Duas For The Deceased, Prayer For The Deceased

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Death is a bitter truth; every human must taste it. No person can escape it. Whoever has come into this world must one day leave it. Be they rich or poor, prosperous or destitute, a pauper or wealthy—all must depart from here and journey towards the eternal abode (the Hereafter).

And it is also a reality that after a person’s death, the continuous recording of their good deeds comes to an end; all their deeds are terminated. However, due to certain actions, the continuous reward for their good deeds continues to flow.

As narrated by Abu Hurairah in Sahih Muslim, Hadith Number 1631, the Messenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم, said: “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing charity), knowledge from which benefit is gained, and a righteous child who prays for him.”

From this Hadith, we learn that praying for the deceased benefits them. Through the blessings of these prayers, Allah the Almighty shows mercy to the deceased, forgives them, and saves them from the punishment of Hell. Regarding the deceased receiving the reward for Duas, there are numerous authentic Ahadith found in books of Hadith.

When a Muslim’s parents, siblings, or any close relative passes away, they have to go through heartbreaking scenes. Their peace and tranquility are destroyed, their world falls apart. They shed tears every moment, remembering every little thing about the deceased, and are tormented by the memory of those they have lost.

However, they also understand that those who are gone never return. For them, we can only pray; that is the only way they can find comfort. A believer does grieve over the separation from their loved ones, but the best offering a believer can give for the deceased is to pray for them, just as our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised us to give charity on behalf of those who have died. Similarly, he also commanded us to duas for them.

In this context, and for the purpose of transferring reward to the deceased and seeking forgiveness for them, some authentic Masnoon (practiced by the Prophet) supplications are mentioned below. By reading these for the deceased, by Allah’s will, they will surely receive the reward.

Funeral Prayer Supplication for Adult (adult Male and feminine)

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا، وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا، وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا، وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا، اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ.

Transliteration: Allāhumma-ghfir liḥayyinā wa mayyitinā, wa shāhidinā wa ghā’ibinā, wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā, wa dhakarinā wa unthānā… Allāhumma man aḥyaytahu minnā fa’aḥyihi ‘alāl-Islām, wa man tawaffaytahu minnā fatwaffahu ‘alāl-īmān. [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith Number 1024]

Translation: O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those present and those absent, our young and our old, our males and our females… O Allah, whomever You give life from among us, give him life upon Islam, and whomever You take death from among us, take him in death upon faith.

Funeral Prayer Supplication for a Deceased Male Child

اَللّٰهمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَمُشَفَّعًا.

Transliteration: Allāhumma-j’alhu lanā faratan, waj’alhu lanā ajran wa dhukhran, waj’alhu lanā shāfi’an wa mushaffa’an.

Translation: O Allah, make him (or her) a forerunner for us, and make him a reward and a treasure for us, and make him an intercessor for us, and one whose intercession is accepted.

Note: Supplications with words similar to these, with minor variations, are mentioned. It is referenced in Sahih Muslim (Hadith Number 2288) and in Sahih al-Bukhari (2/89) as a statement (without a chain of narration) from Al-Hasan al-Basri. Furthermore, it is narrated under Hadith Number 29839 in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah that Al-Hasan al-Basri used to say in the funeral prayer for children: “Allāhumma-j’alhu lanā faratan, wa dhukhran, All these details indicate that this supplication is authentic.

Funeral Prayer Supplication for a Deceased feminine Child

اَللّٰهمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا أَجْرًا وَّ ذُخْرًا وَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَةً وَّ مُشَفَّعَةً.

Transliteration: Allāhumma-j’alhā lanā faratan, waj’alhā lanā ajran wa dhukhran, waj’alhā lanā shāfi’atan wa mushaffa’atan.

Translation: O Allah, make her a forerunner for us, and make her a reward and a treasure for us, and make her an intercessor for us, and one whose intercession is accepted.

Qur’anic Supplication for the Deceased

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ.

Transliteration: Rabbana-ghfir lanā wa li-ikhwāninalladhīna sabaqūnā bil-īmāni wa lā taj’al fī qulūbinā ghillan lilladhīna āmanū rabbanā innaka Ra’ūfur-Rahīm. [Surah Al-Hashr, 59:10]

Translation: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not place any resentment in our hearts toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.

Supplication After Burial in the Graveyard

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْهُ.

Transliteration: Allāhumma-ghfir lahu, Allāhumma thabbithu. [Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith Number 3221]

Translation: O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, make him firm (and steadfast).

Supplication for Forgiveness for the Deceased

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ، وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ، فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ.

Transliteration: Allāhumma inna [Fulān abna Fulān] fī dhimmatika, wa habli jiwārika, faqihi min fitnatil-qabri wa ‘adhābin-nār. [Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith Number 1498]

Translation: O Allah, indeed [So-and-so, the son of so-and-so] is under Your protection and Your covenant of security, so save him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Fire.

Note: In this supplication, the phrase “Fulān ibnFulān” (So-and-so, the son of so-and-so) should be replaced with the name and patronymic (father’s name) of the deceased (e.g., “Ahmad ibn Muhammad”).

Supplication When Visiting the Graveyard

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ، أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ.

Transliteration: As-salāmu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyāri minal-mu’minīna wal-muslimīn, wa innā inshā’allāhu bikum lāhiqūn, as’alullāha lanā wa lakumul-‘āfiyah. [Sahih Muslim, Hadith Number 249]

Translation: Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the dwellings (the graves), from among the believers and the Muslims. And indeed, we will, Allah willing, join you. I ask Allah for well-being for us and for you.

Supplication for Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar) for the Deceased

اللَّهُمَّ عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ، احْتَاجَ إِلَى رَحْمَتِكَ، وَأَنْتَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْ عَذَابِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِنًا فَزِدْ فِي إِحْسَانِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيئًا فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهُ.

Transliteration: Allāhumma ‘abduka wabnu amatik, ihtāja ilā rahmatika, wa anta Ghaniyyun ‘an ‘adhābihi. In kāna muhsinan fazid fī ihsānihi, wa in kāna musī’an fatajāwaz ‘anhu. [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith Number 2034]

Translation: O Allah, he is Your servant and the son of Your female servant. He is in need of Your mercy, and You are free from the need to punish him. If he was a doer of good, then increase his good deeds. If he was a wrongdoer, then overlook his sins.

General Supplication for the Deceased

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ.

Transliteration: Allāhumma-ghfir lahu warhamhu, wa ‘āfihi wa’fu ‘anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ mudkhalahu. [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith Number 1240]

Translation: O Allah, forgive him and have mercy upon him, grant him safety and pardon him, honor his resting place, and make his grave spacious.