Prayers for the Deceased in Islam and Their Virtues

Praying for the deceased is a recommended act of worship (sunnah). These prayers are offered for fellow Muslims who have passed away, whether they were family members or friends. In Islamic teaching, the prayer is made with the intention that the departed will receive forgiveness and mercy from Allah SWT.

In Indonesia, particularly in Java, there is also a tradition called tahlilan or kenduri. This is a custom in which people gather together to pray collectively for someone who has passed away.

Prayers for the Deceased

Prayer is also a way of showing care for fellow Muslims. So, what prayers can you recite? Here is a list, taken from the NU website.

1. Prayer for a Deceased Man

This prayer is usually recited when a man has passed away. It is generally read during the funeral prayer (shalat jenazah), specifically after the fourth takbir.

للَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَاجْعَلِ اْلجَنَّةَ مَثْوَاهُ. اللّهُمَّ ابْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَهْلًا خَيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِهِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ نَزَلَ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُوْلٍ بِهِ. اَللَّهُمَّ أَكْرِمْ نُزولَهُ ووسِّعْ مَدْخَلَهُ

Allahummaghfirlahu warhamhu wa’afihi wa’fu ’anhu waj’alil-jannata matswahu. Allahumma-abdilhu daran khairan min daarihi, wa zaujan khairan min zawjihi wa ahlan khairan min ahlihi. Allahumma innahu nazala bika wa anta khairu manzulin bihi. Allahumma akrim nuzulahu wawassi’ madkhalahu.

Meaning:

“O Allah, forgive him, have mercy upon him, grant him well-being, pardon his wrongs, and make Paradise his dwelling place. Give him a home better than his former home, a spouse better than his former spouse, and a family better than his former family. O Allah, he has come to You, and You are the best place for him to arrive. Honor his arrival and widen his entrance.”

2. Prayer for a Deceased Woman

This prayer is essentially no different from the first one. The difference lies in the use of pronouns (dhomir). The recitation and its meaning are as follows.

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهاَ وَارْحَمْهاَ وَعَافِهَا وَاعْفُ عَنْهاَ وَاجْعَلِ اْلجَنَّةَ مَثْوَاهاَ. اللّهُمَّ ابْدِلْهاَ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهَا، وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهَا وَأَهْلًا خَيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِهاَ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ نَزَلَ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُوْلٍ بِهاَ. اَللَّهُمَّ أَكْرِمْ نُزولَهاَ ووسِّعْ مَدْخَلَهاَ

Allahummaghfirlaha warhamha wa’afiha wa’fu ’anha waj’alil-jannata matswaha. Allahumma-abdilha daran khairan min daarihi, wa zaujan khairan min zawjiha wa ahlan khairan min ahliha. Allahumma innahu nazala bika wa anta khairu manzulin biha. Allahumma akrim nuzulaha wawassi’ madkhalaha.

Meaning:

“O Allah, forgive her, have mercy upon her, grant her well-being, pardon her wrongs, and make Paradise her dwelling place. Give her a home better than her former home, a husband better than her former husband, and a family better than her former family. O Allah, she has come to You, and You are the best place for her to arrive. Honor her arrival and widen her entrance.”

3. Prayer Upon Hearing of a Death

As fellow Muslims, we are obliged to always pray for the good of our brothers and sisters in faith, both those who have passed away and those who are still living. One prayer you can recite upon hearing news of a death is as follows.

إِنَّا للهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنَقَلِبُوْنَ، اللّهمَّ اكْتُبْهُ عِنْدَكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ وَاجْعَلْ كِتَابَهُ فِي عِلِّيِّيْنَ وَاخْلُفْهُ فِي أَهْلِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِيْنَ وَلَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُ

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un wa inna ila rabbina lamunaqalibun. Allahummak-tubhu ‘indika minal muhsinina waj’al kitabahu fi ‘illiyyin wakhlu fhu fi ahlihil-ghairina wa la tahrimna ajrahu wa la taftinna ba’dahu.

Meaning:

“Truly we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. O Allah, include him among the righteous, place his record in the highest levels of Paradise, give his family a better replacement, grant us his reward, and do not test us with trials after him.”

4. Prayer When Paying Condolences

A Muslim is also encouraged to visit the home of a fellow Muslim who is grieving. Paying condolences (takziah) means visiting to express sympathy, show empathy, and pray for those left behind. The recommended prayer is as follows.

أَعْظَمَ اللهُ أَجْرَكَ وَأَحْسَنَ عَزَاءَكَ وَغَفَرَ لِمَيِّتِكَ

A’dzamallahu ajraka wa ahsana ‘aja-aka wa ghafara li mayyitika.

Meaning:

“May Allah multiply your reward (as the family left behind), console you well, and forgive the sins of the one who has passed away.”

5. Prayer When the Eyes of the Deceased Have Closed

Next, there is a prayer you can offer when the eyes of the deceased have closed. This prayer for the deceased is found in a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim:

اَللهمَّ اغْفِرْلَهُ وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الْمَهْدِيِّيْنَ وَاخَلُفْهُ فِي عَقِبِهِ الْغَابِرِيْنَ وَاغْفِرْلَنَا وَلَهُ يَارَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ وَامْسَحْ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ وَنَوِّرْلَهُ فِيْهِ

Allahummaghfirlahu warfa’ darajatahu fil-mahdiyyin wakhlufhu fi ‘aqibihil-ghabirina waghfirlana wa lahu ya Rabbal-'alamin wamsah lahu fi qabri wa nawwir lahu fihi.

Meaning:

“O Allah, forgive his sins, raise his rank among those who are guided, and give his family a better replacement. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds, and widen and illuminate his grave.”

6. Prayer Upon Hearing of the Death of a Non-Muslim

This prayer can be found in a hadith narrated by Ibn Mas’ud, when he came to the Messenger of Allah SAW to inform him of the death of Abu Jahl. The prayer can also be an expression of respect toward the body of a non-Muslim.

اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِيْ نَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَأَعَزَّ دِيْنَهُ

Alhamdulillahilladzi nashara ‘abdahu wa a’azza dinahu.

Meaning: “All praise is due to Allah, who helped His servant and honored His religion.”

The Virtues of Praying for the Deceased

By praying for those who have passed away, you may gain several virtues, as follows.

• Earning great reward: Praying for the deceased is a highly recommended act in Islam. Its reward is said to be equal to 1 qirath (as large as Mount Uhud).
• Easing the torment of the grave: The prayers you offer serve as a wasilah, or means, of easing the torment of the grave.
• Showing love and brotherhood: Reciting prayers for the deceased is also an expression of affection toward those who have passed away and a symbol of brotherhood, since every Muslim is obliged to pray for one another in goodness.
• Increasing good deeds: Allah SWT loves His servants who consistently do good, including praying for fellow believers.
• Serving as a reminder of death: The prayers you offer for the deceased also remind the living that everyone will certainly die.

Now You Know the Prayers for the Deceased

In conclusion, praying for the deceased is one of the acts strongly recommended in Islam. These prayers not only bring great reward but also express our love and care for a fellow believer who has returned to Allah.

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