The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions
(may Allaah be pleased with them) explained how the funeral prayer is to
be done. It is done as follows:
You
say the first Takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”), then you seek refuge with
Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan, then you say Bismillah ir-Rahmaan
ir-Raheem and recite al-Faatihah followed by a short soorah or some
aayahs. Then you say Takbeer and send blessings upon the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as one does at the end of the
prayer. Then you say a third Takbeer and make du’aa’ for the deceased.
The best is to say:
“Allaahumma
ighfir lihaayina wa mayitina wa shaahidina wa ghaa’ibina wa sagheerina
wa kabeerina wa dhakarina wa unthaana. Allaahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa
ahyihi ‘ala’l-Islam wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawiffahu
‘ala’l-eemaan. Allaahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa ‘aafihi wa a’fu ‘anhu,
wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi’ madkhalahu waghsilhu bi’l-maa’ wa’l-thalj
wa’l-barad, wa naqqihi min al-khataaya kama yunaqqa’ al-thawb al-abyad
min al-danas. Allaahumma abdilhu daaran khayra min daarihi wa ahlan
khayra min ahlihi. Allaahumma adkhilhu al-jannah wa a’idhhu min ‘adhaab
il-qabri wa min ‘adhaab il-naar wa afsah lahu fi qabrihi wa nawwir lahu
fihi. Allaahumma laa tahrimna ajrahu wa la tadillanaa ba’dahu
(O
Allaah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are present among us
and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our
females. O Allaah, whoever You keep alive, keep him alive in Islam, and
whoever You cause to die, cause him to die with faith. O Allaah, forgive
him and have mercy on him, keep him safe and sound and forgive him,
honour the place where he settles and make his entrance wide; wash him
with water and snow and hail, and cleanse him of sin as a white garment
is cleansed of dirt. O Allaah, give him a house better than his house
and a family better than his family. O Allaah, admit him to Paradise and
protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of Hell-fire;
make his grave spacious and fill it with light. O Allaah, do not
deprive us of the reward and do not cause us to go astray after this).”
All
of this was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). If you make du’aa’ with other words, this is OK, for
example, you could say, “Allaahumma in kaana muhsinan fa zid fi
ihsaanihi wa in kaana musee’an fa tajaawaz ‘an sayi’aatihi. Allaahumma
ighfir lahu wa thabbit-hu bi’l-qawl il-thaabit (O Allaah, if he was a
doer of good, then increase his good deeds, and if he was a wrongdoer,
then overlook his bad deeds. O Allaah, forgive him and give him the
strength to say the right thing).” Then you say a fourth Takbeer and
pause for a little while, then you say one Tasleem to the right, saying
“Assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat-Allaah.” Kitaab
Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ‘Abd
al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol
13, p. 141
The
Shroud (Kafan) of a female should consist of five white garments, (Two
winding sheet, a long loose sleeveless shirt {From shoulder to feet}, a
waist wrapper, and a head veil ), these should be large enough to cover
the whole body and may be perfumed with incense, a loin cloth may be
used to bind the upper part of her legs, use 4 tie ropes, each one is 7
feet long.
Steps of shrouding :
The
garments are spread out ( First: winding sheets {7 x 7 feet}, Second:
the long loose sleeveless shirt {3 1/2 x 14 feet, with a hole in the
middle line for the head}, Third: waist wrapper {6 feet x 3 1/2 feet },
Fourth head veil {a 4x4 square feet white sheet}, and Fifth: the loin
cloth {12 inches wide x 4 feet long} ). The deceased, covered with a sheet, is lifted and laid on her back on the shroud. Some
scent or perfume may be put on those parts of the body upon which one
rests during prostration, that is the forehead, nose, hands, knees, and
feet. The loin cloth is bound round her upper legs (Acts like underwear). The waist wrapper is tied in place. Put on the sleeveless shirt (Long to cover the body from the shoulder to the feet) . Put the head veil. The
deceased’s left hand should be placed on her chest, then put her right
hand on the left hand like the way in the Salat (Prayer). The
edge of the top sheet is folded over the deceased right side, then the
other edge over his left side. Then the second sheet should be folded
the same way. These
sheets should be fastened with a piece of cloth {Tie ropes}, one above
the head, another under the feet, and two around the body.
NOTE: There is no Islamic teaching of writing any thing on the shrouds.
When
a Muslim dies, it is the responsibility of his family or other Muslims
to wash him according to the Islamic rites of washing the deceased. Two
or three persons may perform the washing. The person(s) who may wash the deceased should : Be a trustworthy, and honest adult Muslim(s). Know the Islamic way of washing the dead and be able to carry out the washing. Not make any comment on the body of the deceased.
Note: If the deceased is a male, then ONLY males should wash him. If the deceased is a female, then ONLY females should wash her. For a married person, the spouse may perform the washing. For a child, either males or females may do the washing.
Place of washing : The
deceased’s body should be washed in a clean, secluded, and private
place where clean water and soap are available. Gloves or pieces of
cloth are needed. The body of the deceased should be washed with water and, if available, lotus leaves, or camphor (To be used in the final wash). The washing should be done three or five, or any more odd number of times if necessary.
Steps of washing : The
body of the deceased should be placed on a table or alike, the
deceased’s clothes should be removed, and the body should be covered
with a sheet of cloth. The
head and the upper body should be raised slightly to insure the washing
water with exudations from the body flows down and does not run back to
the body. The
Aura (Private parts) of the deceased should be covered with a piece of
cloth (The Aura of a male is from the belly button to the knee in the
presence of males, for the female is the same in the presence of
females). The washer should start washing by saying:" Bismil - lah "," In the name of Allah ". The
washer winds a piece of cloth around his hand, and with this he cleans
away any impurities from the body using water. Then he should dispose of
this piece. The
washer should take another piece of cloth around his hand, press
lightly the stomach of the deceased so as so to expel, if possible, any
remnants from it, and then wash the body of all impurities using water.
Then he should dispose this piece of cloth. The
washer should take another piece of cloth around his hand (May use
gloves), and wash the covered private parts, then dispose of this piece
of cloth. The washer should perform Wudu (Ablution) on the deceased without inserting the water in the nose and in the mouth. The
washer should clean the body with water and soap (If available),
starting from the head (hair, face and beard {Men}), then the upper
right side of the body then the left side, after that the lower right
side then the lower left. In
the case of a female, her hair should be loosened, washed, combed, and
be braided in three braids, and placed behind her back. The
washing should be done three times, or five times, or seven times, as
needed, providing that after washing the head, wash the right side
before the left, and the upper parts before the lower ones. In the last wash, the washer may use camphor, or some perfume with the water. After that the body should be dried with clean towel. Then the body should be totally covered with a white sheet. You now get ready to start the shrouding.
Firstly,
it is obligatory to carry the deceased and follow the funeral. This is
one of the rights that the dead Muslim has over the Muslims, which will
bring great reward and virtue to the one who does it. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever
attends the funeral from the house (of the deceased) [according to one
report: whoever follows the funeral of a Muslim out of faith and the
hope of reward] until the funeral prayer is offered will have one
qeeraat, and whoever attends the funeral until the deceased is buried
will have two qeeraats.” He was asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, what are
the two qeeraats?” He said, “Like two huge mountains.” (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, al-Janaa’iz, 1240).
It is not permitted to follow funerals in manners that go against the sharee’ah. That includes:
Crying
or weeping in a loud voice; following it with incense (bukhoor) etc.;
reciting dhikr in a loud voice in front of the coffin as it is being
carried, because that is bid’ah – Qays ibn ‘Abbaad said: “The companions
of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to regard it as makrooh to raise the voice in front of the coffin” –
and because it is an imitation of the Christians.
Secondly: the burial
Muslims should not be buried with kaafirs, nor kaafirs with Muslims. The Muslim should be buried in the Muslim graveyard.
The
Sunnah is to put the deceased into the grave from the end, then he
should be turned onto his right side in the grave, with his face facing
towards the qiblah. The one who puts him into the lahd (niche in the
grave) should say, “Bismillaahi wa ‘ala sunnat Rasool-Allaahi or ‘ala
millat Rasool-Allaahi (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (In
the name of Allaah and according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of
Allaah or according to the religion of the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him)).”
(narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Janaa’iz 967; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 836)
It
is mustahabb for those who are at the grave to throw handfuls of earth,
three handfuls scooped up in both hands, after the lahd has been
sealed.
After the burial is complete, there are several things which are Sunnah:
To
make the grave a little higher than the ground, approximately a
handspan, and not to make it level with the ground, so that it may be
distinguished as a grave and respected, and not subjected to disrespect.
It should be made approximately a handspan higher than the ground, and
there is nothing wrong with placing a marker such as a stone or
something similar, so that others of his family may be buried near him
later on. Water should be sprinkled on the grave so that the soil will
settle and not fly around. No one should stand by the grave telling the
deceased that he will be questioned soon etc., as is the custom among
some people Rather people should stand at the grave and pray for the
deceased to be made steadfast and for forgiveness for him. Those who are
present should be told to do this, because of the hadeeth of ‘Uthmaan
ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “When the
deceased had been buried, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) would stand by (the grave) and say: ‘Pray for forgiveness for
your brother and ask for him to be made steadfast, for even now is he
being questioned.’” (narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Janaa’iz, 2804; classed
as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2758).
Nothing
of the Qur’aan should be recited at the graveside, because this is
bid’ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not
do this, and neither did his noble Companions. It is haraam to build up
graves or to plaster them or to write anything on them, because Jaabir
said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) forbade us to plaster graves with gypsum, to sit on them or to
build anything over them.” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Janaa’iz, 1610.
According to Abu Dawood, “He forbade us to plaster graves with gypsum,
to write on them or to step on them.” (al-Janaa’iz, 3226. Classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2763)
Thirdly:
It
is prescribed in Islam to offer condolences to the family of the
deceased. This should take the form of whatever is thought will bring
them consolation, stem their grief and help them to be patient.
Condolences should be offered in the manner reported from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) if one can remember that,
otherwise in whatever good words come easily to one which will achieve
the same purpose and which do not go against Islam. It was narrated that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “To
Allaah belongs that which He has taken and that which He gives, and with
Him everything has an appointed end, so be patient and seek reward.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Janaa’iz, 1204)
Two things must be avoided:
Gathering to offer condolences, even though the people do that.
The family of the deceased preparing food to offer to those who come to offer condolences.
The
Sunnah is for the relatives and neighbours of the deceased to make food
enough for the bereaved family. And Allaah knows best.
For
more information see Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz by al-Albaani (may Allaah have
mercy on him), and al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi by al-Fawzaan (213-216). Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
It
is prescribed to visit graves in order to learn a lesson from that and
to remember the Hereafter. That is subject to the condition that one
does not say anything that will anger the Lord, such as calling upon the
one who is buried or seeking his help instead of Allaah, or praising
him and saying that he is for certain in Paradise, etc.
The purpose of visiting the graves is twofold: (a)The
visitor benefits from remembering death and the dead, remembering that
their destiny will be either Paradise or Hell. This is the primary
purpose of the visit. (b)The
deceased also benefits and is treated kindly by the visitor greeting
him with salaams, making du’aa’ for him, praying for forgiveness for
him. This applies only to Muslims. Among the du’aa’s that may be recited
are: “Assalaamu
‘alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mu’mineen wa’l-Muslimeen, in sha Allaah
bikum laahiqoon, as’al Allaaha lana wa lakum al-‘aafiyah (peace be upon
you O people of the dwellings, believers and Muslims, In sha Allaah we
will join you, I ask Allaah to keep us and you safe and sound).”
It
is permissible to raise the hands when reciting this du’aa’, because of
the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out one night, and I sent Bareerah
to follow him and see where he went. She said, ‘He went towards Baqee’
al-Gharqad [the graveyard in Madeenah], and he stood at the bottom of
al-Baqee’ and raised his hands, then he went away.’ Bareerah came back
to me and told me, and when morning came I asked him about it. I said,
‘O Messenger of Allaah, where did you go out to last night? He said, ‘I
was sent to the people of al-Baqee’, to pray for them.’”
But
you should not face the grave when making du’aa’ for them; rather you
should face the direction of the Ka’bah, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade prayer (salaah) facing graves,
and du’aa’ is the heart and soul of salaah, as is well known, and is
subject to the same rulings. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “Du’aa’ is worship” then he recited the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “And your Lord said: “Invoke Me [i.e.
believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I
will respond to your (invocation).” [Ghaafir 40:60]
You
should not walk between the graves of the Muslims wearing your shoes.
It was narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: ‘If I were to walk on hot coals or on a sword, or if I were
to mend my shoes using my feet, that would be better for me than if I
were to walk on the grave of a Muslim. And it makes no difference to me
if I were to relieve myself in the midst of the graves or in the middle
of the market-place [i.e., both are equally bad].’” (Narrated by Ibn
Maajah, 1567)
We ask Allaah, the Most High, the Omnipotent, to have mercy upon our dead and the deceased Muslims. Adapted from Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz by al-Albaani
