Once the person has breathed their last, do the following:

1. Make du‘ā for them. Rasūlullāh s said,

When you visit the sick or deceased, speak good words; for indeed, the angels say āmīn to what you say. (Muslim)

The above-mentioned Ḥadīth demands that we supplicate for the deceased, as doing so is speaking good of them.

It was also the practice of our beloved Nabī s to make du‘ā for the deceased. He made the following du‘ā for Sayyidunā Abū Salamah t upon learning about his death:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأَبِيْ سَلَمَةَ وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الْمَهْدِيِّـيْنَ

وَاخْلُفْهُ فِيْ عَقِبِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِيْنَ وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ

وَافْسَحْ لَهُ فِيْ قَبْرِهِ وَنَوِّرْ لَهُ فِيْهِ

O Allāh! Forgive Abū Salamah and elevate his status amongst the guided ones. And take his place (by becoming a guardian) for his descendants who remain behind, and grant us forgiveness as well as him, O Rabb of the worlds! And make his grave spacious for him and fill it with nūr. (Muslim)

This du‘ā should be learnt and recited for the deceased when they pass away, using the name of the deceased in place of the name, Abū Salamah.

2. Recite Sūrah Yāsīn by the body after the ghusl has been performed. As mentioned previously, the Ḥadīth, ‘Read sūrah Yāsīn upon your deceased’, applies to this stage too.

3. From after the demise until the burial is complete, engage in as much īsāluth-thawab (sending reward) as possible. The unfortunate trend of relatives and friends remaining busy in conversation in the presence of the bereaved without doing anything noteworthy for the deceased, is deplorable and worthy of rectification. Similarly, the family members of the deceased should also have concern for their loved one and spend extra time in the Masjid or in solitude, making du‘ā for them and sending them reward of good deeds. To help maintain focus in this regard, we should set ourselves targets, e.g. I will give so much ṣadaqah, I will complete so much tilāwah, dhikrullāh, nafl salāh, etc.

One point worthy of mention is that for īṣāluth-thawāb to be fruitful and beneficial for the deceased, the person sending the reward needs to have acquired reward from his deed to begin with, and that will only be possible if the deed is rewardable in the Court of Allāh S. Acquiring reward from a deed is dependent on ikhlāṣ and adherence to the Sunnah. Therefore, ikhlāṣ should be maintained at every step and all customs contrary to the Sunnah should be abandoned. It is against the sunnah to invite people to gather and recite the Qur’ān for īṣāluth-thawāb. Gatherings of īṣāluth thawāb ruin all prospects of ikhlāṣ, as many people feel compelled to attend and only do so to ‘show their faces’. It would be more fruitful if each person were to do īṣāluth-thawāb on their own accord on an individual basis. It is advised to consult the honourable Muftis and ‘ulamā for correct guidance regarding the different forms of īṣāluth-thawab prevalent in our times.

4. The ghusl and burial of the deceased should be carried out at the earliest possible opportunity. They should not be delayed for family members and friends to arrive from other cities or countries. Upon the occasion of the demise of Ṭalḥah ibnul Barā t, Rasūlullāh s said,

Hasten (the funeral preparations and burial), for it is not appropiate that the corpse of a Muslim be withheld among its family. (Abū Dāwūd)

If for any unavoidable reason, the burial has to be delayed, then the ghusl and takfīn (shrouding) should take place as soon as possible.

5. Participate in the janāzah ṣalāh with a genuine intention of asking Allāh to forgive the deceased. Rasūlullāh s said,

If a Muslim dies and forty people participate in his funeral prayer solely for the Pleasure of Allāh, then Allāh will accept their intercession for him. (Muslim)

This Ḥadīth shows that the guaranteed acceptance of the janāzah ṣalāh performed by forty people, is contingent on their sincerity. Therefore, we should participate in the janāzah ṣalāh with a genuine concern to increase the chances of the deceased being forgiven, to acquire the virtues of participating in a janāzah ṣalāh, and to become a source of solace for the bereaved family who find comfort in witnessing many people seeking forgiveness for their loved one.

In this regard, no stone should be left unturned in perfecting the janāzah ṣalāh. This includes reciting as many masnūn ad‘iyah in the janāzah ṣalāh as possible:

اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيْرِنَا وَكَبِيْرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا

اَللّٰهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيْمَانِ 

 

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ

O Allāh! Forgive our living and our dead, those of us who are present and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allāh! Those of us whom You keep alive, keep them alive upon Islām, and those of us whom You grant death to, let them die with Īmān. O Allāh! Do not deprive us of his reward and do not lead us astray after him. (Abū Dāwūd)

اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ

وَاغْسِلْهُ بِمَاءٍ وَثَلْجٍ وَبَرَدٍ وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ

وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِّنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِّنْ زَوْجِهِ وَقِهِ فِتْنَةَ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابَ النَّارِ

O Allāh! Forgive him, have mercy on him, pardon him and grant him ‘āfiyah. Make honourable his reception and make vast his place of entry (the grave). Cleanse him with water, snow and ice, and purify him from sins just as a white cloth is purified from filth. Exchange his home for a better home, his family for a better family and his spouse for a better spouse. Protect him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the fire. (Muslim)

اللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ فِيْ ذِمَّتِكَ، وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ، فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ، وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ، وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفَاءِ وَالْحَقِّ، فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ

O Allāh! Indeed, so-and-so who is the son of so-and-so is under Your care and protection, so protect him from the trial of the grave and torment of the Fire. Indeed, You keep to Your Promise and are truthful. Forgive him and have mercy upon him; Indeed, You are the Most-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. (Ibn Mājah)

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَبْدُكَ وابْنُ أَمَتِكَ، اِحْتَاجَ إِلٰى رَحْمَتِكَ، وَأَنْتَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْ عَذَابِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِناً فَزِدْ فِيْ حَسَنَاتِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيْئاً فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهُ

O Allāh! This is Your servant and son of your servant. He is in need of Your Mercy and You are not in need of punishing him. If he was righteous, increase his rewards, and if he was a wrongdoer, pardon him. (Al-Mustadrak lil-Ḥākim)

اللّٰهُمَّ عَبْدُكَ، وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ كَانَ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُوْلُكَ، وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهٖ مِنِّيْ، إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِنًا فَزِدْ فِيْ إِحْسَانِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيْئًا فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ، وَلَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ، وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُ

O Allāh! This is Your servant and son of Your servant. He bore testimony that there is no deity except You and that Muḥammad is Your servant and messenger. You are more aware of this than me. If he was righteous, increase his rewards, and if he was a wrongdoer, pardon him. Do not deprive us of his reward and do not put us to trial after him. (Ibn Ḥibbān)

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْت ربُّهَا، وَأَنْتَ خَلَقْتَها، وأَنْتَ هَدَيْتَهَا لِلْإِسْلَامِ، وَأَنْتَ قَبَضْتَ رُوْحَهَا، وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِسِرِّهَا وَعَلَانِيَتِهَا، جِئْنَاكَ شُفَعَاءَ لَهُ فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ

O Allāh! You are his Rabb; You created him, guided him to Islām and took his soul. You are most aware of his private and public matters. We have come to You as intercessors for him, so forgive him. (Abū Dāwūd)

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَوْرِدْهُ حَوْضَ رَسُولِكَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

O Allāh! Forgive him, bestow him with Your Special Mercy and make him reach the pond of your Rasūl s (the pond of Kawthar). (Ad-Du‘ā liṭ-Ṭabarānī)

Imāms, especially, those who lead the janāzah ṣalāh, should have utmost concern for the deceased and try to recite as many of these ad‘iyah as possible, ensuring not to cause inconvenience to the congregation.

6. After performing the janāzah ṣalāh attend the burial too. Performing the janāzah ṣalāh and attending the burial both hold great reward. Rasūlullāh s said,

Whoever performs the janāzah ṣalāh will receive (reward equal to) a qīrāṭ; and whoever (remains thereafter and) attends the burial, will receive (reward equal to) two qīrāṭs; one qīrāṭ is equivalent to mount Uḥud. (Muslim)

After the janāzah ṣalāh, the burial should take place straightaway. Nabī s said,

Hasten the janāzah (to the grave after the janāzah ṣalāh) for if it is pious, you are taking it towards goodness, and if it is otherwise, you are laying an evil off your shoulders. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

When the janāzah is being carried to the grave, it is mustaḥabb to follow it. Sayyidunā Barā ibn ‘Āzib t said,

Rasūlullāh s commanded us to do seven things and prohibited us from seven things. He commanded us to visit the sick and follow the deceased (to the grave) … (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

We should also look for an opportunity to lift the janāzah. Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd t said,

When one of you follows the janāzah, then he should hold on to the four corners of the bier (one after another). Thereafter, he may continue (holding it) if he wills or leave it. This (carrying the bier from all four corners) is from the sunnah. (As-Sunanul-Kubrā lil-Bayhaqī)

7. After the deceased is lowered in the grave, we should take part in the burial too. This is the last service we can render to our loved one. As a minimum, throw three handfuls of soil into the grave, reciting the following three sentences of a Qur’ānic verse with the three throws respectively:

مِنۡهَا خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ

From it (the earth) we created you.

وَ فِیۡهَا نُعِیۡدُکُمۡ

And to it we shall return you.

وَ مِنۡهَا نُخۡرِجُکُمۡ تَارَۃً اُخۡرٰی

And from it we will extract you a second time.

If it is a close relative or associate and one has a say, then he should try to make sure the burial takes place according to the sunnah method. Try to arrange for someone who knows the sunnah method to be present by the grave when the burial is taking place.

Our focus should be towards Allāh whilst having utmost concern for the deceased throughout the burial and avoiding any worldly conversation. These moments should be spent in helping the deceased through recitation of the Qur’ān, first kalimah, third kalimah, durūd, du‘ā, etc.

I would like to share a personal practice at this juncture which will hopefully be a means of encouragement for the readers. Whenever I attend a janāzah, I recite Sūrah Yāsīn a total number of five times, the intention being to send the reward of each recitation to the following: 1. Our beloved Nabī s; 2. my parents; 3. the deceased whose janāzah we are attending; 4. all the other deceased Muslims resting in that particular graveyard and 5. all the deceased Muslims of the world.

We should also use this opportunity to take a glance at the many graves surrounding us and take heed. Absorb and internalise the reality of death, which will inevitably knock at our door one day, and add us to the rows of graves that we pitifully glare at. As we watch the body being lowered into the grave, we should tell ourselves that we will be in the place of that body one day, and possibly very soon.

8. Once the burial is complete, we should make du‘ā for the deceased. Making du‘ā after burial is sunnah. Sayyidunā ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān t said, ‘When Nabī s would finish burying a dead person, he would stand by the grave and say (addressing the Ṣaḥābah t who were present),

Seek forgiveness for your (Muslim) brother and ask that he is granted steadfastness (during the questioning of munkar and nakīr); for indeed, he is now being questioned. (Abū Dāwūd)

Thereafter, stay at the graveside for as long as time allows, engaging in īṣāluth thawāb, recitation of the Qur’ān, istighfār for the deceased, du‘ā to strengthen him during the questioning in the grave. Read Sūrah Yāsīn as the Ḥadīth, ‘Read Sūrah Yāsīn upon your deceased’, is applicable for this moment too.

Sayyidunā ‘Amr ibnul ‘Āṣ t instructed his son,

When you bury me, place the soil above me slowly, and thereafter remain around my graveside for as long as it takes for a camel to be slaughtered and its meat to be distributed, so that I may be comforted (by your presence and your du‘ā, dhikr, tilāwah and istighfār) and I understand how to answer the angels (with confidence). (Muslim)

9. Fulfil any obligations that remain on the deceased, whether it be ḥajj, debts, unpaid zakāh, missed ṣalāhs and fasts, ṣadaqatul fiṭr, uḍḥiyah, etc.

Rasūlullāh s said,

Every sin of the shahīd (martyr) will be forgiven, except debt. (Muslim)

The children of the deceased should take this responsibility on their shoulders as they are most indebted to their parents. Debts will be paid off from the estate of the deceased before the distribution of inheritance. Other monetary obligations for which the deceased did not make a bequest should be paid off after the distribution of inheritance. Although the inheritors will not be obliged by the sharī‘ah to do this, but if they have the financial capability, they should understand this to be their moral duty towards their parents.

10. Frequently send rewards to the deceased and make du‘ā for them throughout your life. Rasūlullāh s said,

The deceased in his grave is like a drowning person calling for help; he waits (with expectation) for a supplication that may reach him from his father, mother, brother or a friend, and when it does reach him, it is dearer to him than the (whole) world and what it contains. Indeed, Allāh S provides the people of the graves (with mercy and forgiveness) equivalent to the mountains, due to the supplications of the people (alive) on earth. (Al-Bayhaqī).

One should also look for avenues which generate perpetual reward. Rasūlullāh s mentioned three ways in the following Ḥadīth:

When a son of ‘Ādam dies, his deeds come to an end except from three avenues: ṣadaqah jāriyah, ‘ilm (that he disseminated) which people benefit from, or a pious child who prays for him. (Muslim)

The three ways mentioned in the Ḥadīth are:

a. Ṣadaqah jāriyah: According to one’s financial circumstance, make an organised plan to establish ṣadaqah jāriyah for our loved ones. For example, once a year I will dig a well in a deprived area. Become part of every Masjid project even if it be a little. Those who Allāh S has blessed with much wealth should do waqf of properties too, as this is a great ‘ibādah.

b. Disseminating ‘Ilm: Create means for ‘ilm to spread. Purchase books for a Madrasah library or for the students of that Madrasah to use as text books. Sponsor an orphan or poor person to study and become an ‘Ālim or Ḥāfiẓ. Distribute some Islamic literature.

c. Pious descendants: From the various ways of helping and benefiting the deceased, one way is that the children and grandchildren of the deceased adopt piety by practising the Dīn. Their piety automatically benefits their parents or grandparents without them sending reward.

11. Mention the good qualities and characteristics of the deceased and do not make mention of any negative aspects of their life. Rasūlullāh s said,

Mention the good qualities of your deceased and abstain from mentioning their bad qualities. (At-Tirmidhī)

Rasūlullāh s also said,

Do not speak bad of the deceased for they have reached the result of what they sent forth. (Al-Bukhārī)

Mentioning good qualities of our deceased does not necessarily have to be in a public gathering advertised for this purpose. Rather, good mention can and should be made amongst family and friends whenever one sees it appropriate.

If we create a culture of following these points, then people will behave in a similar manner when our turn comes to depart from this temporary world too.

May Allāh S grant us the tawfīq to help our deceased family and friends and ourselves by implementing all the points mentioned. Āmīn.

Extracted from Riyadhul Jannah