when he is ill, and f) When he dies, attend to his funeral.”[7] When Umm al-ʿAlā (r. anha), the aunt of Ḥākim Ibn Ḥizām got ill, the Prophet (saw) went to visit her and said to her, “Be glad, Umm al-ʿAlā! For Allah removes the sins of a Muslim for his illness as fire removes the dross of gold and silver.”[8] It was narrated from Abu Musa (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “When a slave falls ill or travels, then he will get a reward similar to that he gets for good deeds practiced at home when in good health.”[9]
Some supplications that can be read next to a patient are reported in the hadiths. It is considered mustaḥab to recite the following supplication mentioned in the following hadith seven times. The Prophet (saw) said: “If anyone visits a sick whose time (of death) has not come and says with him seven times: ‘as’alullāh, Rabba’l-ʿarshi’l-ʿaẓīm an yushfīka (I ask the Almighty Allah, Lord of the Great Throne to heal you)’ Allah will cure that person’s illness.’”[10]
In like manner, during the visit of a patient, it is considered mustaḥab to recite the surahs of Ya-Sin (36), al-Mulk (67) or al-Ra’d (13), and the surahs of al-Fatiḥa (1), al-Ikhlās (112) and Muawwizatayn (113-114) in the presence of the patient.
The patient should be told things about death that will please and make him or her happy. Even if nothing can reverse the decree of Allah, it is necessary to please the heart of the patient.[11] The patient is encouraged to repent and make his will because the Messenger of Allah said, “It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something to will to stay for two nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him.”[12] Everyone who gets sick or encounters a calamity should be encouraged to be patient because Allah Almighty commands patience: “And do you be patient, for your patience is but from Allah.”[13] It is reported that a sick woman came to the Prophet (saw) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Pray Allah and so He heals me. Thereupon, the Prophet said: “If you wish, I pray to Allah, He will heal you. Or be patient if you wish, then there will be no questioning for you.” The woman said, “So let me be patient and there won’t be any questioning for me.”[14] Abu an-Naḍr as-Sulamī (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “If three of a Muslim’s children die, and he remains content with Allah’s decree, they will be a protection for him from the Fire.” A woman who was with the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ‘How about two children, O Messenger of Allah?’, and he said, ‘Or two.’”[15]
B) Things to be Done on The Death Bed
The dying person should be laid on his right side and turned towards the qibla. For the Prophet (saw) said regarding the House of Allah “it is the qibla of your living and dead.”[16] When her illness got worse Fatima (r. anha) said to Rafi’s mother, “Turn me towards the qibla.”[17] If it is not possible to turn the patient to the qibla due to space constraints, the patient is placed on her or his back, and the face and feet are turned towards the qibla. If this cannot be done, the body can be left as it is. When a person is on the death bed, water is given to the person’s mouth with a spoon or cotton ball.
In a hadith, it is stated that “Whoever’s last word is lāa ilāha illallah (There is no god but Allah), that person will enter Paradise.”[18] For this reason, kalima al-tawḥīd is inculcated in a person who is about to die.[19] However, the patient should not be put under pressure by forcing him or her to say it. It would suffice to recite the kalima al-tawḥīd and kalima al-shahadah to the ear of the dying and it is enough for the dying person to say these statements only once. Inculcation should be made by those whom the patient loves. Moreover, the inculcation can also include repentance as follows, “Astaghfirullāh al- ʿaẓīm alladhī lā ilāha illā huwa, al-Ḥayy al-Qayyūma wa atūbu ilayh (I ask forgiveness from Allah, the Supreme whom no god exists but He, the Living, and the Self-Subsistent)”
According to what Ṣaīd ibn al-Musayyab reported from his father, the Prophet (saw) was present at the death of his uncle Abu Ṭālib. Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayya ibn al-Mugira were also there. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to Abu Talib, “My uncle! Say, “Lā ilāha illallāh (There is no god but Allah)” so that I can testify for you in the presence of Allah,” but Abu Jahl and Abdullah put pressure on him by saying, “O Abā Ṭālib! Will you return from Abdulmuṭṭalib’s religion?” The Prophet did not continue his offer and eventually, Abu Ṭālib died while talking about Abdulmuttalib’s religion. Thereupon, the Prophet (saw) said, “I will ask Allah’s forgiveness for you until a ban is imposed on you.” However, the following verse was revealed to limit calling such invocations, “It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for pagans, even though they be of kin after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.”[20]
In various hadiths, it is advised to say when hearing of a person’s death or facing a calamity, “Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rajiʿūn (Verily we belong to Allah, and verily to Him do we return)” and invoke Allah for the calamity by saying, “O Allah, I expect reward from You from this affliction, so give me reward for it, and give me a better compensation.”[21]. This is because Abraham had promised his father before that would he would ask Allah’s forgiveness for him, but when he realized that his father was an enemy of Allah, he stopped supplicating.[22]
According to the narration from Umm Salama (r. anha), the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Whenever you visit the ill or the dead, supplicate for good because angels say “Amīn” to whatever you say.” Umm Salama (d. 20/640) asked the Prophet how to pray for her husband Abu Salama (d. 4/625) when he died, and the Messenger of Allah told her to pray as follows, “O Allah! Forgive me and him (Abu Salama) and give me a better substitute than he.”[23] When the Messenger of Allah was informed that Umm Salama hired a weeping woman for her deceased husband, he said to her, “Do you intend to bring the devil into a house from which Allah has twice driven him out?”[24]
According to a narration from Anas ibn Malik, the Prophet met a woman who was crying at a grave for her little child who had passed away. He said to her, “Fear Allah and show endurance.” She (not recognizing him) said, “You have not been afflicted as I have been.” When he (the Holy Prophet) had departed, it was said to her that he was the Messenger of Allah (saw), and she was mortally shocked. She came to his door and she did not find doorkeepers at his door. She said: “O Messenger of Allah. I did not recognize you. He said: “Endurance is to be shown at the first blow, or at the first blow.”[25] When Umar was injured and his condition worsened, his daughter Hafsa (r. anha) began to cry at his bedside. Umar (ra) said: “O my daughter! Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah said: “Because of the crying of family members, the dead are punished.”[26] However, jurists have said that normal tears are allowed and permissible for reasons such as love, affection, and pity for the dead, without excessivenesses such as screaming, pulling out hair, tearing at clothes, or excessive crying at the will of the deceased.[27]
When the patient dies, his eyes are closed and his jaw is tied with a cloth. Hands are brought to his sides. While doing this, the following prayer can be recited:
“Bismillāhi wa ʿalā millati rasulillah. Allahumma yassir ʿalayhi amrahu wa sahhil ʿalaihi ma baʿdahu wa asʿidhu bi likāika wajʿal ma kharaja ilayhi khayran mimma kharaja ʿanhu.
(In the name of Allah and in accordance with the religion of Allah’s Messenger, O my Lord! Ease his affair. Render easy his end. Make him happy to meet You. Make the place he will arrive at better for him than the place he has left behind.)
Then, the clothes of the deceased are taken off, a cloth is placed over him, and something of iron, like a knife, is placed on his belly so that the corpse does not swell. His hands are stretched out to his sides, and something fragrant is kept with him. It is makrūḥ to recite the Qur’an next to him until the body is washed. There is no harm in reciting the Qur’an aloud or silently in another room.
C) Death Of The Prophet
According to the narration from Aisha, when the “Surah al-Naṣr (110) had been revealed to the Prophet (saw) he did not offer any prayer except that he said therein, “Subḥānaka Rabbanā! wa biḥamdika, Allahumma’ghfirlī (Hallowed be Allah and with His Praise, I seek forgiveness of Allah and return to Him)”[28] When he was asked why, the Prophet (saw) said, “My Lord informed me that I would soon see a sign in my Ummah, so when I see it I often recite (these) words: Hallowed be Allah and with His Praise, I seek forgiveness of Allah and return to Him.”[29]
When the chapter of Naṣr was revealed, the Prophet delivered a sermon and said: “Allah gave a choice to His servant that he may opt the beauties of the world or that which is with Him, and the servant chose that which was with Him.”[30] Abu Bakr understood what these words meant and said, “May our lives, property, ancestors, and children be sacrificed for you!” Abbas (ra) wept and he said, “That is the sign of the death of Allah’s Messenger (saw) which Allah informed him of ”, and the Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, as you have stated”.[31] After the Qur’anic verse that was revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year of the Hijra which declared that the religion was completed,[32] the Prophet (saw) returned to Medina after he had finished the “Farewell Sermon” by repeating three times: “Be careful, did I convey you the message?” He was glorifying Allah with praise. Finally, the following verse was revealed, “And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what it earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly.”[33] The Messenger of Allah lived eighty more days after the Farewell Pilgrimage. At the end of the month of Safar, he got ill with a headache and could not go to the mosque for the last three days of his life. Whenever the adhān was recited, he commanded, “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” According to a narration from Aisha, on Monday the 12th of Rabiʿ al-Awwal (which was the day he was born), he dipped his blessed hand into a glass in front of him and wiped his face with the water and said, “O Allah, help me to bear the agonies of death.”[34] It was mid-morning time, then his situation got worse. Aisha (r. anha) took him in her arms and closed his eyes to this mortal world. His last words were “O Allah! Excuse me and bestow Your Mercy on me and let me join with Rafīq al-Aʿlā (the Highest Companion).”[35]
D) Washing The Deceased
It is mustaḥab for the deceased to be washed and shrouded as soon as possible and to be buried with the performance of the funeral prayer. The deceased is washed as follows:
The one who washes the deceased, intending to wash the body, recites the following supplication after saying basmala, “Ghufrānaka yā Raḥmān (This deceased is now with Your forgiveness and mercy, forgive him, O Most Merciful Allah!)” until the washing is finished. Those who wash the body need to be in a state of minor ablution.
The corpse, whose clothes are taken off and covered with a cloth between the knees and the navel, is laid on a wooden ottoman called teneşir for washing, with its feet facing the qibla. Men wash the dead men and women wash the dead women. Someone helps the person washing the dead by pouring water.
According to the Ḥanafis, if most of the body of a dead Muslim including his head is found, his body is washed, shrouded, and prayed over. However, if there is half of the body without the head or if most of the body is lost, then the body is not washed, prayed over, but just wrapped with a piece of cloth and buried.
According to the Malikis, two-thirds of the body of the deceased, including the head, must be found in order for it to be washed. If two-thirds of the body is not found, it is considered makrūḥ to wash it.
According to Imam Shafiʿi, Imam Ahmad Ibn Ḥanbal, and Ibn Hazm, even if a small piece of the dead body of a Muslim is found, it is washed, shrouded, and prayed over. Imam Shafiʿi bases his view upon the following evidence: In the incident of the camel, a bird brought a severed hand to Mecca and dropped it. The Meccans recognized whose hand it was and they prayed by washing this hand. The incident took place in the presence of the Companions and there was no opposition to this act. Ahmad Ibn Ḥanbal says, “Abu Ayyub prayed over a corpse that had only one foot, while Umar prayed over a corpse that had only a bone.”
Washing the dead means performing major ablution (ghusl) on the dead. Therefore, anyone who knows how to perform major ablution can wash the body of the deceased. There is no additional knowledge and supplication required for washing the dead.
After the person who is going to wash the body wraps a cloth in his hand, he washes and cleans the private parts of the corpse. After that, he makes the dead person perform a major ablution. While performing ghusl over the body, he does not give water to the corpse’s mouth and nose but wipes them with his fingers. He washes the corpse’s face and arms, wipes the head, and washes the feet.
After that, water is poured over the dead body, and the head and body are washed with a fragrant herb called khatmī or soapy water, then turned to the left side and the right side is washed. After that, it is turned to the right side and the left side is thoroughly washed. It is sunnah to wash each limb at least three times. While washing the organs where water can hardly reach, they should be washed by rubbing. After that, the person who washes raises the corpse close to a sitting position and rubs the corpse’s stomach by leaning it towards himself. If anything comes out from under it, he just washes and cleans it, does not repeat the ghusl, and does not wash the whole body again. Thus, the washing process is finished, and the body is dried with a towel or similar things and shrouded. Then, nice fragrances are applied to his head, face, and beard, and camphor is poured on the limbs of prostration.
While washing the body, the beard of the dead is not combed, and his hair and nails are not cut. If the deceased is not circumcised, he is not circumcised. It is better to wash the dead in a closed place.
The dead person should be washed by someone close to him or her and someone with good character and who knows how to wash a corpse.
According to the Ḥanafis, a woman can wash her deceased husband because while the woman is waiting for the death period of four months and ten days, it is accepted that the bond of her marriage still continues. But the husband cannot wash his dead wife. This is because the man does not have to wait for iddah, when his wife dies, the marriage bond between them is considered to be broken. According to the other three schools, the husband can also wash his wife. If there is no woman to wash, the husband may perform tayammum on his dead wife.
If there is a close male relative (maḥram) of a woman who dies among men, that male relative can perform tayammum on the woman’s body. If there is no maḥram, a non-mahram man can wrap a cloth around his hand and perform tayammum on the woman’s body without looking.
A man can wash a little girl who has not yet reached puberty if there is no female washer, or a woman can wash a minor boy in the same situation when necessary.
A person who has drowned in water is washed by moving it in the water three times. However, a dead body being found in the water does not free other Muslims from fulfilling the obligation to wash the dead body.
When there is no water, tayammum is performed on the corpse.
Simply pouring water is sufficient on a corpse that is swollen and about to disperse and cannot be touched.
According to the Ḥanafis and the Malikis, the stillborn child as a result of miscarriage is not washed and is wrapped in a piece of cloth and buried. According to the Shafiʿis, if a fetus is miscarried before the pregnancy is, legally speaking, “complete” (that is before the mother has completed six months and two moments of her term), it will either be known to have been alive, in which case it must be washed as if it was alive, or it will not be known for certain to have been alive. If it is uncertain whether the fetus had been alive and if its bodily features are recognizable, it must be washed but not prayed over; but if its bodily features are not yet recognizable, it is not necessary to wash it. The Hanbalis hold that if a fetus is miscarried before it has been in its mother’s womb for four entire months, it must be ritually washed, whereas if it has been in its mother’s womb for any less than this, its ritual washing is not required.[36]
Even if all relatives of a deceased Muslim are non-Muslims, his body is not given to them. This is because it is the duty of the Muslims to bury him in the Muslim cemetery by carrying out all funeral requirements and enshrouding the body.
E) Enshrouding The Deceased
It is a collective obligation upon Muslim society to enshroud the deceased man or woman in such a way as to cover their bodies. The cloth that the corpse is wrapped in after washing and drying are called the “shroud”.
According to the Ḥanafis, the man’s shroud consists of three layers of cloth, one without sleeves and collars, with a seamless circumference, one to hold the place for the shirt (qamīs), one for the pants and skirt (izār), and one for the place of the wrap (lifāfa). The woman’s shroud consists of five layers of cloth. In addition to the above-mentioned three layers, there is a headcover and a chest cover. These are necessary pieces for enshrouding according to sunnah. In principle, the shroud should be suitable for the wealth of the deceased. If these pieces of cloth cannot be found, it can be satisfied with only izār and lifāfa for men and a head covering to be added to these two for women. This is called sufficient shrouding. If this amount cannot be found, then only one layer of cloth is enough for men and women. In this case, the dead are buried by wrapping them in one piece of cloth, which is called necessary shrouding. As a matter of fact, some of the Companions were enshrouded in their own clothes and buried due to necessity.[37]
Qamīs is a cloth in place of a shirt that extends from the neck to the feet. Izār is a piece of cloth that stretches from head to toe, in place of a pant or skirt. Lifāfa works as a wrap and is a cloth that extends from head to toe, knotted by the head and foot. Therefore, it is slightly longer than the izār.
It is more virtuous if the shroud is made of white cotton cloth. It does not have to be new or washed. It is customary to smoke the shroud several times with incense before wrapping the dead body.
According to the Shafiʿis, the shrouds consist of three robes for both males and females. Each robe should cover the entire body with the exception of the head of a man who was in a state of ritual consecration for the major pilgrimage, and the face of a woman who was in such a state. If the deceased is a man, an additional shirt may be placed on the body under the three robes mentioned above, as well as a turban on his head. However, it is preferable that only the three robes be used. If the deceased is a female, the ideal practice is for her grave clothes to consist of five pieces: (1) an izār, (2) a qamīs, (3) a veil, and (4) two ‘wrappers’.
According to the Malikis, it is recommended that the grave clothes be placed over a single robe for both men and women. They hold that it is preferable for a man to be wrapped in five items: (1) a tunic with sleeves, (2) an izār, (3) a turban with a tassel which is one cubit (about 46 cm) in length and which is cast over his face, and (4) two wrappers. As for the woman, her body is to be wrapped in seven items: (1) an izār, (2) a tunic, (3) a veil, and (4) four wrappers. The Hanbalis distinguish two types of grave clothes: (1) obligatory, and (2) Sunnah-based. The obligatory type of grave clothes consists of a robe that conceals the entire body of the deceased regardless of his or her gender. As for the Sunnah-based type of grave clothes, they differ according to the deceased. If the deceased is a man, it is an emulation of the Sunnah for him to be wrapped for burial in three white cotton wrappers. Adult females are to be wrapped in five white, cotton items, namely: (1) an izār, (2) a veil, (3) a tunic, and (4) two wrappers.[38]
The woman’s hair is to be plaited into two braids, which are then placed on her chest over the tunic according to the Ḥanafis, and to be allowed to fall behind her according to the Malikis. Upon the tunic, the headscarf is wrapped covering her face as well. Then the izār is wrapped around it and the chest cover is tied over the izār. Then, the lifāfa is wrapped.
The shroud is a continuation of a person’s hijāb (covering certain parts of the body), required for the person when he or she is alive. The cost of the shroud should be covered by the deceased person’s own wealth. If he or she has no wealth, his or her relatives are required to provide his or her subsistence. If there is no such person, it will be necessary for other Muslims to cover the costs of enshrouding and other funeral-related expenses. A public office or an institution such as a foundation may also cover such expenditures on behalf of the Muslim community.
Whether a woman who dies while she is married has any wealth or not, the cost of her enshrouding belongs to her husband. This is the view preferred by the Ḥanafis. According to Imam Muhammad and Imam Shafiʿi, the funeral expenses of the woman who does not leave any property are covered by her relatives who are required to provide her subsistence.
F) Funeral Prayer
The funeral prayer is a prayer that does not have rukū’ or prostration, it starts with takbīr and ends with the salutation, it can be performed standing and facing the qibla and in the state of ritual purity (wuḍū) at any time except sunrise and sunset. It is a communal obligation upon Muslims living in the town where the funeral is located, to perform the funeral prayer and to say the last prayer for a believer who is washed and shrouded. In other words, when some Muslims in the town perform this prayer, the obligation is removed from all others. If the funeral prayer is not performed at all, all Muslims in that town are responsible and sinful.
The condition of the funeral prayer is intention. In this intention, the gender of the deceased whether it is a minor boy or a girl is stated. A person who leads the funeral prayer starts it by intending to pray for the deceased for the sake of Allah and to invoke for the deceased. Also, he does not have to intend to lead the congregation. Each one of the people in the congregation intends to perform that funeral prayer for the sake of Allah, to invoke for the deceased, and to follow the imam. If the deceased is a man, it is intended with the following words, “for this man”, and if for a deceased woman it is “for this woman”. The intention also takes into account if the deceased is a child. If a member of the congregation does not know whether the deceased is male or female, he intends by saying, “pray and invoke with the imam for the deceased on whom the imam will pray and invoke.”
The essential pillars of the funeral prayer consist of takbīrs and standing (qiyām). There is no rukū’ and prostration in funeral prayer, and there is no reciting of the Qur’an or tashahhud. Its conditions are six: The deceased must be Muslim; the place where the deceased is placed must be clean; the deceased must be placed in front of the congregation; most of the body parts or half of the body must be present; the deceased must be placed on the earth; the person who will pray must be standing on the ground, not sitting on a mount, or standing on it.
It is not necessary to have a large congregation at the funeral prayer. Yet, if only a man or a woman performs this prayer, the obligation is fulfilled. If only women lead the congregation, that would also be considered sufficient. Since women also have the right to join the congregation like men, they have the right to attend the congregation at the funeral.[39] As a matter of fact, it is reported that Uthmān, Ibn Umar, and Abu Hurayra performed the funeral prayers in Medina with the congregation of men and women. In such a case, it would be per the sunnah for women to stand in the back rows. However, if the lines extend backward, women’s passing to the back row may create difficulties at the funeral. In such a case, it is permissible for women to be on the right or left sides of the congregation, leaving a space in between. As a matter of fact, in the prayers performed in the Ka’ba, women perform their prayers in separate groups, in front of the men or to their sides, leaving a gap in between.
The greater the number of congregations in the funeral prayer the greater the spiritual rewards. Aisha (r. anha) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “If a hundred Muslims perform the funeral prayer of a deceased and all of them seek intercession for him, intercession will be allowed for that person.”[40]
Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him.”[41]
The sunnah acts of the funeral prayer are four:
a) The deceased should be placed at the level of the imam’s chest,
b) To recite the supplication of “subḥānaka” with the addition of the sentence “wa jalla thanāuka” after the first takbīr. It is also permissible to recite surah Fatiḥa with the intention of making duʿā after the first takbīr. However, according to the Shafiʿis and the Ḥanbalis, reciting the Fatiḥa is an essential part of the funeral prayer. The evidence is that Ibn Abbas recited the Fatiḥa in the funeral prayer and said that “this is sunnah”.[42] According to the Malikis, reciting the Fatiḥa is makrūḥ tanzihan.
c) After the second takbīr, reciting the supplications of “ṣalli – bārik”,
d) To pray for the dead himself and other Muslims after the third takbīr. Although there is no condition other than that the prayer should be related to the hereafter, it is better to make the following prayer compiled from the prayers of the Prophet.
“Allāhumma’ghfir li ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā wa shāhidinā wa ghāibinā wa zakarinā wa unthānā wa saghīrinā wa kabīrinā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahū minnā fa aḥyihī ʿalā’l- İslām, wa man tewaffeytehū minnā fa tawaffahū ʿalā’l-imān. Wa ḥuṣṣa hādha’l-mayyita bi’r-rawḥi wa’r-rāḥati wa’l-maghfirati wa’r-riḍwān. Allāhumma in kāna muḥsinan fa zid fī iḥsānihī, wa in kāna musīan fa tajāwaz anhu, wa laqqihi’l-amna wa’l-bushrā wa’l-karāmata wa’z-zulfā, bi rahmatika yā arḥama’r-rāḥimīn.”
“O Allah, forgive those of us who are living and those of us who are dead, those of us who are present and those of us who are absent, our male and our female, our young and old ones. O, Allah! To whomsoever of us You give life, grant him life as a believer, and whomsoever of us You take in death take him in death as a follower of Islam. O, Allah! Give ease and comfort to this dead person, forgive him. O, Allah! If this person was a good person, increase his goodness; if he was an evildoer, forgive his sins. Bring him closer to your trust, glad tidings, bounties, and mercy. O Allah, the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!”[43]
If the deceased is female, the pronouns after “wa ḥuṣṣa” are read accordingly in the female form. Such as “Hādhihi’l-mayyita… in kānat muḥsinatan fa zid fī ihsanihā wa in kānat musīatan fa tajāwaz an sayyiātihā wa laqqīha’l-amna…”
Those who do not know these prayers by heart can also recite other suitable prayers that come easily. The supplication of “Rabbanā ātinā” is one of them. He can also say the following supplication, “Allāhummaghfir lī wa lahu wa li’l-mu’minīna wa’l-mu’mināt” (O Allah! Forgive me, this dead person and all believers)
For the mentally ill and young children, there is no need to ask for forgiveness from Allah for they have no sin. For them, the following supplication is added after “fa tawaffahū ʿalā’l-imān” to the funeral supplication:
“Allāhumma’jʿalhu lanā faratan, Allāhumma’jʿalhu lanā ajran wa zuhran, Allāhumma’jʿalhu lanā shafīʿan mushaffaʿan”
“O, Allah! You make him a means of reward for us sent before us, O Allah! Make him a means of reward for us and the provision of the hereafter. O, Allah! Make him an intercessor for us whose intercession is accepted in the hereafter”
After the recitation of these supplications, the imam utters the fourth takbīr, then offers greetings first to the right and then to the left, and the congregation ends the prayer by offering greetings silently. With this wājib salutation, the intention is to greet the deceased, the congregation, and the imam. A person who cannot reach the beginning of the funeral prayer immediately says the opening takbīr and starts to follow the imam and continues to say the other takbīrs together with the imam. After the imam salutes, he utters the takbīrs one after the other, and no supplications are recited after these takbīrs.
If there are several funerals, it is better to perform the funeral prayer for each of them separately. The prayer of the one brought first is performed first. If all of them are brought together, the funeral prayer of the one who is more virtuous in the eyes of the people is performed first. It is also sufficient to perform one single prayer for all of them. In such a case, the corpses are arranged in a wide row and the imam stands in front of the chest level of one of them and leads the prayer. Or, the bodies can be placed in a single row, longitudinally towards the qibla.
The funeral prayer is not performed at three times of the day when it is makrūḥ to perform prayers, that is when the sun rises, when it is at the meridian, and when it sets.[44] However, if it is performed at these times, it is not necessary to make it up. Funeral prayers are not performed in the cemetery or the mosque however, it is okay for some of the congregation to perform the prayer outside the mosque and some of them inside the mosque. Things that invalidate the prayer also invalidate the funeral prayer.
A person who dies while in the state of iḥrām during minor and major pilgrimage is washed, shrouded, incensed, and the funeral prayer is performed, but he is buried with his head uncovered. This is because the Messenger of Allah informed us that this person will rise from his grave on the Day of Judgment saying the talbiyah.[45]
The child who was born alive and then dies is named, washed, shrouded, and prayed over. The stillborn child is also named, washed, wrapped in a piece of cloth, but buried without the performance of a funeral prayer. If a child in the womb of a deceased pregnant woman moves then the woman’s belly is cut and the child is taken out.
According to the Ḥanafis, funeral prayers are not performed for those who deliberately kill their mother or father, and for bandits and hijackers killed during a conflict. However, the bodies of those who die as a result of the application of a religious punishment are washed and their prayers are performed over them. The funeral prayer of a person who leaves Islam is not performed and he is not buried in a Muslim cemetery. The prayer of the person who commits suicide is performed. However, according to Abu Yusuf, the prayer of a person who intentionally commits suicide is not performed unless it is accidentally or due to unbearable pain.[46]
Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “Whoever attends the funeral procession till he offers the funeral prayer over it, will get a reward equal to one qīrāt, and whoever accompanies it till burial, will get a reward equal to two qīrāts.” It was asked, “What are two qīrāts? He replied, “Like two huge mountains.”[47]
“Hurry up at the burial. If this dead person is righteous, it is better for you to bring him to the grave as soon as possible. If the dead person was not a good person, it is also an evil. You will have it off your shoulders as soon as possible”[48], and “When a funeral is ready and the men carry the deceased on their shoulders, if it was pious then it will say, ‘Present me quickly’, and if it was not pious, then it will say, ‘Woe to it (me), where are they taking it (me)?’ And its voice is heard by everything except mankind and if mankind heard it they would fall unconscious.”[49]
As it can be understood from the hadiths quoted above, it is necessary to bury the deceased as soon as possible without waiting. Allah Almighty accepts the good or bad testimony to be made about the dead. Therefore, it is sunnah to remember the dead with goodness. It is stated in a hadith, “Remember your deceased with kindness and cover their bad deeds.”[50] In the contemporary world, the imam leading the funeral prayer asks the congregation, “How do you know this dead person?” and the congregation gives good testimony by saying, “We know him or her well”. However, it should be noted that asking the congregation to forgive their rights does not include material rights such as receivables, compensation, and inheritance belonging to this worldly life. Even if the congregation forgives their rights, they will not be dropped until they are paid.
The Prophet said that “paradise became necessary” for those who were remembered with goodness, and “hell became necessary” for those who were remembered for their bad deeds.” When the Companions asked the reason for this, he (saw) replied, “Angels are the witnesses of Allah in the sky, and you are the witnesses of Allah on earth.” During his caliphate, Umar (ra) said similar words about the funeral following the testimonies of the congregation, and said, “If four people testify that the deceased is good, Allah will take him to Paradise”. When the Companions asked what would happen if the number of witnesses is three or two people, it is reported that he replied, “even if it’s three or two people, it will suffice.”[51]
According to what is reported from Abu Hurayra, the Prophet (saw) informed the people that the Negus of Abyssinia had passed away on the day he died, then went out to the prayer hall with his Companions, formed a row, and led the funeral prayer by uttering takbīr four times.[52]
The Negus in this report was the Abyssinian emperor, Ashama, who died in the ninth year of the Hijra, and the Messenger of Allah performed the funeral prayer for him in his absence in Medina. This practice took place out of necessity. According to the Ḥanafis and the Malikis, it is not permissible to perform the funeral prayer for a body that is not present.
For the deceased who is buried before the funeral prayer is performed, the funeral prayer can be performed next to the grave before the body decays. According to the narration from Ibn Abbas, when the Prophet came to the grave of a small child who was buried at night, he asked why he had not been informed, and when the Companions said, “We buried him in the dark of the night, we did not want to wake you,” he formed rows and led the funeral prayer.[53] In like manner, when the Messenger of Allah could not find a black woman who used to clean the mosque in Medina, he asked about her. When he was informed that she had died, he said, “Didn’t you have time to inform me?” and went to her grave and led the funeral prayer and said: “No doubt, these graves are filled with darkness for their owners. Allah illuminates their graves with this prayer and invocation of mine.”[54]
According to the Ḥanafis and some jurists, it is permissible to inform one’s relatives and friends about the death. Today, this announcement in Turkey, for example, is made by calling out the “salāh” from the mosques.
G) Carrying And Burial Of The Deceased
Carrying the deceased to the grave is one of the last services to be done to a believer. This transport is also an act of obedience. Therefore, if the cemetery is close, carrying the deceased on the shoulders brings great reward to the congregation.
According to the sunnah, four people carry the body from all four sides of the coffin. It is mustaḥab to carry it ten steps from all four sides of the coffin. There are many rewards for carrying it further. The corpse is carried first from the right front and then from the right rear. Then it is passed to the left side and shouldered from the left front and left back. Thus, one moves forty steps, ten steps from each side. It is also mustaḥab to take the deceased to the grave in haste because if he is a good person, he will be brought to the welfare that he will encounter in the grave as soon as possible. If he is a bad person, then the congregation will be freed from his evil and burden as soon as possible.
Those who watch the funeral should not talk to each other unnecessarily and loudly on the road. Even the remembrances of Allah and the Qur’an are not read aloud. One should contemplate about death and the hereafter. When the body is lowered into the grave, those who are present in the funeral procession can sit down.
When a funeral procession is passing, the person sitting by the roadside should stand up until the funeral passes. This is a way of showing respect to people. Just as the Prophet (saw) stood up for a Muslim funeral, he also stood up for a Jewish funeral he came across. When the Companions informed him that he was a Jew, he said, “Isn’t he a human?”[55] However, in the narrations from Ali and Ibn Abbas (r. anhum), it is understood that there is also a permission not to stand up for funeral processions of non-Muslims.[56]
While the body is being lowered into the grave, a few people who have stepped down into the grave take the dead body and lay it on its right side facing the qibla and its head towards the west. Meanwhile, they say “Bismillāhi wa ʿalā millati Rasūlillāh” (in the name of Allah and on the nation (religion) of the Messenger of Allah). They untie the bonds tied over the shroud’s head and feet side. It is more appropriate for a close male relative to bring the female down to the grave.
Things like stones and wood are placed behind the corpse to protect it from the compression of the soil. Then the grave is filled with soil and covered. In the meantime, some chapters from the Qur’an can be read at the head of the grave. Generally, chapters of al-Mulk, al-Wāqia, al-Ihlāṣ, al-Falaq, and al-Nās, and the chapters of al-Fātiha and the first five verses of the chapters of al-Baqara are recited. The spiritual rewards of the recitation are donated to the souls of the dead and other believers. Although the Prophet did not do these things, he would stay behind while the congregation was dispersing and say: “Seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty for your brother, and beg steadfastness for him, for he will be questioned now.”[57]
Inculcation (talqīn): When the dead body is placed in the grave and the congregation disperses after the recitation and invocations, the act of reminding the principles of the faith by speaking loudly to the dead at the head of the grave is called “inculcation (talqīn).” It is narrated that the Prophet (saw) said, “Inculcate “lā ilāha illallāh” to your dead.”[58] Most scholars interpreted the word “to your dead” in the hadith as “to your patients who were about to die”, but some Ḥanafi jurists adopted the view that such an inculcation can be made at the head of the grave, considering that there is no prohibition for inculcation after the dead is buried.
According to the Shafiʿis and some Ḥanbali jurists, it is mustaḥab to inculcate. According to the Malikis, it is makrūḥ to make inculcation after the deceased is buried.
Inculcation is made as follows: after the corpse is buried, a righteous person stands towards the face of the deceased and calls him three times by name, “Oh so and so…” and then says: “O son of (or daughter of) so-and-so! Remember your testimony that you stated while you were in this world by saying ‘There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. It is right to be resurrected after death. Doomsday will surely come. Allah will resurrect those in the graves. You were pleased with Allah as your Lord, with Islam as your religion, with Muhammad as your prophet, with the Qur’an as your guide, with the Ka’ba as your qibla, and with the believers as your brothers’. Say: ‘There is no god but Allah. I trust in him. He is the owner of the Great Throne. O servant of Allah!’ Say: ‘There is no god but Allah.’ Say: ‘My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, my Prophet is Muhammad alayhi’s-salām. O, Lord! Don’t leave him alone. You are the best of those who give property.’”
It is hoped that such inculcations will benefit the dead and serve as a warning to the living.
It is sunnah to offer food in the house of the deceased, to express condolences to the relatives of the deceased, and to visit the graves from time to time.
Condolences should be offered to the family of the deceased. It is makrūḥ to offer condolences for more than three days in order not to refresh the grief of the relatives of the deceased. However, those who cannot be present at the funeral can offer condolences after three days. The Messenger of Allah allowed mourning for up to three days and said: “It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days for a deceased relative. However, four months and ten days of mourning period of a woman or her waiting period (ʿiddah for her deceased husband is an exception.”[59]
It is unanimously accepted permissible to weep for the dead before or after burial. However, one should not raise his or her voice and speak words of rebellion against destiny. This is because when the Messenger of Allah cried when his son Ibrahim died, and when the son of his dying daughter was presented to him, tears came down his eyes, he was asked why he was crying and he said, “It is mercy which Allah has lodged in the hearts of His slaves, and Allah is merciful only to those of His slaves who are merciful (to others).”[60]
Source: Basic Islamic Principles (ilmiḥal) According to the Four Sunni Schools With Evidence From The Sources of Islamic Law, Prof. Hamdi Döndüren, Erkam Publications
[1] Al-Zumar, 39: 42. [2] Al-Tirmidhī, Zuhd, 4; Qiyāmah, 26; al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 3; Ibn Maja, Zuhd, 31. [3] Al-Tirmidhī, Qiyāmah, 24; Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, I, 387. [4] Al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 21, Hadith No: 1818, 1819. [5] Al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 21, Hadith No: 1818-1821. [6] Al-Bukhari, Marḍā, 4. [7] Al-Bukhari, Libās, 36, 45, Janā’iz, 2, Nikāḥ, 71, Ashriba, 28. [8] Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 20, Hadith No: 3092. [9] Al-Bukhari, Jihād, 56, Hadith No: 134; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 20, Hadith No: 3091. [10] Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 8; al-Tirmidhī, Ṭibb, 32; Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, I, 236, 352, II, 441. Al-Tirmidhī characterized this hadith as ‘ḥasan– gharīb’. [11] Al-Tirmidhī, Ṭibb, 35. [12] Al-Bukhari, Waṣayā, 1, Muslim, Waṣiyya, 1, 4. [13] Al-Naḥl, 16: 127; See Hūd, 11: 110; al-Kahf, 18: 28. [14] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, I, 347. [15] Malik, Muwaṭṭā’, Janā’iz, 39.[16] Abū Dawūd, Waṣayā, 10.[17] Al-Zaylaī, Naṣb al-Rāya, II, 250.[18] Muslim, Janā’iz, 1-2; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 16; al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 4.[19] Muslim, Janā’iz, 1.[20] Al-Tawba, 9: 113; al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 81; al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 102, Hadith No: 2033.[21] See Muslim, Janā’iz, 3, 4; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 18; al-Tirmidhī, Daʿāwāt, 83; Malik, Muwaṭṭā’, Janā’iz, 42; See al-Baqara, 2: 156.[22] Al-Tawba, 9: 114.[23] Muslim, Janā’iz, 6. Abu Salama was the son of the Prophet’s foster brother and aunt, Barra bint Abdilmuṭṭalib, and was one of the first Companions to embrace Islam and migrated to Medina. He died as a result of the worsening of the wound he received in Uhud.[24] Muslim, Janā’iz, 10.[25] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 32; Muslim, Janā’iz, 15.[26] Muslim, Janā’iz, 16.[27] Muslim, Janā’iz, 16. See for the hadiths al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 33- 46.[28] Al-Bukhari, Tafsīr, 110/1-2.[29] Muslim, Ṣalāh, 221; Ibn Maja, Ḥudūd, 29; al-Darimī, Riqāq, 15; Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, II, 282, 341, 450, III, 10.[30] Al-Bukhari, Manaqib al-Anṣār, 45, Ṣalāh, 80; Faḍāil aṣ-Ṣaḥāba, 3; Muslim, Faḍāil aṣ-Ṣaḥāba, 2.[31] Al-Bukhari, Tafsīr, 110/3; al-Darimī, Muqaddimah, 14; Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, I, 217, 344, 356.[32] Al-Mā’ida, 5: 3.[33] Al-Baqara, 2: 281.[34] Ibn Maja, Janā’iz, 64; al-Tirmidhī, Janā’iz, 7.[35] See Āl ʿImran, 3: 149; al-Bukhari, Marḍā, 19, Faḍāil aṣ-Ṣaḥāba, 5, Maghāzī, 83, 84; Muslim, Faḍāil, 85, 46; Faḍāil, 85, 87; al-Tirmidhī, Daʿāwāt, 76; Malik, Muwaṭṭā’, Janā’iz, 46; Elmalılı, NAṣr, 110: 3.[36] Jaziri, ibid, pp. 670-671[37] See al-Bukhari, Janā’iz,19-29; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 29-32.[38] Jaziri, ibid, pp. 686-688.[39] Malik, Muwaṭṭā’, Janā’iz, 24.[40] Muslim, Janā’iz, 59.[41] Muslim, Janā’iz, 52.[42] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 66.[43] Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 54, 56, Hadith No: 3201; al-Nasā’ī, 38, 77; Ibn Maja, Janā’iz, 23.[44] Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 50, 51.[45] Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 78-80, Hadith No: 3238, 3241.[46] See Muslim, Janā’iz, 107.[47] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 52.[48] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 52; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 45, 46.[49] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 53.[50] Abū Dawūd, Adab, 42; al-Tirmidhī, Janā’iz, 34.[51] Muslim, Janā’iz, 60; al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 50, Hadith No: 1930-1932; al-Tirmidhī, Janā’iz, 63, Hadith No: 1058, 1059.[52] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 55, 57.[53] Al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 56, 60; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 52, 54.[54] Muslim, Janā’iz, 71; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 555, 57, Hadith No: 3203.[55] Muslim, Janā’iz, 73-81; Al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 45, Hadith No: 1912-1918.[56] Muslim, Janā’iz, 82-84; Al-Nasā’ī, Janā’iz, 47, Hadith No: 1921-1927.[57] Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 67-69.[58] Muslim, Janā’iz, 1.[59] Al-Shawkanī, ibid, VI, 292.[60] See al-Bukhari, Janā’iz, 44, Tawḥīd, 25; Muslim, Janā’iz, 12, 106; Abū Dawūd, Janā’iz, 77; Ibn Abidīn, ibid, I, 841; al-Shirbinī, Mughni al-Muḥtāj, I, 355 ff.; al-Shirazī, ibid, I, 139.