The Funeral Prayer in Islam

The funeral prayer typical happens very quickly as Muslims are required to carefully wash and shroud the body and arrange the burial as soon as possible after death. Therefore it is extremely important to remember what to do during the funeral prayer as it is very different to all other prayers in Islam. In addition to memorising the funeral prayer in the event of attending the funeral of a loved one, it is also important to know it in preparation for Hajj and Umrah, as there is usually a funeral prayer after each of the five daily salah in Makkah.

Attending the funeral prayer is fard al kifayah, which means that it is obligatory for some members of the community to attend a person’s funeral, even if they don’t know him or her. Also, it is important for as many people as possible to attend the funeral prayer, as part of the prayer involves asking Allah to forgive the deceased, and we do not  know whose dua will be answered at any given time; therefore, the more people that attend, the more likely it is that someone’s dua (or indeed everyone’s dua) for the deceased person will be accepted.

The funeral prayer is the only prayer in Islam that is performed in a standing position only with no ruku or sajda. There are four takbeers (Allahu Akbar), after which you must raise your hands as in every prayer. After the first takbeer, you recite Surah Fatihah. After the second takbir you recite peace and blessings on the prophet (Allahumma salli ala Mohamed etc …). After the third takbir you ask forgiveness for the deceased person (There are a number of ways of doing so, and an easier one to memorise is: Allaahumma in kaana muhsinan fa zid fi ihsaanihi wa in kaana musee’an fa tajaawaz ‘an sayi’aatihi. Allaahumma ighfir lahu wa thabbit-hu bi’l-qawl il-thaabit (O Allaah, if he was a doer of good, then increase his good deeds, and if he was a wrongdoer, then overlook his bad deeds). After the fourth takbir, you say tasleem - salams to the right and left in the same way as every salat (note that some imams say salams only to the right which is fine).

We hope you found this information beneficial and ask Allah to help us all to memorise it.