How to pray the funeral prayer, with the words to say
The four takbirs of salat al-janazah in order, and the exact Arabic, transliteration and translation of the thana, durood and duas said at each.
The funeral prayer is different from our usual prayers: everybody just stands the whole time, saying 'Allahu Akbar' four times, with something quiet said after the first three.
| Takbir | Hands | Then say (quietly, in your heart) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Raise them to your ears, then bring them down below your navel, like at the start of prayer | The thana (praise of Allah) |
| 2nd | Do not raise them | The durood (blessings on the Prophet ﷺ) |
| 3rd | Do not raise them | A dua for the person who has died |
| 4th | Do not raise them | Nothing: just turn your head right, then left, to finish, like at the end of prayer |
How the prayer goes
- The body is placed at the front. The imam stands level with its chest, facing it.
- Everyone makes the intention to pray the funeral prayer.
- Raise your hands to your ears and say 'Allahu Akbar'; this is the first takbir.
- Bring your hands down and rest them below your navel, and quietly say the thana.
- Say 'Allahu Akbar' again (without raising your hands) and quietly say the durood.
- Say 'Allahu Akbar' a third time (without raising your hands) and quietly say the dua for the person who died.
- Say 'Allahu Akbar' a fourth time (without raising your hands), then turn your head to the right and then the left, saying the salam, just like at the end of the usual prayer.
سُبْحَانَكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَ تَعَالٰى جَدُّكَ وَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subḥānaka'llāhumma wa bi-ḥamdik, wa tabāraka'smuk, wa taʿālā jadduk, wa jalla thanāʾuk, wa lā ilāha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and all praise is Yours. Blessed is Your name, and great is Your majesty. Glorious is Your praise, and there is no god but You.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ، اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdum Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdum Majīd.
O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings on Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are truly Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are truly Praiseworthy and Glorious.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَ مَيِّتِنَا وَ شَاهِدِنَا وَ غَائِبِنَا وَ صَغِيرِنَا وَ كَبِيرِنَا وَ ذَكَرِنَا وَ أُنْثَانَا، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَ مَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ
Allāhumma'ghfir li-ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā, wa shāhidinā wa ghāʾibinā, wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā, wa dhakarinā wa unthānā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahū minnā fa-aḥyihī ʿala'l-Islām, wa man tawaffaytahū minnā fa-tawaffahū ʿala'l-īmān.
O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those of us present and those away, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whoever of us You let live, let him live upon Islam, and whoever of us You cause to die, let him die upon faith.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَمُشَفَّعًا
Allāhumma'jʿalhu lanā faraṭan, wa'jʿalhu lanā ajran wa dhukhran, wa'jʿalhu lanā shāfiʿan wa mushaffaʿā.
O Allah, make him go ahead of us as a means of good, make him for us a reward and something stored up for us, and make him a means of speaking well for us, whose word for us is accepted.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَةً وَمُشَفَّعَةً
Allāhumma'jʿalhā lanā faraṭan, wa'jʿalhā lanā ajran wa dhukhran, wa'jʿalhā lanā shāfiʿatan wa mushaffaʿah.
O Allah, make her go ahead of us as a means of good, make her for us a reward and something stored up for us, and make her a means of speaking well for us, whose word for us is accepted.
The method below is the recommended and preferred way of performing the funeral prayer. There is no rukūʿ, no sujūd, no Qur'an recitation and no tashahhud anywhere in it, only four takbirs, said standing.
| Takbir | Hands | What is recited after it |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (takbīr al-taḥrīmah) | Raised to the ears, then lowered and folded below the navel, as at the start of ordinary prayer | The thanā' (praise of Allah) |
| 2nd | Not raised | Durūd (blessings on the Prophet ﷺ) |
| 3rd | Not raised | Duʿāʾ for the deceased: the wording depends on whether they were an adult, a boy, or a girl |
| 4th | Not raised | Nothing is recited: turn the head right, then left, for the salām, as at the end of ordinary prayer |
The method, in order
- The body is placed ahead, with the imam standing level with its chest, facing it.
- The imam and all those following make the intention for the funeral prayer.
- Raise both hands to the ears and say "Allāhu Akbar", the first takbir.
- Lower the hands and fold them below the navel, as in ordinary prayer, and recite the thanā'.
- Say "Allāhu Akbar" a second time, without raising the hands, and recite durūd: any durūd known, though it is preferred to recite the same one said in the daily prayers.
- Say "Allāhu Akbar" a third time, without raising the hands, and make the duʿāʾ appropriate to the deceased.
- Say "Allāhu Akbar" a fourth time, without raising the hands and without any further duʿāʾ, then turn the head to the right and then the left for the salām, exactly as in ordinary prayer. This completes the prayer.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| The imam has already said one or two takbirs when you arrive | Do not join immediately. Wait for the imam's next takbir and join in with it; this counts as your own opening takbir. After the imam gives the salām, make up the takbirs you missed, and recite their duʿāʾ too if there is no fear the body will be taken away before you finish. |
| You arrive when the prayer is already well underway | Join immediately with a takbir of your own rather than waiting for the imam's next one, then continue with the prayer. |
| The imam says more than four takbirs by mistake | Do not follow the extra takbirs; remain silent and standing. When the imam finally gives the salām, give the salām as well. |
سُبْحَانَكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَ تَعَالٰى جَدُّكَ وَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subḥānaka'llāhumma wa bi-ḥamdik, wa tabāraka'smuk, wa taʿālā jadduk, wa jalla thanāʾuk, wa lā ilāha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise is Yours; blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty, and glorious is Your praise; there is no god but You.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ، اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdum Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdum Majīd.
O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, send grace upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent grace upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَ مَيِّتِنَا وَ شَاهِدِنَا وَ غَائِبِنَا وَ صَغِيرِنَا وَ كَبِيرِنَا وَ ذَكَرِنَا وَ أُنْثَانَا، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَ مَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ
Allāhumma'ghfir li-ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā, wa shāhidinā wa ghāʾibinā, wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā, wa dhakarinā wa unthānā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahū minnā fa-aḥyihī ʿala'l-Islām, wa man tawaffaytahū minnā fa-tawaffahū ʿala'l-īmān.
O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those of us present and those absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whomever of us You keep alive, keep him alive upon Islam, and whomever of us You take in death, take him in death upon faith.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَمُشَفَّعًا
Allāhumma'jʿalhu lanā faraṭan, wa'jʿalhu lanā ajran wa dhukhran, wa'jʿalhu lanā shāfiʿan wa mushaffaʿā.
O Allah, make him for us one who goes ahead (to await us), and make him for us a reward and a treasure stored up, and make him for us an intercessor whose intercession is accepted.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَةً وَمُشَفَّعَةً
Allāhumma'jʿalhā lanā faraṭan, wa'jʿalhā lanā ajran wa dhukhran, wa'jʿalhā lanā shāfiʿatan wa mushaffaʿah.
O Allah, make her for us one who goes ahead (to await us), and make her for us a reward and a treasure stored up, and make her for us an intercessor whose intercession is accepted.
Three near-identical accounts of the method give the same four-takbir structure, the same three sunnah recitations, and materially the same wording for the thanāʾ, durūd and duʿāʾ; the Arabic reproduced below follows the main funeral-chapter account, which carries the cleanest diacritics of the three otherwise-identical printings.
| Takbir | Hands | What is recited after it |
|---|---|---|
| 1st: takbīr al-taḥrīmah | Raised to the ears, then folded below the navel | Thanāʾ |
| 2nd | Not raised | Durūd |
| 3rd | Not raised | Duʿāʾ: adult, boy, or girl wording as applicable |
| 4th | Not raised | Nothing recited; salām to the right, then the left |
The method, in order
- The body is placed ahead of the congregation; the imam stands level with the chest of the deceased, facing it.
- The imam and the muqtadīs (followers) make the niyyah for the janāzah prayer.
- Both hands are raised to the ears for takbīr al-taḥrīmah, then folded below the navel as in ordinary ṣalāh; the thanāʾ is recited.
- A second takbīr is said without raising the hands, followed by durūd: any known durūd suffices, though the durūd of the daily prayers (Durūd Ibrāhīmī) is preferred.
- A third takbīr is said without raising the hands, followed by the duʿāʾ suited to the deceased.
- A fourth takbīr is said without raising the hands and without further duʿāʾ; the head turns right then left for the salām, exactly as in ordinary ṣalāh.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Arriving after one or two takbīrs | Wait for the imam's next takbīr and join with it; this becomes the latecomer's own takbīr al-taḥrīmah. After the imam's salām, the missed takbīrs are made up, together with their duʿāʾ if there is no fear the body will be moved on before finishing. |
| Arriving once the prayer is well underway | Join immediately with one's own takbīr rather than waiting for the imam's next; continue thereafter with the prayer. |
| The imam adds a fifth (or further) takbīr in error | Followers do not follow the extra takbīrs; they remain silent and standing until the imam's salām, and then give the salām themselves. |
سُبْحَانَكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَ تَعَالٰى جَدُّكَ وَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subḥānaka'llāhumma wa bi-ḥamdik, wa tabāraka'smuk, wa taʿālā jadduk, wa jalla thanāʾuk, wa lā ilāha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise is Yours; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and glorious is Your praise; there is no god but You.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ، اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdum Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdum Majīd.
O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, send grace upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent grace upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَ مَيِّتِنَا وَ شَاهِدِنَا وَ غَائِبِنَا وَ صَغِيرِنَا وَ كَبِيرِنَا وَ ذَكَرِنَا وَ أُنْثَانَا، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَ مَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ
Allāhumma'ghfir li-ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā, wa shāhidinā wa ghāʾibinā, wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā, wa dhakarinā wa unthānā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahū minnā fa-aḥyihī ʿala'l-Islām, wa man tawaffaytahū minnā fa-tawaffahū ʿala'l-īmān.
O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those of us present and those absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whomever of us You keep alive, keep him alive upon Islam, and whomever of us You take in death, take him in death upon faith.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَمُشَفَّعًا
Allāhumma'jʿalhu lanā faraṭan, wa'jʿalhu lanā ajran wa dhukhran, wa'jʿalhu lanā shāfiʿan wa mushaffaʿā.
O Allah, make him for us one who goes ahead to await us, a reward and a treasure stored up, and an intercessor whose intercession is accepted.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَةً وَمُشَفَّعَةً
Allāhumma'jʿalhā lanā faraṭan, wa'jʿalhā lanā ajran wa dhukhran, wa'jʿalhā lanā shāfiʿatan wa mushaffaʿah.
O Allah, make her for us one who goes ahead to await us, a reward and a treasure stored up, and an intercessor whose intercession is accepted.
Terms on this page
Related
- How to pray the Eid prayer, step by step The full method of the Eid prayer in order, from the intention and the extra takbirs to the two sermons that follow it.
- How to pray, step by step The full sunnah method of prayer in order, with the words to say, and how it differs for the imam, the follower and a woman.
- The funeral prayer: ruling and conditions Why the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) is fard kifayah, its conditions, who has the right to lead it, and when it may not be prayed.
- Mistakes, forgetfulness and joining late in the Eid prayer What to do if a takbir is said wrongly, forgotten or added to, and how to join the Eid prayer after the imam has already started.