My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, one of the greatest acts of love, honour, and mercy we can offer a fellow Muslim after their soul departs this world is making dua for them. While their actions have come to an end, only our supplications continue to benefit them, by Allah’s Mercy. There are some recommended duas for the deceased during Janazah which we should memorize.
“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘When you offer the prayer for the deceased, supplicate sincerely for him.’” (Sunan Ibn Majah, 1497)
If we look at the meaning of these recommended duas for the deceased during Janazah, we are going to see that they serve as light in their grave, their comfort during questioning, and a means of forgiveness on the Day of Judgment. It’s just a blow on our face that many of us don’t know the recommended duas for the deceased during Janazah offhand. Don’t worry, you will learn them today in shaa Allah.
As we all know that these prayers (duas) are to be said after the third Takbeer of Salatul Janazah (Funeral prayer in Islam). For those that doesn’t know how to perform Salatul Janazah, you can check here. It is in the third takbeer that our Prophet ﷺ taught us to say these duas for the Deceased during Salatul Janazah. We are asking Allah for mercy, forgiveness, and a beautiful abode in the hereafter for the deceased.
As reported in authentic narrations, some of the duas for the deceased during Salatul Janazah include the following.
What are the 4 Recommended Duas for the Deceased during Janazah?
During Salatul Janazah, the third Takbir is specifically designated for making dua for the deceased. Our Prophet (ﷺ) taught us several authentic duas for the deceased during Janazah, which we are going to start mentioning now.
1. This is among the most common duas for the deceased during Janazah
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ، وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ
Transliteration:
“Allahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa ‘afihi wa’fu ‘anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ madkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma’i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naqqihi minal-khataya kama yunaqqa ath-thawb al-abyad min ad-danas, wa abdilhu daran khayran min darihi, wa ahlan khayran min ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa adkhilhul-jannata, wa a’idhhu min ‘adhabil-qabri wa ‘adhab an-nar.”
Meaning:
“O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, give him peace, and pardon him. Honor his resting place, widen his grave, wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of his sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Replace his home with a better one, his family with a better one, and his spouse with a better one. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the Fire.” (Muslim 963)
2. Another common one among the duas for the deceased during Janazah
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ وَلاَ تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ
Transliteration
Allahummaghfir lihayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha’ibina, wa saghirina wa kabirina, wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaitahu minna fa’ahyihi ‘alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawaffahu ‘alal- iman. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa la tudillana ba’dah.
Meaning
O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are present and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whomever of us You cause to live, let him live in Islam, and whomever of us You cause to die, let him die in (a state of) faith. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward, and do not let us go astray after him
(Sunan Ibn Majah, 1498)
3. Non-common duas for the deceased during Janazah among people include the following
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلاَنَ بْنَ فُلاَنٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفَاءِ وَالْحَمْدِ اللَّهُمَّ فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Transliteration
Allahumma inna fulāna ibna fulānin fī dhimmatika wa ḥabli jiwārik, faqihi min fitnati al-qabri wa ‘adhābi an-nār, wa anta ahlu al-wafā’i wal-ḥamd. Allahumma faghfir lahu warḥamhu, innaka anta al-Ghafūru ar-Raḥīm.
Meaning
O Allah, so and so, son of so and so, is in Your protection and in Your rope of nearer presence, so guard him from the trial in the grave and the punishment in Hell. You are faithful and worthy of praise. O Allah, forgive him and show him mercy. You are the forgiving and the merciful one. (Sunan Abi Dawud, 3202)
4. Among the duas for the deceased during Janazah that we should take note of
اللَّهُمَّ عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ، احْتَاجَ إِلَى رَحْمَتِكَ، وَأَنْتَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْ عَذَابِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِنًا فَزِدْ فِي إِحْسَانِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيئًا فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهُ.
Transliteration
Allahumma ‘abduka wabnu amatika, iḥtāja ilā raḥmatika, wa anta ghanīyyun ‘an ‘adhābihi, in kāna muḥsinan fazid fī iḥsānihi, wa in kāna musī’an fatajāwaz ‘anhu.
Meaning
O Allah, [this is] Your servant, the son of Your female servant. He is in need of Your mercy and You are free of any need to punish him. If he was righteous, then increase him in goodness, and if he was sinful, then pardon him. (Narrated by al-Tabarani)
This last dua was narrated that the Prophet made the fourth takbeer and then made this dua. This means that during the fourth takbeer, which is meant for a brief pause before Tasleem (islamweb/ar/fatwa/79758)
The most correct opinion is that it should be said in the third takbeer, as it was narrated from Abu Hurayra when he was asked about how he used to pray over the dead. Abu Hurayra replied,
Yahya related to me from Malik from Said ibn Abi Said al-Maqburi from his father that he had asked Abu Hurayra, “How do you pray over the dead?” and Abu Hurayra replied, “By the Life of Allah, I will tell you! I follow with the family and when the corpse is put down I say ‘Allah is greater’ and praise Allah and ask for blessings on His Prophet. Then I say,
‘O Allah, he is Your slave and the son of Your male slave and Your female slave. He used to testify that there is no god but You and that Muhammad is Your slave and Your Messenger, and You know that best. O Allah, if he acted well, then increase for him his good action, and if he acted wrongly, then overlook his wrong actions. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward, and do not try us after him.’
Allahumma inna huwa abduka wa’bnu abdika wa’bnu amatika. Kana yash-hadu an la ilaha illa ant wa anna Muhammadan abduka wa rasooluka, wa anta alamu bihi. Allahumma in kana muhsinan zid fi ihsanihi, wa in kana musiyan fa tajawaz an sayatihi. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa lataftina badahu.
(Arabic/English book reference: Book 16, Hadith 17)
All of these Duas for the Deceased during Janazah are authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ and practiced by his companions. They cover the comprehensive needs of the dead like forgiveness, mercy, purification, relief from the torment of the grave, and entry into Jannah. We ask Allah to grant us a good ending and put us into His paradise. Aameen
