This chapter gathers the supplications the Prophet made while standing over the deceased, and reading them slowly is itself a lesson in how a believer is meant to be sent off. At the heart of the funeral prayer is heartfelt du'a for the one who has died, and these are the very words the Prophet chose to plead with.
Notice how wide the asking goes, forgiveness, mercy, pardon, a spacious grave, a better home and family, and protection from the trials of the grave and the Fire. Two of these supplications even pray for the living alongside the dead, our young and old, present and absent. The thread to hold onto is sincerity, the Prophet tells us plainly to make the du'a heartfelt, because we are pleading for a soul that can no longer plead for itself.
Hadith 935
Abu 'Abdur-Rahman 'Auf bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
عن أبي عبد الرحمن بن عوف بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم علي جنازة، فحفظت من دعائه وهو يقول: "اللهم اغفر له، وارحمه، وعافه، واعف عنه، وأكرم نزله، ووسع مدخله واغسله بالماء والثلج والبرد ونقه من الخطايا، كما نقيت الثوب الأبيض من الدنس، وأبدله داراً خيراً من داره، وأهلاً خيراً من أهله، وزوجاً خيراً من زوجه، وأدخله الجنة، وأعذه من عذاب القبر، ومن عذاب النار” حتي تمنين أن أكون ذلك الميت. ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered a funeral prayer and I memorized his supplication. He (ﷺ) prayed: "Allahummaghfir lahu, warhamhu, wa 'afihi, wa'fu 'anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi' mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma'i wath-thalji wal-baradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataya, kama naqqaytath-thawbal-abyada minad-danasi, wa abdilhu daran khairan min darihi, wa ahlan khairan min ahlihi, wa zawjan khairan min zawjihi, wa adkhilhul-Jannata, wa a'idh-hu min 'adhabil- qabri, wa min 'adhabin-nar [if the dead person is a woman, one should change the ending of certain words in this supplication from hu to ha] (O Allah! Forgive him, bestow mercy upon him, pardon him, accord him a noble provision and make his grave spacious, wash him with water, snow and hail, purify him from sins as You have purified the white garment from soiling, give him a better abode in place of his present one, and a better family in exchange of his present one, and a better spouse in place of his present wife; admit him to Jannah and protect from the trial in the grave and punishment in the Hell)." (After hearing this supplication of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Abu' Abdur-Rahman 'Auf bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I wished I had been that dead man. [Muslim].
In plain words
A Companion treasured this funeral prayer of the Prophet, a sweeping plea for the deceased's forgiveness, mercy, cleansing from sin, a better home and family, entry into Paradise, and safety from the grave and the Fire.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 935 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 42
Hadith 936
Abu Hurairah, Abu Qatadah, and Abu Ibrahim Al-Ash-hali (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة وأبي قتادة، وأبي إبراهيم الأشهلي عن أبيه -وأبوه صحابي- رضي الله عنهم، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلمى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم أنه صلى علي جنازة فقال: "اللهم اغفر لحينا وميتنا، وصغيرنا وكبيرنا، وذكرنا وأنثانا، وشاهدنا وغائبنا. اللهم من أحييته منا، فأحيه علي الإسلام، ومن توفيته منا، فتوفه علي الإيمان؛ اللهم لا تحرمنا أجره، ولا تفتنا بعده" ((رواه الترمذي)) من رواية أبي هريرة وأبو هريرة صحيح والأشهلي، ورواه أبو داود من رواية أبي هريرة وأبي قتادة. قال الحاكم: حديث أبي هريرة صحيح علي شرط البخاري ومسلم، قال الترمذي: قال البخاري: أصح روايات هذا الحديث رواية الأشهلي. قال البخاري: وأصح شيء في الباب حديث عوف بن مالك.
The Prophet (ﷺ) offered a funeral prayer and said: "Allahummaghfir lihaiyina wa maiyitina, wa saghirina wa kabirina, wa dhakarina wa unthana, wa shahidina wa gha'ibina. Allahumma man ahyaiytahu minna, fa'ahyihi 'alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaiytahu minna, fatawaffahu 'alal-Iman. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu, wa la taftinna ba'dahu (O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, our present and our absent, our young and our old, our male and our female. O Allah, whosoever of us You keep alive, keep him alive (faithful) to Islam, and whosoever of us You cause to die, let him die having Iman. O Allah, do not deprive us of our reward (for being patient) and do not subject us to trials after his death." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
In plain words
A funeral prayer that asks Allah to forgive all the believers, living and dead, present and absent, young and old, and to keep the living firm in faith and not deprive them of reward.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 936 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 43
Hadith 937
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: “إذا صليتم علي الميت، فأخلصوا له الدعاء" ((رواه أبو داود)).
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "When you pray over the dead, make a sincere supplication for him." [Abu Dawud].
In plain words
The Prophet instructs that when we pray over someone who has died, our supplication for them should be sincere and heartfelt.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 937 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 44
Hadith 938
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلمى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم في الصلاة علي الجنازة: “اللهم أنت ربها، وأنت خلقتها، وأنت هديتها للإسلام، وأنت قبضت روحها، وأنت أعلم بسرها وعلانيتها، جئناك شفعاء له، فاغفر له” ((رواه أبو داود)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated in course of funeral prayer: "Allahumma Anta Rabbuha, wa Anta khalaqtaha, wa Anta hadaytaha lil-Islam, wa Anta qabadta ruhaha, wa Anta a'lamu bisirriha wa 'alaniyyatiha, ji'naka shufa'a'a lahu [if the dead person is a man, or laha if the dead person is a woman], faghfir lahu [or laha, if it is a woman] (O Allah, You are its Rubb; You created it; You guided it to Islam; You have taken its life back and You know best its insight and outer condition. We have come as intercessors, so forgive him)." [Abu Dawud].
In plain words
A funeral prayer affirming that Allah created and guided the deceased and took back their soul, then humbly coming as intercessors to ask Him to forgive them.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 938 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 45
Hadith 939
Wathilah bin Al-Asqa' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن واثلة بن الأسقع رضي الله عنه قال: صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم علي رجل من المسلمين، فسمعته يقول: "اللهم إن فلان ابن فلان في ذمتك وحبل جوارك، فقه فتنة القبر، وعذاب النار، وأنت أهل الوفاء والحمد؛ اللهم اغفر له وارحمه، إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم" ((رواه أبو داود)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led the funeral prayer of a Muslim man in our presence, and I heard him saying "Allahumma inna [name of the dead person] fi dhimmatika wa habli jiwarika, faqihi fitnatal- qabri; wa 'adhaban-Nari, wa Anta ahlul-wafa'i wal-hamdi; Allahumma faghfir lahu warhamhu, innaka Antal-Ghafur-ur-Rahim [If the dead person is a woman, one can change hu in some words here with ha] [O Allah, (so-and-so son of so-and-so) is in Your Protection and inside the surroundings of Your Refuge. Safeguard him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Hell. You keep Your Promise and You deserve to be praised. O Allah! Forgive him and be merciful to him. Indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful]." [Abu Dawud].
In plain words
A funeral prayer placing the deceased in Allah's protection and refuge, asking Him to shield them from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Fire and to forgive and have mercy on them.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 939 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 46
Hadith 940
'Abdullah bin Abu Aufa (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن عبد الله بن أبي أوفي رضي الله عنهما أنه كبر علي جنازة ابنة له أربع تكبيرات، فقام بعد الرابعة كقدر ما بين التكبيرتين يستغفر لها ويدعو، ثم قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصنع هكذا. وفي رواية: كبر أربعاً، فمكث ساعة حتي ظننت أنه سيكبر خمساً، ثم سلم عن يمينه وعن شماله. فلما انصرف قلنا له: ما هذا؟ فقال: إني لا أزيدكم علي ما رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصنع، أو: هكذا صنع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ((رواه الحاكم وقال: حديث صحيح)).
While offering the funeral prayer of one of his daughters, he recited four Takbir, and after the fourth Takbir he continued standing for a time equal to an interval between two Takbir, praying for her and seeking Allah's forgiveness for her." Then he said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do so." Another narration is: He (Abdullah) recited four Takbir and remained standing in prayer for some time till we thought that he would recite the fifth Takbir. Then he gave Salam on the right and on the left. When he turned aside, we asked him about it. He replied: "I would add nothing to what I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing," or he said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do so." [Al-Hakim].
In plain words
A Companion kept the funeral prayer exactly as he saw the Prophet do it, saying four takbirs and standing afterward to pray and seek forgiveness for the deceased, adding nothing of his own.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 940 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 47