Janāzah Prayer

The funeral prayer or janāzah is performed after the body has been shrouded and is ready for burial. Believers are encouraged to take part in the funeral prayer, as there are high rewards in performing it. It is common practice for those attending the prayer to form an odd number of rows behind the imam, who starts the prayer standing and facing the coffin in the direction of Mecca. The imam opens the prayer with the first takbir and raises his hands to his ears, and subsequently, folds his hands over his chest. The first takbir (the recitation of Allāhu Akbar, god is the greatest) is followed by the recitation of the opening chapter of the Qu’ran, Al-Fātiḥah. Then, the imam pronounces the second takbir without raising his hands, followed by prayers upon the Prophet Muhammed:

“O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. Verily, You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious. Grant favor to Muhammad and the members of his household as You granted favor to the members of the household of Ibrahim in the world. Verily, You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.”¹

Thereafter, the third takbir is pronounced after which a supplication is made for the deceased. This supplication can take many forms, however, it is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad used to say:

“O Allah! Grant him protection, and have mercy on him, and keep him in good condition, and pardon him, and make his entertainment honourable, and expand his place of entering, and wash him with water and snow and hail and cleanse him of faults as a white cloth is cleansed of dross.” ²

The prayer ends with a fourth takbir and the taslim, which is the utterance of “Peace be on you and the mercy of Allah” and concludes the prayer.³