Funeral and Funeral Prayer
As death approaches a person and there are signs of death, that person should be made to lie straight, with his feet facing the Qiblah and his head should be raised a little so as to face the Qiblah. Sitting beside him one should recite the credal statement of Islam so that he too, may recite it. Once he does so, others should keep quiet. The dying person should not be made to keep reciting it until he dies. What is important is that it should be his last utterance. It is not essential that he should recite it until his last breath. If he engages in worldly conversation, he should be again made to recite the credal statement. Those present around him should recite Surah Ya Sin. For it relieves the pangs of death.
The following should be done for the deceased:
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To bath him.
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To wrap him in a shroud.
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To offer his funeral Prayer.
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To bury him.
If these acts are done by some, it will absolve all others. Otherwise all will be sinners. It is better, if the next of kin bathes the deceased. Or a pious person should do so. It must be ensured that a male bathes a male dead and a female does it for a female dead.
As to bathe, first the deceased should be made to have Wudu. Lukewarm water should be poured over his body with a splash of cold water and then water with camphor added to it should be poured.
Three pieces of cloth make up a male’s shroud and five for a female. In exceptional circumstances even three may suffice for a female.
If a baby dies immediately after birth, he too, should be bathed and funeral Prayer be offered for him. He should be named and buried. However, a still birth should be bathed and buried, without a funeral Prayer. He should be named as well. One should be buried in the local graveyard where one dies. If the dead body is taken elsewhere for burial, it is permissible.
On entering a graveyard this supplication be recited:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ
Assalaamualaikum daara qoumin mu’mineen wa innaa insha Allahu bikum laahiqoon.
“Peace be upon you, O people of the graves. May Allah forgive us and you. You preceded us and we will follow you”.
There are two compulsory parts of funeral Prayers
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To be offered in a standing posture.
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To recite “Allahu Akbar” four times.
Conditions for a valid funeral Prayer
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The deceased should be a Muslim.
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He should have been bathed.
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His shroud should be clean.
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His body should be covered.
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The body should be placed before those offering funeral Prayer.
The conditions for those offering this Prayer, are the same as for any Prayer. There is no fixed time for this Prayer.
How to perform a Funeral Prayer
The body should be placed in front of the Imam and those praying should be at least, in three rows or any odd number. All should make the intention to offer this Prayer as a supplication for the deceased. After saying Takbir Tahrimah both the hands should be raised to the level of the ears and then be fastened on the navel. It should be followed by reciting “Surah Al Fathiha”. After the second Takbir the usual Durud be recited.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allaahumma salli ala muhammadin wa ala aali muhammadin kama sallaita ala ibraheema, wa ala aali ibraheema. Wa barik ala muhammadin wa ala aali muhammadin kama barakta ala ibraheema wa ala aali ibraheema. fil aalameena. Innaka hameedum majeed.
and supplications be made for the deceased after the third Takbir.
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.
Allaahummaghfir li hayyinaa wa mayyitinaa wa shaahidinaa wa ghaayibinaa wa sagheerinaa wa kabeerinaa wa zakarinaa wa unsaanaa. Allaahumma man ahyaitahu minnaa fa’ahyiyee alal islam wa man tawaffaitahu minnaa fatawaffahu alal imaan. Allaahumma laa tahrimnaa ajrahu wa laa tuzillanaa ba’dahu.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ.
Allaahummaghfir lahu war hamhu wa aafihi wa’fu anhu wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi’ mudkhalahu waghsilhu bil maa’i wassalji walbaradi wanaqqihi minal khataayaa kamaa yunaqqas soubul abyazu minad danasi wa abdilhu daaran khairan min daarihi wa ahlan khairan min ahlihi wa zoujan khairan min zoujihi wa adkhilhul jannatha wa’aizhu min azaabil qabri wa min azaabin naar.
One should, at least say:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ
Allaahumaaghfir lahu war hamhu.
“O Lord! Forgive him and have mercy on him.”
The fourth Takbir marks the conclusion of the Prayer. One should say the below given supplication after the fourth Takbeer:
اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُ وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ.
Allaahumma laa tahrimnaa ajrahu wa laa taftinna ba’dahu waghfirlanaa wa lahu.
The Imam will recite the Takbir aloud and the rest of the formula in a low voice. Those praying behind will recite everything in a low voice.
All the things which render Prayer as invalid also apply to funeral Prayer. If a Muslim has been buried without funeral Prayer, it should be offered at his grave until a reasonable time before the decomposition of the body. Those in funeral procession should follow the coffin. However, moving ahead of it is also permissible.
How to Bury the Dead
After funeral Prayer, the body should be immediately taken to grave for burial. It should be placed in the grave in the direction of the Qiblah. Those placing it should face the Qiblah as well. While burying, one should recite:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَىٰ مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Bismillaahi wa alaa millati rasoolillaahi Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam.
“In the name of Allah and being one of the Prophet’s community.”
The body should be placed to its right in grave in a way that his face is in the direction of the Qiblah. This is part of Sunnah. Those closely related to a female in degree that they cannot marry her should better place her body in grave. The grave should be sealed with stones or mud. It is undesirable to erect any structure over it. After closing the grave those present should pour dust thrice, while reciting these formulae:
مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ
Minha khalagnaakum wa feehaa nu’eedukum wa minha nukhrijukum taaratan ukhraa.
“You were created from it. You have returned to it and you will be raised from it finally.”
It is desirable to raise the grave like a camel’s hump. Yet it should not be raised too high.
It is also desirable to console and comfort the bereaved family. Men should visit graveyards, preferably once a week on Fridays.
