Washing the dead body and performing the funeral prayer

Every Muslim must know how to wash and prepare a Muslims body for burial It is incumbent upon every Muslim to know how to do this.

When a Muslim is confirmed dead his eyes must be closed and his jaws brought together.

When washing the dead body, the whole body beginning with the exposed parts of ablution must be washed. The abdomen is gently squeezed and followed by washing of the anus and the sexual organs using a wet piece of cloth. Normal ablution will then be performed.

The body is washed starting with the head and beard using water mixed with the leaves of Sidr (lote tree, if available). The right side must be washed before the left side and the body must be washed three times. Each time the abdomen is squeezed as above.

The mustache and the nails are clipped, and when the body is clean, it is wrapped in three white cotton sheets covering all parts of the body and perfumed with incense. If the body is still unclean, ablution must be extended to 5-7 times after which the body is dried with a clean cloth. Men's hair should not be combed while that of a woman is to be braided into three chains and left hanging down behind her (as done to the Prophet's daughter).

It is preferred to shroud men with three white sheets without a gown or Amamah (head cover); children in one up to three sheets and women in five sheets, these sheets are:

Dir': a loose outer garment with sleeves slit in front.
Khimar: covering head and face.
Izzar: a sheet wrapped around the waist, and
Two overall wrapping sheets.
Young girls can be wrapped with a gown and two sheets.

The one who has the most right to wash the dead body of a man is his chosen guardian (if any) then his father, his grandfather, then the closest of his relatives. The woman is best washed by her chosen female then the mother, the grandmother, then the closest one of her female relatives.

The husband can wash the body of his wife and vice versa because Abu Bakr, may Allâh be pleased with him, was washed by his wife; and Ali bin Abi Taleb, may Allâh be pleased with him, washed his wife, Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet, may Allâh be pleased with her.

b) The funeral prayer (Salaah-Aljanaza):

Saying Takbeer: "Allâh u Akbar" four times. Reciting Al-Fatiha after the first Takbeer. Following the second Takbeer, one prays for the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, as he does in Tashahud. Then after saying "Allâh u Akbar" for the third time, one recites what is usually said in other prayers like asking Allâh to forgive all Muslims or any supplications he knows, preferably this:

"Allâhumma Ighfir li hayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa ghaibina wa sagheerina wa kabeerina wa thakarina wa unthana. Allâhumma man ahyaytahu minna fa ahyihi ala al Islâm, wa man tawaffaytah u minna fa tawaffahu ala al eeman. Allâhmma la tahrimna ajrah, wa la taftinna baadah".

"O Allâh, grant forgiveness to our living and to our dead, and to those who are present and to those who are absent, and to our young and our old folk, and to our males and our females. O Allâh, whomsoever you grant to live, from among us, help him to live in Islâm and whomsoever of us you cause to die, help him to die in faith. O Allâh, do not deprive us of the reward for patience on his (her, their) loss and do not make us subject to trial after him...."

Or one could say:

"Allâhumma Ighfir lah u warhamhu wa'afihi wa'fu anhu, wa'akrim nuzulahu wa wassi' madkhalahu, wa'ghsilhu bi l mae wathalgi walbarad, wanaqihi mina al-thunoubi walkhataya kama unaqa athawbo alabiado mina addanas, wa abdilhu daran khairan min darihi, wa ahlan khairan miin ahlihi, wa adkhilhu al Jannah, wa aidhu min adhabi al qabr, wa adhabi an Narr; wafsah lahu fee qabrihi, wanawir lahu fehi. Allâhumma la tahrimna ajrahu, wa la tudhlilna ba'dahu."

"O Allâh forgive him (her, them) and have your Mercy upon him; protect him and pardon him, receive him with honor and make his grave spacious; wash him with water, snow and hail, and clean him from sins and wrong-doings as is cleaned a white garment from impurity; requite him with an abode more excellent than his, and with a mate better than his mate. Admit him to the Garden, and protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of the Fire; widen his space in his grave and bring him light therein. O Allâh don't deprive us from his reward and don't let us go astray after him."

Then after saying "Allâh u Akbar" for the fourth time one turns his head to the right (making tasleem) and thus ending the funeral prayer.

It is best to raise one's hand while saying "Allâh u Akbar"

In the case when the dead is a child or an infant, the following Du'a is made:

"Allâhumma ejalhu dhiktan liwalidayehi, washafeean mujaban. Allâhuma thaqil bihi mawazeenahuma wa a'dhun bihi ujorahuma wa alhiqhu bi salih el Mumineen, waj'alhu fee kafalati Ibrahim aleihi As-Salam, waqihi bi rahmatika adhaba al Jaheem."

"O Allâh make him a preceding reward and a reserve treasure (on the Day of Judgment) for his parents; a one whose intercession would be granted. O Allâh make of him an excess in the measures and in the rewards (granted by Allâh) to his parents. Let him join the company of the righteous believers and make him under the care of Abraham (may the peace of Allâh be upon him), and protect him, by Your Mercy, from the torment of the blazing Fire ".

The Position of the Imâm in the Funeral Prayer:

The tradition is for the Imâm to stand right next to the head of the body if it is a man, and to the middle of the body if it is a woman. If the dead were many, men, women, male and female children in one funeral, the following positions are to be taken:

The men right in front of the Imâm. The women further towards the Qibla. The male children are between the men and women and more towards the men while the female children follow women further down in the direction of Qibla (all of the dead bodies are to be laid parallel to those praying). The bodies are to be arranged such that the head of the male child lies next to that of a man while the middle of a woman lies next to the head of a man. The head of the female child lies next to the head of a woman.

The followers of Imâm are to stand behind him just as in other prayers. It is acceptable for one to stand to the right of the Imâm if he finds no place behind him.

All praise is due to Allâh and His blessings and peace be upon His Prophet, his family and his companions

by Shaykh Abdul 'Azeez bin 'Abdullaah bin Baaz Rahimuallah