Hadith about Method of Praying over the Dead

One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out and asked Allah's forgiveness for the martyrs of the battle of Uhud after eight years. It seemed that by so doing, he bid farewell to the living and the dead. He then came back, rose to the pulpit and said, "I shall be your precursor; I am a witness for…

وعن عقبة بن عامر رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج إلى قتلى أحد، فصلى عليهم بعد ثمان سنين كالمودع للأحياء والأموات، ثم طلع إلى المنبر ، فقال‏:‏ إني بين أيديكم فرط وأنا شهيد عليكم، وإن موعدكم الحوض ، وإني…

Narrated by Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir + 11 other versions

‘Auf bin Malik (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered the funeral prayer, and I memorized this supplication (that he said for the deceased), “'O Allah! Forgive him and have mercy on him (on her). Grant him ease and respite. Make his resting place a noble one, and facilitate his…

وَعَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: { صَلَّى رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-عَلَى جَنَازَةٍ، فَحَفِظْتُ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ: "اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ, وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ, وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ…

Narrated by Awf ibn Mālik + 11 other versions

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) informed the people about the death of Negus the day he died. He took them out to the place of prayer, to offer the funeral prayer for him. He arranged them in rows, and made Takbir four times.’ Agreed upon.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- { أَنَّ اَلنَّبِيَّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-نَعَى اَلنَّجَاشِيَّ فِي اَلْيَوْمِ اَلَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ, وَخَرَجَ بِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُصَلَّى، فَصَفَّ بِهِمْ, وَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 9 other versions

Samurah bin Jundub (RAA) narrated, ‘I offered the funeral prayer behind the Prophet (ﷺ) for a woman who had died during child-birth and he (prayed) standing opposite the middle of her body.' Agreed upon.

وَعَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدُبٍ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: { صَلَّيْتُ وَرَاءَ اَلنَّبِيِّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ مَاتَتْ فِي نِفَاسِهَا, فَقَامَ وَسْطَهَا } مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ 1‏ .‏ ‏1 ‏- صحيح.‏ رواه…

Narrated by Samurah ibn Jundub + 7 other versions

‘Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila (RAA) and ‘Zaid bin Arqam (RAA) used to recite four Takbirat when praying over the dead, but once he said it five times, so I asked him about it. He said to me, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do so.’ Related by Muslim and the four Imams.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى قَالَ: { كَانَ زَيْدُ بْنُ أَرْقَمَ يُكَبِّرُ عَلَى جَنَائِزِنَا أَرْبَعًا, وَإِنَّهُ كَبَّرَ عَلَى جَنَازَةٍ خَمْسًا, فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى…

+ 6 other versions

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…

"‏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"

+ 5 other versions

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…

"‏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"

+ 4 other versions

I swear by Allah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed over Suhail b. al-Baida' in the mosque.

وَاللَّهِ مَا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى سُهَيْلِ ابْنِ الْبَيْضَاءِ إِلاَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 11 other versions

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer in absentia for the Negus, and I was in either the second or the third row

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer in absentia for the Negus, and I was in either the second or the third row.

صَلَّى عَلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ، فَكُنْتُ فِي الصَّفِّ الثَّانِي أَوِ الثَّالِثِ‏.‏

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh Explained

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) passed by a grave of a deceased who had been buried at night. He said, "When was this (deceased) buried?" The people said, "Yesterday." He said, "Why did you not inform me?" They said, "We buried him when it was dark and so we disliked to wake you up." He stood up and we lined…

مَرَّ بِقَبْرٍ قَدْ دُفِنَ لَيْلاً فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَتَى دُفِنَ هَذَا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا الْبَارِحَةَ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَفَلاَ آذَنْتُمُونِي ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا دَفَنَّاهُ فِي ظُلْمَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَكَرِهْنَا أَنْ نُوقِظَكَ‏.‏ فَقَامَ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 1 other version

I prayed over a dead person along with Ibn 'Abbas. He recited Surat al-Fatihah and he said: This is the Sunnah.

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَلَى جَنَازَةٍ فَقَرَأَ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 1 other version

(I think that the people of Ziyad informed me that he reported on the authority of the Prophet (ﷺ): A rider should go behind the bier, and those on foot should walk behind it, in front of it, on its right and on its left keeping near it. Prayer should be offered over an abortion and forgiveness and…

الرَّاكِبُ يَسِيرُ خَلْفَ الْجَنَازَةِ وَالْمَاشِي يَمْشِي خَلْفَهَا وَأَمَامَهَا وَعَنْ يَمِينِهَا وَعَنْ يَسَارِهَا قَرِيبًا مِنْهَا وَالسِّقْطُ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَيُدْعَى لِوَالِدَيْهِ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ…

Narrated by Al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah + 3 other versions

“I saw Anas bin Malik offering the funeral prayer for a man, and he stood level with his head. Then another funeral was brought, that of a woman, and they said: ‘O Abu Hamzah! Offer the funeral prayer for her.’ So he stood level with the middle of the bed (the body was upon). ‘Ala’ bin Ziyad said…

رَأَيْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ صَلَّى عَلَى جِنَازَةِ رَجُلٍ فَقَامَ حِيَالَ رَأْسِهِ فَجِيءَ بِجِنَازَةٍ أُخْرَى بِامْرَأَةٍ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا حَمْزَةَ صَلِّ عَلَيْهَا ‏.‏ فَقَامَ حِيَالَ وَسَطِ السَّرِيرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 2 other versions

Ammar client of al-Harith ibn Nawfal told me that he attended the funeral of Umm Kulthum, and her son. The body of the boy was placed near the imam. I objected to it. Among the people there were Ibn Abbas, AbuSa'id al-Khudri, AbuQatadah and AbuHurayrah. They said: This is the sunnah (established…

الْغُلاَمُ مِمَّا يَلِي الإِمَامَ فَأَنْكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

‘Abdullāh ibn Abi Awfa, while offering the funeral prayer for one of his daughters, recited four Takbīrs, and after the fourth Takbīr, he continued standing for a time equal to an interval between two Takbīrs, praying for her and seeking Allah's forgiveness for her." Then, he said: "The Messenger of Allah used to do so

‘Abdullāh ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that while offering the funeral prayer for one of his daughters, he recited four Takbīrs, and after the fourth Takbīr, he continued standing for a time equal to an interval between two Takbīrs, praying for her and seeking Allah's…

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…

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn Abi Awfa Explained