Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Kindly guide me  as  how we need to perform Saalt e Janaza. in detail. As i am not aware of this, every time i stand for prayer i really do not know what to recite. pls let me know in detail how do we make neeath, with the surat we read in each rakat. and even let me know like how we should pray for underage children and adults.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

What to pray in janaza burial

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.44

Topic: Summary for Funeral Prayer

1. Make sure that you meet all the requirements for a formal prayer (wudu, facing qibla, standing in congregation, etc.)

2. Stand up with the intention of supplicating for the deceased;

3. Raise both hands with a takbir (ie. stating ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ aloud);

4. Fold your right hand over your left hand;

5. Commence the funeral prayer with the (silent) recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah.

6. After Al-Fatihah, raise both hands and declare the second ‘takbir’,

7. Offer salutations to the Prophet (saws), and then raise both hands and declare the third ‘takbir’.

8. Now supplicate for the deceased, and then declare the fourth and last ‘takbir’.

9. Make a general supplication.

10. End the prayer with salutation/s (to the right only, or to both the right and left sides).

Your Question: ….every time i stand for prayer i really do not know what to recite.

1. After the first ‘takbeer’ recite the Surah Al-Fatihah
2. After the second ‘takbeer’ recite the ‘durood’ or salutations unto the Prophet Mohamed (saws).
3. After the third ‘takbeer’ make supplication for the deceased.
4. After the fourth ‘takbeer’ make a general supplication.
5. Declare the ‘tasleem/s’ to end the prayer.

Your Question: pls let me know in detail how do we make neeath

Just as with every other prayer, there is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) would verbally declare his ‘neeyah’ or intention for prayer.

The very fact that one has gathered with the believers with the intention to offer the funeral prayer and bury their deceased brother or sister, done the ‘wudu’, assembled in rows in preparation for the funeral prayer, etc. more than suffices as the ‘neeyah’ or intention for the funeral prayer.

Your Question: ….and even let me know like how we should pray for underage children and adults.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.40a

Topic: Supplication for the Deceased

The Prophet (saws) said: "When you offer a funeral prayer for a deceased brethren, pray sincerely for them to Allah." Related by Abu Daw'ud, Al-Baihaqi and Ibn Hibban.

For the purpose of funeral prayer any supplication, even a brief one, may be used. It is recommended, however, to use one of the following supplications reported from the Prophet (saws):

1. Abu Hurairah said: ‘The Prophet (saws) prayed in one of the funeral prayers: ‘Allahumma anta Rubbuha wa ant khalaqtaha wa anta razaqtaha wa ant hadaytaha lil lslam wa anta qabadata ruha-ha wa anta alamu bisirriha wa 'alaniyatiha. Ji'nashuf'ala-hafaghfir laha zanbaha"

(Oh Allah ! You are her Sustainer, You are her Creator, You provided her with sustenance, guided her to Islam, caused her to die, and You best know her secret and public life. We plead to You on her behalf to forgive her her sins.)

2. Wa'ilah ibn al-Asqa reported: "The Prophet (saws) led us in a funeral prayer for a man from among the Muslims. I heard him saying: ‘Allahumma inna fulana ibna fulan fi dhimatika wa habla jawaraka, fa-qihu min fitnatal qabri wa adhabin nar wa anta ahlal wafa' wal haq, allahumma faghfirlahu war-rahmhufa innaka antal ghafurur Raheem.’ Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawood.

(O Allah! So-and-so, son of so-and-so, is under Your protection and Mercy, so protect him from the trials of the grave, and the torture of Hell Fire. You are the Guardian of the truthful and the faithful. OAllah! Forgive him and be merciful to him, as You are the Most Merciful, Most Forgiving.)

3. Awf ibn Malik reported: "I heard the Prophet (saws) while offering a funeral prayer, say: ‘Allahumma-ghfir lahu war-rhamhu wa'fu anhu wa 'afahu wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi' mudkhalahu waghsilhu bi-ma' ind wa thalj wa barad wa naqi minal khataya kama yunaqi athaubudanas minad danas wa abdilhu daran khairan min darihi wa ahlan khairan min ahlihi wa zaujan khairan min zaujihi wa qih fitnatal qabr wa adhaban nar.’ Related by Muslim.

(O Allah! Forgive him, have Mercy on him, pardon him, heal him, be generous to him, cause his entrance to be wide and comfortable, wash him with the most pure and clean water, and purify him from sins as a white garment is washed clean of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better than his home (on earth) and a family better than his family, and a wife better than his wife, and protect him from the trial of the grave and the torture of Hell Fire.)

4. It is reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (saws) offered a funeral prayer and said: ‘Allahummaghfir lihayatina wa mayatina wa saghirina wa kahirina wa dhakirina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyatahu minna fa-ahyahu 'alal Islam wa man tawafthu minna fa-tawafthu 'ala iman. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa la tudalana ba'dahu.’ Related by Ahmad.

(O Allah! Forgive our living, our dead, our young, our old, our males and our females, those of us who are present, and those who are absent. O Allah! Whomsoever among us You keep to live, make him to live in Islam, and whomsoever You cause to die, let him die in faith. O Allah! Do not deprive us of our reward for (supplicating for) him, and cause us not to go astray after him.)

An-Nawawi relates: "If the deceased is a child, a boy or a girl, one should supplicate what is reported in the hadith, namely, "O Allah! Forgive our living, our dead…………" and add the words: ‘Allahumma 'ij'alhu faratan li-abwaihi wa salafan wa dhukhran wa izatan wa i'tibaran wa shafi'an wa thaqil bihi mawazlnahumma wa afrlghas sabra 'ala qulubihima wa la taftinhumma ba'dahu wa la tuharim-humma ajrahu.

(O Allah, make him (or her) for his parents a forerunner, a treasure and an admonition, an honor, an intercessor, and cause him (or her) to make their scales of good deeds heavier (on the Day of Judgement). O Allah! Grant them patience, and O Allah! Do not put them to trial after him (or her) nor deprive them of his (or her) reward.)

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan