Preparing For Eternal Life

Chapter Thirteen : Namaz-i-janaza (namaz-i-maiyat) the Funeral Prayer For a Female, Minor and Insane Person

Only believers present at the funeral are allowed to perform Namaz-I-Janaza.

Complete Taharrat (freedom from pollution) is not necessary but it is recommended especially for the believer leading prayer. [Wudu (ritual ablution of the face and forearms) is firstly recommended and Ghusl (bath for the removal of pollution) is recommended if required.]

The believer leading Namaz-I-Janaza is required to recite the prayer with his / her shoes removed or can place them underfoot.

Namaz-I-Janaza can be performed by the individual by his/her self but it is Mustahab that it be offered in Juma'at (en Masse).

The deceased should be placed facing Qibla and on the right hand side of the prayer leader.

Niyyat

The the person / people leading prayer, the following Niyyat is recited:

"I offer Janaza prayer on this corpse present before me for the pleasure of Allah as the ultimate end in view" "Allah Akbar" is then said immediately raising your hands up to the ears.

Five Takbeers saying "Allaho Akbar" with hands raised up to the ears is Wajib for all people present. You are not allowed to stay silent. They must repeat what the prayer leader says.

Text for Recitation of Namaz-I-Janaza Namaz-I-Janaza (Short Form) Niyyat

"I offer Janaza prayer on this corpse present before me for the pleasure of Allah as the ultimate in view." Then recite "Allahu Akbar", the second Takbeer, with the hands raised up to the ears.

"Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illallaahu wah'dahoo laashareeka lahoo wa assadu anna Muh'ammadan a'bduhoo wa Rasooluhoo allaahu akbar allaahumma s'alli a'laa Muh'ammadin wa aali Muh'ammad. Allahummaghfir lil-Moo-mineena wal Moo-minaat allaahu akbar. Allaahummaghfir lihaad'al / lihaad'ihee (for female) mayyit. Allaahu akbar."

(I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. He is the only Allah and has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and His Prophet.

Allah is Great. O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad.

O Allah! Forgive the true believer, male and female.

Allah is Great. O Allah! Forgive this deceased male / female. Allah is Great.)

[Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), pg. 149]

"I offer Janaza prayer on this corpse [deceased] present before me for the pleasure of Allah as the ultimate in view." Then recite "Allahu Akbar", the second Takbeer, with the hands raised up to the ears. "Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illallaahu wah'dahoo laashareeka lahoo wa assadu anna Muh'ammadan a'bduhoo wa Rasooluh.Arhalahoo bilhaqqi basheeran'w wa nad'eeran bayna yadayis saa-a'h."

Then recite "Allahu Akbar", the second Takbeer, with hands raised up to the ears.

"Allaahumma s'alli a'laa Muh'ammadin'w wa aali Muh'ammad wa sallim a'laa Muh'hammadin'w wa aali Muh'ammadin'w wa baarik a'laa Muh'ammadin'w wa aali Muh'ammadin warh'am Muh'ammadan'w wa aala Muh'ammadin ka-afz"ali maa s'allayta wa sallamta wa baarakta wa tarah'h'amta a'laa Ibraaheema wa aali Ibraaheema innaka h'ameedun majeed. Wa s'alli a'laa jamee-I'l anbiyaaa-I walmursaleena washshuhadaa-I was's'ideeqeena wa I'baadillaahis' s'allih'een."

(O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and on the Progeny of Muhammad and send salutation on Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad and grant bliss to Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad and have mercy on Muhammad and Progeny of Muhammad, the best as You sent blessings and salutations and bliss and had mercy on Ibraheem and the Progeny of Ibraheem.

Verily You are the Praised, the Grand.

And send blessings on all the Prophets and Messengers and Martyrs and testifiers and virtuous servants of Allah.) Then recite "Allahu Akbar", the third Takbeer, with hands raised up to the ears.

"Allahummaaghfir lil Moo-Mineena walMoo-minaati walMuslimeena wal-mulimaat al ah'yaa-I min hum walamwaati taabi' baynanaa wa baynahum bilkayraati innaka mujeebud da'-waati innaka a'laakulli shay-in qadeer."

(O Allah, grant pardon to the faithful males and faithful females and Muslim males and Muslim females , the living among them and the dead. Behave with us and with them with charity.

Verily You are Responder to prayers. Verily You are over everything Powerful.)

Then recite "Allahu Akbar", the fourth Takbeer, with hands raised up to the ears. If the deceased is a female, recite the following:

"Allahummah inna haad'ihi amatuks wabnatu a'bdika wabnatu amatika. Nazalat bika wa anta khayru manzoolin bihee allahumma laa na-lamu minhaa illaa khayran wa anta aa'-lamu bihaa minnaa. Allahumma in kaanat had'ihee muh'sinatan fazid fee ih'saanihaa wa in kaanat musee-atan fatajaawaz a'nhaa waghfirlaha. Allahummahj-a'lhaa indaka fee a-laa I'leeyeens wakhluf a'laa ahlihaa filghaabireena warh'amha birah'matika yaa arh'amar raah'imeen." (O Allah! Verily this is Your maid and the daughter of Your servant and Your maid.

She has gone over to You and You are the best to be gone to.

O Allah! we know not about her save good and You know her better than we do. O Allah! if she was a doer of good then add her good acts.

And if she was an evil-doer then forgive her, and grant pardon to her.

O Allah! put her near You in the High Sector of Paradise and appoint her successor from among those relations who survive her and be merciful to her, O the Most Merciful.) If the deceased is a minor, recite the following:

"Allahumaaj a'lhu li-abawayhi wa lanaa salafanw wa farat'an'w wa ajraa." (O Allah let him be a pioneer and occupier of a place and a reward for his parents and for us.) (Female translation not available at present) If the deceased is an insane person, recite the following:

"Allahummaghfir lillad'eena taaboo wattaba-u' sabeelaka waqihim a'ad'aabal jah'eem."

(O Allah! Forgive those who have repented and have followed Your path and save them from the punishment of hell.)

Then recite "Allahu Akbar", the fifth Takbeer, with hands raised up to the ears. [Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), pg. 150-154]

Chapter Fourteen : The Grave and Burial

The Grave needs to be the length of the deceased but needs to wide enough for a man to be able to sit or stand between the deceased and the wall of the grave, on the Qibla side.

If it is to be a man who is to lay the deceased down in the grave, he is to not wear anything on their feet or their head. If it is to be a woman who lays the deceased down in the grave, she is not required to go bare feet and still wears head cover.

It is Makrooh (undesirable) for a Naa Mahram (an individual who is able to marry) to enter the grave of the deceased but a husband or wife of the deceased is allowed. If a Mahram man is not available then a pious woman may enter the grave. If a pious woman is not available, them a pious man may enter the grave for the final laying down of the deceased.

All Naa Mahrams need to move away from the grave when a woman is transferred from the bier to the grave, or a curtain is to be drawn around the grave. [Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), pg. 155]

Allamah Qutubuddin Rawandi is quoted as having said that after the death of Lady Maryam [A.S.], her son Prophet Isa [A.S.] called out to her and said:

"O Mother! please speak to me and tell me whether you are desirous of returning back to this world." Lady Maryam [A.S.] said:

"Yes, I desire to return back, so that during the cold winter nights I could recite Namaz, and during the hot summer days I could fast. O my dear! Verily the way to the hereafter is very difficult"

[Qummi, Shaikh Abbas (1999), pg. 44.] How to Move a Deceased Woman into the Grave The deceased woman is to be laid laterally to the grave and lowered in by her side and not by the side of her head.

How to Move a Deceased Man into the Grave The deceased man is to be laid at the tail end of the grave and lowered in from the side of the head with the head down first.