โญ IMMENSE REWARD:
The Prophet ๏ทบ said: "Whoever attends the funeral prayer will have a reward equal to one Qirat, and whoever attends until the burial will have a reward equal to two Qirats." When asked what the two Qirats were, he said: "Like two huge mountains" - Bukhari & Muslim
๐ The Janaza Prayer Structure (4 Takbirs):
Important: The Janaza prayer is performed standing only - there is no ruku (bowing) or sujood (prostration). You may raise hands for each takbir or only the first (both are valid opinions).
1๏ธโฃ FIRST TAKBIR
Say "Allahu Akbar" and raise your hands, then fold them (right over left)
First, seek refuge from Shaytan:
ุฃูุนููุฐู ุจูุงูููููู ู
ููู ุงูุดููููุทูุงูู ุงูุฑููุฌููู
ู
"A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem"
Then recite Bismillah and Surah Al-Fatihah:
ุจูุณูู
ู ุงูููููู ุงูุฑููุญูู
ููฐูู ุงูุฑููุญููู
ู
ุงููุญูู
ูุฏู ููููููู ุฑูุจูู ุงููุนูุงููู
ูููู
ุงูุฑููุญูู
ููฐูู ุงูุฑููุญููู
ู
ู
ูุงูููู ููููู
ู ุงูุฏููููู
ุฅููููุงูู ููุนูุจูุฏู ููุฅููููุงูู ููุณูุชูุนูููู
ุงููุฏูููุง ุงูุตููุฑูุงุทู ุงููู
ูุณูุชููููู
ู
ุตูุฑูุงุทู ุงูููุฐูููู ุฃูููุนูู
ูุชู ุนูููููููู
ู ุบูููุฑู ุงููู
ูุบูุถููุจู ุนูููููููู
ู ููููุง ุงูุถููุงูููููู
2๏ธโฃ SECOND TAKBIR
Say "Allahu Akbar" (you may raise hands or keep them folded)
Recite Salawat upon the Prophet ๏ทบ (as in regular prayer):
ุงููููููู
ูู ุตูููู ุนูููู ู
ูุญูู
ููุฏู ููุนูููู ุขูู ู
ูุญูู
ููุฏู ููู
ูุง ุตููููููุชู ุนูููู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู
ู ููุนูููู ุขูู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู
ู ุฅูููููู ุญูู
ููุฏู ู
ูุฌููุฏู
ุงููููููู
ูู ุจูุงุฑููู ุนูููู ู
ูุญูู
ููุฏู ููุนูููู ุขูู ู
ูุญูู
ููุฏู ููู
ูุง ุจูุงุฑูููุชู ุนูููู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู
ู ููุนูููู ุขูู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู
ู ุฅูููููู ุญูู
ููุฏู ู
ูุฌููุฏู
"Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad... Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammad..."
3๏ธโฃ THIRD TAKBIR
Say "Allahu Akbar" (hands remain folded)
โญ Comprehensive Dua (narrated from the Prophet ๏ทบ):
ุงููููููู
ูู ุงุบูููุฑู ููุญููููููุง ููู
ููููุชูููุง ููุดูุงููุฏูููุง ููุบูุงุฆูุจูููุง ููุตูุบููุฑูููุง ููููุจููุฑูููุง ููุฐูููุฑูููุง ููุฃูููุซูุงููุงุ ุงููููููู
ูู ู
ููู ุฃูุญูููููุชููู ู
ููููุง ููุฃูุญููููู ุนูููู ุงููุฅูุณูููุงู
ูุ ููู
ููู ุชููููููููุชููู ู
ููููุง ููุชูููููููู ุนูููู ุงููุฅููู
ูุงูู
"Allahumma-ghfir lihayyina wa mayyitina wa shahidina wa ghaibina wa saghirina wa kabirina wa dhakarina wa unthana, Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa-ahyihi 'alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa-tawaffahu 'alal-iman"
(O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are present among us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whoever You keep alive from among us, keep him alive in Islam, and whoever You cause to die from among us, cause him to die in faith)
Alternative shorter dua:
ุงููููููู
ูู ุฅููู ููุงูู ู
ูุญูุณูููุง ููุฒูุฏู ููู ุฅูุญูุณูุงููููุ ููุฅููู ููุงูู ู
ูุณููุฆูุง ููุชูุฌูุงููุฒู ุนููู ุณููููุฆูุงุชููู
"Allahumma in kana muhsinan fa-zid fi ihsanihi, wa in kana musiyan fa-tajawaz 'an sayyi'atihi" (O Allah, if he was a doer of good, then increase his good deeds, and if he was a wrongdoer, then overlook his bad deeds)
Note: You may make dua with other words - the key is to sincerely ask Allah's mercy for the deceased. Change pronouns as needed for female deceased (muhsinatan/musiatun).
4๏ธโฃ FOURTH TAKBIR
Say "Allahu Akbar" (hands remain folded)
Pause briefly, then conclude:
You may make a brief dua such as:
ุงููููููู
ูู ููุง ุชูุญูุฑูู
ูููุง ุฃูุฌูุฑููู ููููุง ุชูููุชููููุง ุจูุนูุฏููู ููุงุบูููุฑู ููููุง ูููููู
"Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa la taftinna ba'dahu waghfir lana wa lahu" (O Allah, do not deprive us of the reward and do not test us after him, and forgive us and him)
...or simply remain silent for a moment.
Then make ONE Tasleem to the right saying: "Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah"
๐ก Special Notes for Praying in the Haram:
- Janaza prayers are announced regularly in Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi
- Join immediately when you hear the announcement - it's a great opportunity
- The Imam will lead you through the four takbirs with pauses between each
- If you're unsure, just follow the Imam and say "Allahu Akbar" when he does
- Even if you don't know all the duas, your presence and intention counts
- Multiple bodies may be prayed over at once - the reward multiplies
- Make sincere dua for the deceased - they need it more than anything now
Bonus Tip: Some scholars recommend that if you pray Janaza for 40 Muslims with sincerity, Allah will accept your intercession for them. This is a tremendous opportunity in the Haramain where Janaza prayers are frequent.
Reference: Based on authentic hadith and scholarly guidance from IslamQA (islamqa.info/en/answers/12363)