Funeral Prayers: What to Do in Different Situations
Prayers recited after the passing of a Muslim serve both to ask for mercy for the deceased and to provide comfort to those left behind. Reciting funeral prayers is an important part of Islamic tradition and is performed differently for each gender and age group.
Funeral Prayer (For Men) – Recitation and Meaning
Recitation: “Allāhummaghfirlī ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā wa ṣāḥidīnā wa gha’ibīnā wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā wa dhakarinā wa unsanā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahu minnā fa-aḥyihi ‘alal Islām wa man tawaffaytahu minnā fatawaffahū ‘alal ʾImān wa ḥuṣṣā hādhā al-mayyita birraḥmati war-rahāti walmaghfirati war-riḍwān. Allāhumma in kāna muḥsinan fazid fī iḥsānihī wa in kāna musī’an fatajāwaz ‘anhu wa laqqihi al-ʾamn wal-bushrā wal-karāmata waz-ẓulfā biraḥmatik yā arhamar-rrahīmīn.”
Meaning: “O Allah! Forgive our living, our deceased, those who are with us, and the Muslims far away. O Allah! Let those You have kept alive among us live upon Islam, and let those You have taken from us die upon faith. Grant this deceased ease, peace, forgiveness, and acceptance in Your mercy. If he has done good deeds, increase his goodness; if he has committed bad deeds, pardon him. Grant him safety, glad tidings, honor, and nearness through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful!”
Funeral Prayer (For Women) – Recitation and Meaning
Recitation: “Allāhummaghfirlī ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā wa ṣāḥidīnā wa gha’ibīnā wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā wa dhakarinā wa unsanā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahu minnā fa-aḥyihi ‘alal Islām wa man tawaffaytahu minnā fatawaffahū ‘alal ʾImān wa ḥuṣṣā hādhil mayyita birraḥmati war-rahāti walmaghfirati war-riḍwān. Allāhumma in kānata muḥsinatan fazid fī iḥsānihā wa in kānat musī’atan fatajāwaz ‘anhā wa laqqihā al-ʾamn wal-bushrā wal-karāmata waz-ẓulfā biraḥmatik yā arhamar-rrahīmīn.”
Meaning: “O Allah! Forgive our living, our deceased, those who are with us, and the Muslims far away. O Allah! Let those You have kept alive among us live upon Islam, and let those You have taken from us die upon faith. Grant this deceased woman ease, peace, forgiveness, and acceptance in Your mercy. If she has done good deeds, increase her goodness; if she has committed bad deeds, pardon her. Grant her safety, glad tidings, honor, and nearness through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful!”
Funeral Prayer (For Children) – Recitation and Meaning
For Male Child:
Recitation: “Allāhummaghfirlī ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā wa ṣāḥidīnā wa gha’ibīnā wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā wa dhakarinā wa unsanā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahu minnā fa-aḥyihi ‘alal Islām wa man tawaffaytahu minnā fatawaffahū ‘alal ʾImān. Allāhummaj’alhu lanā firādan wa jalhu lanā ajran wa j’alhu lanā shāfian wa mushaffian biraḥmatik yā arhamar-rrahīmīn.”
Meaning: “O Allah! Forgive our living, our deceased, those who are with us, and the Muslims far away. O Allah! Let those You have kept alive among us live upon Islam, and let those You have taken from us die upon faith. O Lord! Make him (my male child) a preparation for us, make him a reward sent ahead of us, and accept him as an intercessor. O Most Merciful of the merciful!”
For Female Child:
Recitation: “Allāhummaghfirlī ḥayyinā wa mayyitinā wa ṣāḥidīnā wa gha’ibīnā wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā wa dhakarinā wa unsanā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahu minnā fa-aḥyihi ‘alal Islām wa man tawaffaytahu minnā fatawaffahū ‘alal ʾImān. Allāhumma j’alha lanā firādan wa jalhā lanā ajran wa j’alha lanā shāfiʿatan wa mushaffiʿatan biraḥmatik yā arhamar-rrahīmīn.”
Meaning: “O Allah! Forgive our living, our deceased, those who are with us, and the Muslims far away. O Allah! Let those You have kept alive among us live upon Islam, and let those You have taken from us die upon faith. O Lord! Make her (my female child) a preparation for us, make her a reward sent ahead of us, and accept her as an intercessor. O Most Merciful of the merciful!”