Known as Salat al Janazah, the funeral prayer is the final yet the most painful rite that the community has to fulfill for another Muslim. Making dua for the deceased at the funeral prayer is a sunnah and an essential step in bidding farewell and providing support to the family. The funeral prayer is a special dua offered by the community for the departed to ask for their ease in leaving this world and to acknowledge that one day, we all will leave this world and be on our journey of meeting our Creator.
Sickness & Death Duas
Allaahum-maghfir lahu warhamhu, wa 'aafihi, wa'fu 'anhu, wa 'akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi' mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bilmaa'i waththalji walbaradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataayaa kamaa naqqaytath-thawbal-'abyadha minad-danasi, wa 'abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi, wa 'ahlan khayran min 'ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa 'adkhilhul-jannata, wa. 'a'ithhu min 'athaabil-qabri wa 'athaabin-naar.
O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him and cause his entrance to be wide and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home, and a family better than his family and a wife better than his wife. Take him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave (and from the punishment of Hell-fire).
Allaahum-maghfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa'ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa wa kabeerinaa, wa thakarinaa wa 'unthaanaa. Allaahumma man 'ahyaytahu minnaa fa'ahyihi 'alal-'Islaami, wa man tawaffaytahu minnaa fatawaffahu 'alal-'eemaani, Allaahumma laa tahrimnaa 'ajrahu wa laa tudhillanaa ba'dahu.
O Allah forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our menfolk and our womenfolk. O Allah, whomever you give life from among us give him life in Islam, and whomever you take way from us take him away in Faith. O Allah, do not forbid us their reward and do not send us astray after them.
Allaahumma 'inna (name the person) fee thimmatika, wa habli jiwaarika, faqihi min fitnatil-qabri wa 'athaabin-naari, wa 'Anta 'ahlul-wafaa'i walhaqqi. Faghfir lahu warhaw.hu 'innaka 'Antal-Ghafoorur-Raheem.
O Allah, surely (say the person's name) is under Your protection, and in the rope of Your security, so save him from the trial of the grave and from the punishment of the Fire. You fulfill promises and grant rights, so forgive him and have mercy on him. Surely You are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Allaahumma 'abduka wabnu 'amatika ihtaaja 'ilaa rahmatika, wa 'Anta ghaniyyun 'an 'athaabihi, 'in kaana muhsinan fazid fee hasanaatihi, wa 'in kaana musee'an fatajaawaz 'anhu.
O Allah, Your male slave and the child of Your female slave is in need of Your mercy, and You are not in need of his torment. If he was pious then increase his rewards and if he was a transgressor then pardon him.
When making dua for the deceased at the funeral prayer, pray with genuine concern for the forgiveness of the deceased. It is the heartfelt prayer that holds great importance for the family as well as the deceased. Be humble, and show consideration and compassion for the family as well as the deceased. We all have to return to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and death is a reality we can’t run away from. Pray with respect and do it in a manner as if you are requesting Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to bestow His mercy on the departed.
The benefit of making dua for the deceased at the funeral prayer extends beyond this world. Making dua for the departed soul and their ease of transitioning from this world to the next is reflective of how we are pleading to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to make it easier for them. Making dua is symbolic of requesting Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to forgive the deceased person and allow them to have a comfortable abode.
This also instills in one a chance to reflect on their life in this world, and that makes them mindful of their acts in this little life. Making dua also offers support to the grieving members and helps them to accept the reality and have patience to deal with this tragedy.