FUNERAL NAMAAZ (NAMAAZ e JANAZAH)
'And you should not pray, nor should you stand over their graves. No doubt they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were disobedient'
(Surah At-Tauba. verse 84)
This verse serves as a proof for Salaatul Janazah because performance of Salaatul Janazah of infidels is prohibited. We also learn that Salaatul Janazah should not be offered of everyone who professes to recite the Kalima.'
(Tafseer Noor Ul Irfaan with English translation of Kanzul Imaan)
Namaaz e Janazah is not permitted for apostate, hypocrite, misled and unfaithful persons (deviants) who do not maintain decency and behave rudely in the court of Prophet Muhammadﷺ and lead astray innocent Muslims to spoil their imaan.
Namaaz e Janazah is a farz e kifaayah, which means that even if one person performs it, then all are absolved of the responsibility; otherwise all will be held to be sinners for not attending it even when they had come to know of it. (Durr e Mukhtar)
There is no adhan, no iqaamat and no rakaats for Namaaz e Janazah.
A congregation (jamaat) is not a condition for Namaaz e Janazah. If one person performs the Namaaz e Janazah, the obligation would be met.
The Namaaz e Janazah consists of two pillars:
' to say four takbeer in a standing position,
' and there are three sunnats; recite glory and praise of Allah Ta'ala (thana), recite durood on Prophet Muhammadﷺ, and to make dua for the deceased.
Deceased means a person born alive and dying later. There is no Janazah Namaaz for a stillborn child.
The Janazah (body) cannot be brought inside the masjid. However, Janazah Namaaz can be performed in a masjid provided there is provision for for keeping the body outside the masjid, and at the same time fulfilling the other essential requirements for the Janazah Namaaz.
To perform the Janaza Namaaz, it is essential for the dead body to be present; there is no Janazah Namaaz for an absentee dead. According to the Hanfi School of thought (madhab), there is no Janazah Namaaz for Ghaa'ib.
The janazah should be in front of the imaam facing the direction of qibla.
(Durr e Mukhtar)
The deceased's feet should be on the left side of the imaam.
It is desirable (mustahab) to make three rows (saff), as it is mentioned in the hadith that 'he whose Janazah Salaah was performed by three rows will be forgiven'. The people in the congregation should stand close to one another, as there is no sajda in Namaaz e Janazah. In the Janazah Namaaz, standing in the last saff is most virtuous. (Durr e Mukhtar)
Wearing shoes whilst performing Janazah Namaaz: If it is necessary to have the shoes on, then the sole of the shoes and the ground underneath should be free from any impurity. If any impurity is present, then the salaah will be invalid.
Method of performing Janazah Namaaz:
Make intention (niyat) as follows: 'I am performing Namaaz e Janazah, for Allah Ta'ala, to supplicate this deceased, behind this imaam.
Then, the imaam and those behind him should raise their hands up to their ear lobes and fold them below the umbilicus whilst reciting the takbeer Allaahu Akbar.''''' Then recite thana. There is a little difference in the Janazah Namaaz. After reciting wata'aalaa Jad-duka (exalted is Your name), then recite Wa Jal-la sanaa'uka Wa Laa ilaaha Ghaieruka (exalted is Your majesty and none is worthy of worship except you).
Then without raising hands say second takbeer Allaahu Akbar and recite durood (preferably durood e Ibrahim). There is no harm in reciting another durood.
Then again without raising hands say third takbeer Allaahu Akbar and recite dua for the deceased and for all the Muslims:
Dua for the adults (male or female):
Al-Laahum-magh fir Li haiey-yinaa WA Maiey-yitina Wa Shaa hidinaa Wa Ghaa'ibinaa Wa Sagheerinaa Wa Kabeerinaa, Wa Zakarinaa Wa 'Unsaanaa, Al-Laahum-ma Man Ahyaietahu Min-naa Fa Ahyihi 'Alal Islaami Wa Man Tawaf-faietahu Min-na Fata Waf-fahu 'Alal leemaan.
O Allah! Forgive those of us who are alive and those of us who are dead and those of who are present and those of us who are adults, females and males. O Allah! Whomsoever You cause to die, let him die a believer and whomsoever You cause to live, let him live a believer.
Dua for a minor (immature) boy:
Al-Laahum-maj' 'alhu Lanaa Faratan-Waj'alhu Lanaa Ajran-Wa Zukhran-Waj'alhu Lanaa Shaafi'an-Wa Mushaf-fa'aa.
O Allah! Make this boy a source of our salvation. Make this boy a source of reward for us and make this boy an intercessor for us, and one whose intercession is accepted.
Dua for a minor (immature) girl:
Al-Laahum-maj' 'alhu Lanaa Faratan-Waj'alhu Lanaa Ajran-Wa Zukhran-Waj 'alhu Lanaa Shaafi'atan-Wa Mushaf-fa'ah.
O Allah! Make this girl child a source of our salvation. Make this girl child a source of reward for us and make this girl child an intercessor for, and one whose intercession is accepted.
Then say the fourth takbeer Allaahu Akbar and end the Janazah Namaaz by saying salaam first towards the right shoulder and then towards the left shoulder.
* There is totally a wrong impression amongst the ummah that a husband cannot shoulder his wife's dead body, he cannot lower her in the grave, and he cannot see her face. In fact, to shoulder a dead body is a devotion and brings good reward. It is only forbidden for him to bathe her and touch her uncovered.
