How to Pray the Janazah (funeral) Prayer?

1 – Say first Takbeer

الله أكبر

Allah is the Greatest

and raise both hands up to your earlobes and then place your right hand over your left hand

2 – Seek refuge from the Shaytan (devil)

أعوذُ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaitan

3 – Recite Surah Al-Fatihah followed by a short surah or part of a surah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [All] praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the worlds – The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path – The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. (Quran 1:1-7)

4 – Say second Takbeer.

الله أكبر

Allah is the Greatest

You can either choose to raise your hands again up to your earlobes or leave them as is. Both are permissible.

5 – Recite Darood on Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as one does at the end of the prayer

ٱللَّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
ٱللَّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

O Allah, let Your Peace come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have brought peace to Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.

6 – Say third Takbeer.

الله أكبر

Allah is the Greatest

You can either choose to raise your hands again up to your earlobes or leave them as is. Both are permissible.

7 – Make supplication (du’a) for the deceased. Following is one of the most popular:

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا, وَمَيِّتِنَا, وَشَاهِدِنَا, وَغَائِبِنَا, وَصَغِيرِنَا, وَكَبِيرِنَا, وَذَكَرِنَا, وَأُنْثَانَا, اَللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى اَلْإِسْلَامِ, وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى اَلْإِيمَانِ, اَللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ, وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ

‘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, whom among us You keep alive, then let such a life be upon Islam, and whom among us You take unto Yourself, then let such a death be upon faith. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward and do not let us stray after him’. (Bulugh al-Maram 566)

Note: There are a number of recommended supplications from the Prophet (ﷺ) for the deceased at the funeral prayer. Below are some of them: اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـه ، وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْـه ، وَأَكْـرِمْ نُزُلَـه ، وَوَسِّـعْ مُدْخَـلَه ، وَاغْسِلْـهُ بِالْمـاءِ وَالثَّـلْجِ وَالْبَـرَدْ ، وَنَقِّـهِ مِنَ الْخطـايا كَما نَـقّيْتَ الـثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَـضُ مِنَ الدَّنَـسْ ، وَأَبْـدِلْهُ داراً خَـيْراً مِنْ دارِه ، وَأَهْلاً خَـيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِـه ، وَزَوْجَـاً خَـيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِه ، وَأَدْخِـلْهُ الْجَـنَّة ، وَأَعِـذْهُ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر وَعَذابِ النّـار “O Allah, forgive and have mercy upon him, excuse him and pardon him, and make honourable his reception. Expand his entry, and cleanse him with water, snow, and ice, and purify him of sin as a white robe is purified of filth. Exchange his home for a better home, and his family for a better family, and his spouse for a better spouse. Admit him into the Garden, protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire.” (Bulugh al-Maram 565) اللهُـمِّ إِنَّ فُلانَ بْنَ فُلانٍ في ذِمَّـتِك ، وَحَبْـلِ جِـوارِك ، فَقِـهِ مِنْ فِتْـنَةِ الْقَـبْرِ وَعَذابِ النّـار ، وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفـاءِ وَالْـحَقِّ ، فَاغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـهُ ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الغَـفورُ الـرَّحيم “O Allah, so-and-so is under Your care and protection so protect him from the trial of the grave and torment of the Fire. Indeed You are faithful and truthful. Forgive and have mercy upon him, surely You are The Oft-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful.” (Hisn al-Muslim 158) اللهُـمِّ عَبْـدُكَ وَابْنُ أَمَـتِك، احْتـاجَ إِلى رَحْمَـتِك، وَأَنْتَ غَنِـيٌّ عَنْ عَذابِـه، إِنْ كانَ مُحْـسِناً فَزِدْ في حَسَـناتِه، وَإِنْ كانَ مُسـيئاً فَتَـجاوَزْ عَنْـه “O Allah, Your servant and the son of Your maidservant is in need of Your mercy and You are without need of his punishment. If he was righteous then increase his reward and if he was wicked then look over his sins.” (Hisn al-Muslim 159)

8 – Say fourth Takbeer

الله أكبر

Allah is the Greatest

and pause for a little while. You can either choose to raise your hands again up to your earlobes or leave them as is. Both are permissible. Some scholars say to recite general supplications for yourself, family, friends, and all Muslims during this period.

9 – Then end by saying one Tasleem to the right

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله

Peace be upon you as well as the Mercy of Allah

Doing it on both sides as in regular prayer is also ok.