9 supplications
Funeral Prayer Duas, Burial and Graves
Praying for the dead is among the last services a Muslim gives his brother. The Sunnah preserves several funeral duas, words for lowering the body into the grave, a request for firmness while he is questioned, and greetings for the graveyard.
On closing the eyes of the dead
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِـ(فُلَانٍ)، وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الْمَهْدِيِّينَ، وَاخْلُفْهُ فِي عَقِبِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِينَ، وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَافْسَحْ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ، وَنَوِّرْ لَهُ فِيهِ
Allahummaghfir li-(fulan), warfa‘ darajatahu fil-mahdiyyin, wakhlufhu fi ‘aqibihi fil-ghabirin, waghfir lana wa lahu ya rabbal-‘alamin, wafsah lahu fi qabrih, wa nawwir lahu fih.
O Allah, forgive (name), raise his rank among the rightly guided, be a successor for him among those he left, forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds, widen his grave for him and fill it with light.
Source: Sahih Muslim
In the funeral prayer
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الْأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ
Allahummaghfir lahu warhamh, wa ‘afihi wa‘fu ‘anh, wa akrim nuzulah, wa wassi‘ mudkhalah, waghsilhu bil-ma’i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naqqihi minal-khataya kama naqqaytath-thawbal-abyada minad-danas.
O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, give him well-being and pardon him, honour his resting place, widen his entrance, wash him with water, snow and hail, and cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Said after the third takbir; use the feminine forms for a woman.
Source: Sahih Muslim
The general funeral du‘a
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
Allahummaghfir li-hayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha’ibina, wa saghirina wa kabirina, wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa-ahyihi ‘alal-islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa-tawaffahu ‘alal-iman. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrah, wa la tudillana ba‘dah.
O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those present and absent, our young and our old, our men and our women. O Allah, whoever You keep alive, keep him alive on Islam, and whoever You take, take him on faith. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward and do not lead us astray after him.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi; Sunan Ibn Majah
He is in Your protection
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ، وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ، فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ، وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفَاءِ وَالْحَقِّ، فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Allahumma inna fulanabna fulanin fi dhimmatik, wa habli jiwarik, fa-qihi min fitnatil-qabri wa ‘adhabin-nar, wa anta ahlul-wafa’i wal-haqq, faghfir lahu warhamh, innaka antal-ghafurur-rahim.
O Allah, (name) son of (name) is in Your care and under Your protection, so protect him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Fire. You are the One who fulfils and is true, so forgive him and have mercy on him; You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Sunan Ibn Majah
In the funeral prayer for a child
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَسَلَفًا وَأَجْرًا
Allahummaj‘alhu lana faratan wa salafan wa ajra.
O Allah, make him a forerunner for us, a precedent and a reward. Reported from al-Hasan al-Basri by al-Bukhari.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
Placing the dead in the grave
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، وَعَلَى سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
Bismillah, wa ‘ala sunnati rasulillah.
In the name of Allah and according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
After the burial
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْهُ
Allahummaghfir lah, Allahumma thabbith.
O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, make him firm. “Ask forgiveness for your brother and ask for firmness for him, for he is now being questioned.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud
‘A’ishah’s greeting at the graves
السَّلَامُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلَاحِقُونَ
As-salamu ‘ala ahlid-diyari minal-mu’minina wal-muslimin, wa yarhamullahul-mustaqdimina minna wal-musta’khirin, wa inna in sha’ Allahu bikum la-lahiqun.
Peace be upon the inhabitants of these dwellings among the believers and Muslims; may Allah have mercy on those who went before us and those who come later, and we shall, Allah willing, join you.
Source: Sahih Muslim
At the graveyard of al-Baqi‘
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأَهْلِ بَقِيعِ الْغَرْقَدِ
Allahummaghfir li-ahli baqi‘il-gharqad.
O Allah, forgive the people of Baqi‘ al-Gharqad. The Prophet ﷺ went out at night to pray for them.
Source: Sahih Muslim
The funeral prayer
The funeral prayer has four takbirs: al-Fatihah after the first, salawat after the second, du‘a for the deceased after the third, then a short pause and the salam. The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you pray over the dead, make the du‘a sincerely for him” (Abu Dawud). After the burial he stood and asked the people to pray for firmness for the deceased.
Funeral Prayer Duas, Burial and Graves: questions and answers
Which du‘a is said for a child?
“Allahummaj‘alhu lana faratan wa salafan wa ajra” and a du‘a for the parents’ patience and reward.
Can women visit graves?
Many scholars allow it occasionally, without wailing; the Prophet ﷺ taught ‘A’ishah the greeting of the graves (Muslim).