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Home / The Four Rites / Funeral Prayer
صَلَاة الجِنَازَة

Funeral Prayer

— Ṣalāt al-Janāzah

A silent, standing prayer of four takbīrs offered in rows behind the imam. It is a communal obligation — the reward is vast, and the duʿāʾ is for the one who has passed.

About to pray? Step-by-step walkthrough mode — follow along through each takbīr. Start walkthrough →
From the Sunnah
مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَى جَنَازَةٍ فَلَهُ قِيرَاطٌ وَمَنْ شَهِدَ حَتَّى تُدْفَنَ فَلَهُ قِيرَاطَانِ
"Whoever prays over a funeral has a qīrāṭ of reward — and whoever remains until the burial has two."
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1325 · a qīrāṭ like the mountain of Uḥud
Takbīrs
Four
Silent recitation
Rows
Three or more
Preferred
Imam position
At the head
For a man · middle for a woman

Conditions

  • All conditions of regular ṣalāh apply: wuḍūʾ, clean body and clothes, facing the Qibla, and niyyah.
  • There is no adhān, iqāmah, rukūʿ, or sujūd.
  • The prayer is performed outside the mosque in an open area — this was the Prophet's ﷺ usual practice. It is also permitted inside the mosque.
  • The prayer is said silently by the congregation. Only the takbīrs and taslīm are spoken aloud by the imam.
  • Three or more rows are recommended (Abū Dāwūd 3166).
Prohibited times

It is not permissible to pray at these times:

  • At sunrise — until the sun has fully risen
  • At zenith (midday) — when the sun is at its highest until it begins to decline
  • At sunset — when the sun begins to pale until it has set

Unless there is fear of the body changing.

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 831 · Sunan Ibn Mājah 1519

Formation and positioning

The congregation lines up facing the Qibla, with the body placed between the imam and the Qibla.

Row order (front to back): Imam · Men · Children · Women

For a male deceased
  • Imam stands at the head of the body
For a female deceased
  • Imam stands at the middle of the body
Multiple deceased Arrange bodies with females closest to the Qibla, then males behind them. If one person prays with the imam, they stand directly behind the imam.
1
Takbīr I

Open with Allāhu Akbar · recite al-Fātiḥah

  1. Make niyyah for the funeral prayer.
  2. Raise both hands and say "Allāhu Akbar."
  3. Fold your right hand over your left in the usual manner.
  4. Recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah silently.
Hanafi note In the Ḥanafī madhhab, the thanāʾ (opening supplication, as in regular prayer) is recited instead of al-Fātiḥah. Follow your imam.
2
Takbīr II

Send ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ

Say "Allāhu Akbar", then recite the Ṣalāh Ibrāhīmiyyah — the same ṣalāh sent during the tashahhud of daily prayers.

Ṣalāh Ibrāhīmiyyah
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
"O Allah, send Your ṣalāh upon Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad, as You sent it upon Ibrāhīm and the family of Ibrāhīm. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, bless Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad, as You blessed Ibrāhīm and the family of Ibrāhīm. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Most Glorious."
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3370
3
Takbīr III

Make duʿāʾ for the deceased

Say "Allāhu Akbar", then make sincere duʿāʾ for the deceased. The Prophet ﷺ taught:

For a male deceased
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 وَمِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ
"O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, pardon him and grant him ease. Honor his resting place and expand his entrance. Wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Grant him a home better than his home, a family better than his family, and a spouse better than his spouse. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire."
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 963
For a child
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ فَرَطًا وَّذُخْرًا لِّوَالِدَيْهِ، وَشَفِيْعًا وَّمُجَابًا، اَللّٰهُمَّ ثَقِّلْ بِهٖ مَوَازِيْنَهُمَا، وَأَعْظِمْ بِهٖ أُجُوْرَهُمَا، وَأَلْحِقْهُ بِصالِحِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ، وَاجْعَلْهُ فِي كَفَالَةِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، وَقِهِ بِرَحْمَتِكَ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيْمِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِّنْ دَارِهٖ وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهٖ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأَسْلَافِنَا وَأَفْرَاطِنَا وَمَنْ سَبَقَنَا بِالْإِيْمَانِ
"O Allah, make him a preceding reward and a treasure for his parents and an answered intercessor. O Allah, make him weigh heavily in their scales and magnify their reward. Make him join the righteous of the believers. Place him in the care of Ibrāhīm. Save him by Your mercy from the torment of Hell. Give him a home better than his home and a family better than his family. O Allah, forgive those who have gone before us, our children lost by death, and those who have preceded us in faith."
al-Mughnī, Ibn Qudāmah 2/369
4
Takbīr IV

A final duʿāʾ · then taslīm

Say "Allāhu Akbar", then make a brief duʿāʾ for the deceased, the living, and the believers.

Then the imam gives taslīm: "As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh" — turning to the right, and to the left. Some opinions give a single taslīm to the right only; follow your imam.

Madhab differences Taslīm: The Mālikīs give one taslīm to the right; the Ḥanafīs, Shāfiʿīs, and Ḥanbalīs give two (right then left). Raising hands: The Shāfiʿīs and Ḥanbalīs raise hands at every takbīr; the Ḥanafīs and Mālikīs raise only at the first. Follow your imam.

Latecomers

  • Join immediately by saying takbīr and following the imam.
  • If you miss some takbīrs, complete the missed ones after the imam's taslīm with their corresponding recitations, then give taslīm.
  • If the bier is lifted before you finish, stop and give taslīm.

Special Cases

Prayer for one who died far away (Ṣalāt al-Ghāʾib)

Performing Ṣalāt al-Janāzah for someone who died in another location is permitted according to the Shāfiʿī and Ḥanbalī schools. The Prophet ﷺ announced the death of the Negus (al-Najāshī) and led the prayer for him at the muṣallā, saying four takbīrs. The Ḥanafī and Mālikī schools consider this specific to the Prophet ﷺ and do not permit it generally. Defer to local imam guidance.

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1333 · Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 951

Baby or young child

A funeral prayer is held over every Muslim, including infants who lived only briefly. In Takbīr 3, the duʿāʾ is directed toward the child's parents — asking for mercy, elevation, and that the child be a means of intercession.

Sunan Ibn Mājah 1507 — al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah: "The funeral prayer should be offered for a child."

Martyr (Shaheed)

The ruling on Ṣalāt al-Janāzah for a battlefield martyr is a matter of scholarly disagreement. The majority (Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, Ḥanbalī) hold that it is preferable not to pray over the martyr, based on the Uḥud martyrs. The Ḥanafīs hold that the prayer is still obligatory (wājib), as it is for any deceased Muslim. Follow your local imam.

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1346 · IslamOnline — Funeral Prayer for Martyrs

Coffin

Using a coffin is generally not permissible unless there is a necessity — such as the body being damaged, health/safety requirements, or the grave being too wet. Neither the Prophet ﷺ nor his Companions used coffins.

IslamQA 34511 · al-Mughnī, Ibn Qudāmah

Hadith on the Funeral Prayer

Ṣaḥīḥ — authentic Ḥasan — good
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1325 · Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 945
Ṣaḥīḥ
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever attends the funeral procession till he offers the funeral prayer will get a reward equal to one qīrāṭ, and whoever accompanies it till burial will get two qīrāṭs." It was asked, "What are two qīrāṭs?" He ﷺ replied: "Like two huge mountains."
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 963a
Ṣaḥīḥ
ʿAwf ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ prayed over a funeral and he memorised his duʿāʾ: "O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, pardon him and grant him ease. Honor his resting place and expand his entrance. Wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt…"
The full duʿāʾ used in Takbīr 3 above.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1333 · Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 951
Ṣaḥīḥ
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported: "The Prophet ﷺ announced the death of the Negus on the day he died, went out to the muṣallā, lined them up, and said four takbīrs."
The basis for Ṣalāt al-Ghāʾib — praying for someone who died in another location.
Sunan Abī Dāwūd 3166
Ḥasan
Mālik ibn Hubayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever has three rows of Muslims pray over him is guaranteed (forgiveness)."
Mālik ibn Hubayrah would split the congregation into three rows if few people attended, acting on this ḥadīth.
Sunan Ibn Mājah 1488
Ṣaḥīḥ
Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever has the funeral prayer offered for him by one hundred Muslims, he will be forgiven." In another narration (Muslim 947), ʿĀʾishah reported: "If a company of Muslims numbering one hundred pray over a dead person, all of them interceding for him, their intercession is accepted."
Sunan Ibn Mājah 1529
Ṣaḥīḥ
ʿĀmir ibn Rabīʿah (رضي الله عنه) reported that a black woman died, and the Prophet ﷺ said: "Why did you not tell me?" Then he told his Companions: "Line up in rows to pray for her."
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 948
Ṣaḥīḥ
Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer, Allah will accept them as intercessors for him."

Scholarly References