What Is Muslim Funeral Prayer or Salatul Janazah?
Salatul Janazah is Fard Kafayah, that is, if one prays the prayer then all are bareeuz zimma [free of the responsibility] otherwise all those who received the news but did not come are sinners. Jammat is not a condition for this prayer, it is sufficient even if one person prays, and to deny the fardiat, compulsion, of this salah is kufr, an act of disbelief.
There are two parts to this Salah:
1) To say Allahu Akbar four times
2) Qayam which was three Sunnat Mukeda: Sana, Durood Shareef, and Duaa for the deceased
How To Pray Muslim Funeral Prayer or Salatul Janazah?
Muqtadee should make the niyyat, “I make the niyyat for the prayer of this janaza for Allah, duaa for this deceased, behind this imam.” Now the Imam and muqtadee should raise their hands to their ears and fold their hands underneath the navel as usual whilst saying Allahu Akbar and read Sana, a slight difference is that after wa ta’ala jadduka one must read wa jalla sanauka wa laailaha gairuk. Then without raising the hands, say Allahu Akbar and read duroode Ibraheem; then without raising the hands, say Allahu Akbar and read the duaa.
The Imam must say all the takbeer aloud whereas the muqtadee must say it slowly, the rest of the azkar (supplications) are to be read slowly by the Imam and Muqtadee. After the duaa, say Allahu Akbar and now drop the hands and then turn the head both sides for salaam.
Sana:
Glory be to You Oh Allah, and praise be to You, and blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your Majesty, and there is none to be served besides You.
Durood e Ibraheemi:
O, Allah! shower Your mercy upon Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad, as You showered Your mercy upon Ibrahim and the followers of Ibrahim. Behold, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Oh, Allah! Shower Your blessing upon Muhammad, and the followers of Muhammad as You showered Your blessings upon Ibrahim and the followers of Ibrahim. Behold, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Duaa For An Adult Man or Woman:
Oh, Allah! Forgive those of us that are alive and those of us that are dead; those of us that are present and those of us who are absent; those of us who are young and those of us who are adults; our males and our females.
Oh, Allah! Whomsoever You keep alive, let him live as a follower of Islam and whomsoever You cause to die, let him die a Believer.
Duaa For A Boy:
Oh! Allah, make him (this child) a source for our salvation and make him a source of reward and treasure for us and make him an intercessor for us and one whose intercession is accepted.
Duaa For A Girl:
Oh! Allah, make her (this child) a source for our salvation and make her a source of reward and treasure for us and make her an intercessor for us and one whose intercession is accepted.
12 Ahkam (Rules) of Janazah:
- Some people pray while wearing shoes and many people pray Janazah while standing on the shoes. If one prays while wearing the shoes then it is necessary that the shoes and the earth underneath be pure and if one stands on the shoes then it is necessary that the shoes be pure.
- There is more ihtiyat (care) that one does not pray while standing on the shoes. Stand on the earth, if you want you can stand upon your handkerchief.
- It is necessary for the body of the deceased to be present; the Janazah of the absent is not permissible
- It is mustahabb that the Imam stands in front of the chest of the deceased.
- Several Janazah may be prayed at the same time; there is the option of putting the deceased in a row so that the chest of all is in front of the imam or in a line so that one’s head is in line with the other’s feet and the others’ feet is in line with the other's head. Wa ala hazal qayas (and presume the rest on this)
- It is better to make three rows/ saf as it is mentioned in the Hadith that, “Whosevers’ salatul Janazah was read by three rows/ saf, they will be forgiven.”
- If there are, for example, seven people, then one should become the Imam, three people should stand in the first row/ saf, two in the second row/ saf, and one in the last row/ saf (Guniyah)
- In Janazah, the last row/ saf is the best out of all the rows/ saf. [Durre Mukhtar]
- Masbooq, one who missed some takbeer, should say the rest of his takbeer after the Imam says salaam, and he should say only the takbeer without the supplications if he fears that people will start to give a shoulder to the Janazah before he finishes all the supplications. [Durre Mukhtar]
- One can join the Janazah even after the fourth takbber until the Imam has not said salaam. After the salaam of the Imam, he should say Allahu Akbar thrice [Duree Mukhtar] and say salaam.
- The duaa for a boy or girl will be read for whoever died in a condition of madness in which they were born or madness that occurred before puberty and lasted until death.
- There is bath/ Gusul, Kafan, and Janazah for the child of a Muslim whose Akhtar (most) body had come out otherwise the child will be bathed, covered in a sheet, and buried without bath/ Gusul, Kafan and Salah. Akthar (most), from the head, means from the head to the chest; so there is no Janazah for the child who was born crying from the head but passed away before the chest came out, and from the feet, Akhtar means from the feet to the back. A child born alive or dead will be given a name and on the day of Qayamat, the child will be resurrected. [Durre Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar]
Learn More About Janazah and Islamic Prayers with Quran Focus Academy!
Indeed, Death is an inevitable reality. Every living being will certainly die one day. Whether you’re young or old, man or woman, rich or poor, dark or fair skin, sooner or later, we all will face Death. Allah the Highest says in the Qur’an:
“Every soul will taste death” – [Qur’an 3:185]
It is also likely that we all will know someone who dies in our lifetime, and we’ll have to attend their Janazah prayer (Funeral Prayer). Therefore every Muslim needs to learn how to pray the Janazah/ Funeral prayer according to the Sunnah.
Our online Quran Academy has a team of experienced Islamic studies and Quran tutors who will teach you and your kids about obligatory prayers, optional prayers, funeral prayers, and other pillars of Islam. We will teach you everything according to the noble Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to be a good human being by teaching Islamic practices to help you succeed in this world and hereafter.
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