Question/ Answer Summary

The main elements relating to the Janazah prayer are outlined in the following question/answer summary.

What is the ruling of performing the janazah prayer for Muslims? It is a communal obligation.
Does the Ruling apply to sinful Muslims? Yes.
What is the ruling with regards to martyrs? It is recommended.
What is the ruling with regard to children? It is optional.
What is the ruling with regard to the non-Muslims? It is prohibited to pray or ask forgiveness for them.
What to do for a Muslim who died in a place with no one to pray for him? A janazah prayer is preformed for him in absentia.
Where is the janazah prayer preformed? In a musalla (preferable) or a masjid (permissible).
Where is it prohibited to perform the janazah prayer? Among the graves.
Is it permissible to perform the janazah prayer individually? No. It should be performed in jama'ah.
Who leads the prayer? The Muslim ruler, his representative, or the most knowledgeable man in the Quran.
Is the number of praying people important? Yes, the more they are, the better are the deceased's chances of being forgiven.
How many rows should pray behind the imam? The more the better, with a minimum of three, if possible.
Where does the imam stand with respect to the body? By a man's head, and by a woman's middle.
How are multiple bodies arranged? The men near the Imam, the women beyond them.
When is it prohibited to perform the prayer? At sunrise, sunset, and when the sun is in the zenith. (midday).
How many takbirs are in the prayer? A minimum of four, and a maximum of nine.
What to say after the first takbir? Al-Fatihah (and another surah if time permits).
What to say after the second takbir? The prayer upon the Prophet. (s)
What to say after the third takbir? Supplicate for the deceased.
How to end the prayer? With taslim.
How many rak'ahs is in the Janazah prayer? This is irrelevant, because it has no ruku' or sujud.

Practical Procedure- Step by Step Procedure for the Janazah Prayer.

#  Sequence of action performed.
1 The washed and shrouded body is brought to the musalla (or the masjid, but the musalla is preferable).
2 The body is placed in the front, toward the Qiblah.
3 The imam forms the people into straight rows without gsps. The spacing between the rows may be narrower than that for regular prayers.
4 The imam faces the Qiblah, standing level with a man's head or a woman's mid-section.
5 The imam raises his hands with the first takbir. The people behind him follow him in this and all subsequent actions.
6 Al-Fatihah is recited silently, followed by another surah if the time permits.
7 The imam makes the second takbir (he may raise his hands).
8 The salah upon the Prophet (s) is made silently.
9 The Imam makes the third takbir.
10 Sincere du'a from the Sunnah is made for the deceased.
11 The imam makes the fourth takbir.
12 Sincere du'a from the Sunnah is made for the deceased.
13 Steps 11 and 12 are repeated if the imam chooses to make additional (up to a total of nine) takbirs.
14 In a low voice, the Iman makes taslim to the right (required), and to the left (optional).

 

Miscellaneous Innovations

The following are some of the common innovations relating to the janazah prayer.

  1. Praying salat ul-gha'ib for a person although it is known that janazah prayer had already been performed for him.
  2. Praying salat ul-gha'ib every day after maghrib for all the Muslims who died on that day.
  3. The imam's standing near the middle of a man and by the chest of a woman.
  4. Saying the opening supplication that are said at the beginning of normal prayers.
  5. Refraining from reading another surah after al-Fatihah.
  6. Taking off shoes and standing over them during the prayer.
  7. Saying after the prayer, "Exalted be He Who has subdued His slaves with death, and Exalted be the Alive Who does not die."
  8. Prompting the people after the prayer by asking them,  "What do you testify about him?" So that they would reply, "He was a good man......"

 

 

 

 

 

 
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