NAMAZ E JANAZA / SALAT AL JANAZAH
The Dua of Namaz e Janaza is an important element of a Muslim’s burial. Depending on the age and gender of the deceased Muslim, there are three forms of duas for Namaz Janaza.
What is the meaning of Namaz e Janaza?
The Islamic funeral prayer is known as Namaz e Janaza. It’s an important element of the Islamic funeral ritual. The crowd prays to ask for forgiveness for the deceased and all Muslim people who have died. Salat al-Janazah is a shared obligation among Muslims (Fard Al-Kifaya), which implies that the load is shared if certain Muslims take on the obligation. If no one obeys, the Muslims will be held responsible.
The Hanafi and Maliki madhhabs ban prayer while the body is not present, but the Hanbali madhhab permits it and the Shafi‘i madhhab supports it.
Funeral Prayers Are The Duty Of Sustenance:
Funeral or Janaza Prayers is a “Duty Of Sufficiency“, i.e. if one of them is performed, then all are acquitted, otherwise those who received the news and did not come will all be sinners. Jamaat is not a condition for this, even if one person reads it, the duty has been fulfilled. Denying its presumption is disbelief.
Features And Traditions (Sunnah) Of Funeral Prayers:
There are two Elements (Arkan) and three Sunnah in the funeral prayers.
The two features are:
(1) Saying “Allahu Akbar” four times
(2) Qiyaam (Rise up)
The three Sunnahs are:
- Praise be to Allaah (SANNA)
- Durood Sharif
- Dua for the dead person
The Method of Funeral Prayer (Hanafi):
The follower should make the intention as follows:
Ø I make the intention for this funeral prayer, for the sake of Allah (Azzawajal), the supplication for this corpse, behind this Imam.
Ø Now both; the Imam and the follower first raise their hands up to their ears and immediately tie them under the navel saying “Allahu Akbar” and recite Sana. In it, after “وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ”, recite “وَجَلَّ ثَنَاوُكَ وَلَا لِلَـهَ غَيْرُكَ”.
Ø And then without raising his hand say “Allahu Akbar”.
Ø After that, recite Durood-e-Ibrahim.
Ø Then raise your hand and say “Allahu Akbar” (The Imam should say the Takbeer aloud and the follower should recite it slowly)
Ø Now recite Dua.
Ø After the dua, say “Allahu Akbar” and hang your hands, then greet both sides.
Ø Let the corpse and the angels and the audience make the intention of the prayer in the salutation, just as the intention is made in the salutation of the other prayers. (Just the difference here is that this is made even on behalf of the deceased).
The Funeral Prayer for Adult Men and Women:
اَللّٰھُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَیِّنَا وَمَیِّتِنَا وَشَاھِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِیْرِنَا وَکَبِیْرِنَا وَذَکَرِنَا وَاُنْثَانَا اَللّٰھُمَّ مَنْ اَحْیَیْتَہٗ مِنَّا فَاَحْیِہٖ عَلَی الْاِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّیْتَہٗ مِنَّافَتَوَفَّہٗ عَلَی الْاِیْمَانِ
Translation: God! Forgive every one of us alive and every one of us who has died and every one of us who is present and every one of us who is absent and every one of us who is small and every one of us big and every one of our men and every one of our women. Oh my god So whoever of us He keeps alive, keep him alive on Islam, and whoever of us He puts to death, let him die by faith.
The Funeral Prayer of the Minor Boy:
—اَللّٰھُمَّ اجْعَلْہُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّاجْعَلْہُ لَنَا اَجْرًا وَّذُخْرًا وَّاجْعَلْہُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَّمُشَفَّعًا
Translation: Divine! Make him (the boy) a forerunner for us, and make him a reward for us, and make him useful in time, and make him our intercessor, and he whose intercession is accepted.
The Funeral Prayer of the Minor Boy:
—اَللّٰھُمَّ اجْعَلْہا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّاجْعَلْہا لَنَا اَجْرًا وَّذُخْرًا وَّاجْعَلْہا لَنَا شَافِعَۃً وَّمُشَفَّعَۃً
Translation: Divine! Make her (the girl) a forerunner for us and make her a reward (cause) for us and work on time and make her an intercessor for us and the one whose intercession is accepted.
Additional Janaza Namaz Quotes:
Sharia Issues About Namaz e Janaza
- Funeral prayers are obligatory.
- Saying Takbeer in the funeral prayer and raising one’s face towards Asan is absurd.
- If the shoes are unclean, then the funeral prayers will not be offered by wearing them or standing on them. Many people don’t care.
- It is Mustahab (preferred)to make three rows of followers in the funeral prayer.
- Praise be to Allaah. Now forty prayers are written by memorizing them and reciting them according to the occasion. This is narrated by Hazrat Rasool Maqbool.
Exceptions About Namaz e Janaza
According to an authentic hadith, Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) did not recite the burial prayers for a suicide victim;
Jabir b. Samura reported: [The corpse] of a person who had killed himself with a broad-headed arrow was brought before the Apostle of Allah, but he did not offer him prayers. Another exemption is for someone who hasn’t paid off obligations until they’ve been paid on behalf of a deceased individual.