How to pray janazah (the funeral prayer)

The Negus, king of Abyssinia, did the Muslim emigrants a generous favor. When Quraysh in Makkah oppressed Muslims, they sought refuge in Abyssinia before there was a Muslim community in Madīnah. There in Abyssinia, the Negus received them well and treated them with hospitality. His sincere intention and lack of arrogance led him to accept the truth and convert to Islam. He died in his country without seeing the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Because of his favors to Muslims, his high esteem, and dying in a land where no Muslim prayers were said over him, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed his Companions of his death and took them out to the prayer place to say prayers on him. By this, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared that the Negus had converted to Islam and also paid him tribute for his position and generosity. The Prophet's prayer with the Muslim congregation would be an intercession with Allah, the Almighty, in favor of the Negus.

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‘Abdullāh ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he offered the funeral prayer for his daughter, during which he made four Takbīrs, and after the fourth one he remained for a while, supplicating and seeking Allah's forgiveness for her. To clarify this in detail, he makes one Takbīr to enter the prayer, recites Sūrat al-Fātihah, makes a second Takbīr, invokes Allah's peace and blessings upon the Prophet, makes a third Takbīr, supplicates for the dead person, and then makes a fourth Takbīr.

After making Taslīm, ‘Abdullāh ibn Abi Awfa said to those praying with him: "The Messenger of Allah used to do so." That is he would make four Takbīrs and supplicate for the deceased after the fourth one. In another narration: He made four Takbīrs, after which he supplicated for her for so long that those praying behind him thought he would make the fifth Takbīr. Then, he made Taslīm to the right and to the left, like in ordinary prayers. After finishing the prayer, the people asked him about why he stayed for a while after the fourth Takbīr, before making Taslīm, and he replied that he adhered to what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had done, not adding anything. As for the manner of Taslīm, it is subject to scholarly difference, but the more correct practice, which was more commonly done by the Companions, is to make Taslīm to the right only.

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Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer over a deceased person, he would say what means: "O Allah, forgive all of the Muslims, the living and the dead, the young and the old, the males and the females, the present and the absent. O Allah, whoever of us You give life, let him live while holding firmly to the teachings of Islam, and whoever of us You take his soul in death, let him die in a state of faith. O Allah, do not deprive us of the reward of bearing the calamity of his death, and do not let us go astray after his death."

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The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the funeral prayer over a deceased from among the Muslims. Then, he said what means: O Allah, so-and-so the son of so-and-so is under Your safety, protection, and seeking Your forgiveness. Make him firm during the questioning and examination in the grave and save him from the torment of the Fire. Indeed, You do not break Your promise and You are worthy of truth. O Allah, forgive him and be merciful to him. You are Oft-Forgiving of sins and Most Merciful by accepting acts of obedience and multiplying rewards.

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Offering prayer over the deceased is a right that is due for every Muslim who dies; male or female, young or old. Samurah ibn Jundub says that he prayed behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) the funeral prayer of a woman who had died in her postpartum period, and he stood in line with the middle of her body while leading the prayer.

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Allah, the Almighty, is kind towards His slaves and He wills to facilitate for them the means of forgiveness. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to join the funeral procession and prayer, for this is a type of intercession that leads to mercy.

Allah, the Almighty, has made the reward of whoever attends the funeral prayer equal to one Qirāt, and whoever attends the funeral till burial another Qirāt of reward. Such is a great reward whose specific amount is known to our Lord.

Since the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) had no knowledge about how much this reward was, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tried to bring it closer to their understanding, stating that each Qirāt is like a huge mountain.

Such an act entails a great reward because it involves the fulfillment of the rights of one's fellow Muslims, supplication for them, a reminder of death and the Hereafter, giving solace and comfort to the relatives of the deceased, as well as other benefits.

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The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded hastening in preparing the funeral, performing the prayer over it, and burying it. If the deceased is righteous, it is good that you are sending him to the bliss of the grave. If otherwise, it is evil that you are removing from your shoulders.

Benefits

• Ibn Hajar said: It is recommended to hasten, but in a manner that does not lead to excessive speed that might cause harm to the deceased or difficulty for those carrying or accompanying the funeral.
• Hastening is conditional upon the death not being sudden, where there is a fear it might be a case of fainting; in such situations, burial should be delayed until death is confirmed. Additionally, a slight delay is permissible for a valid reason, such as allowing more people to attend the prayer or for the arrival of relatives, provided there is no concern about the body deterioration.
• The encouragement to hasten the funeral is for the benefit of the deceased if he is blissful or for the benefit of those who follow it if he is wretched.
• An-Nawawi said: This implies avoidance of the company of idle and unrighteous individuals.

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The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged that we prompt and remind those experiencing the throes of death to say the word of monotheism —"La ilāha illallāh" (There is no god but Allah) so that they may utter it, and it will be the last words they speak before dying.

Benefits

• It is recommended to prompt the dying person to say the testimony of faith.
• It is disliked to excessively prompt or insist on it once the dying person has said the testimony of faith or understood it, so as not to distress him and cause him to utter something inappropriate.
• An-Nawawi said: If the dying person says the testimony of faith once, it should not be repeated for him, except if he speaks something else afterward; then it may be gently prompted again so that the testimony of faith becomes his last words.
• The Hadīth emphasizes being present with the dying person to remind him, offer comfort, gently close his eyes, and attend to his rights.
• The impermissibility of prompting the deceased (to testify to faith) after death and at the grave after burial, because the Prophet (ﷺ) did not do so.

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