Quick Links:

• STEP A: Washing the Body

• STEP B: Procedure for Washing the Body

• STEP C: Wrapping the Body (Kafan)

• STEP D: Janaza Prayer

• STEP E: Funeral

• STEP F: Burial

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Please note that an Imam, Scholar or someone who is educated and well trained in the Muslim Funeral process and procedure will always be available and present (if required) to perform, assist or supervise during the entire process. 

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STEP A: WASHING THE BODY 

 

A male's body is to be washed by a male. A female's body should be washed by a female. A minor's body can be washed by either a man or a woman. A husband can wash his wife's body and vice versa. 

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STEP B: PROCEDURE FOR WASHING THE BODY 

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Place the body on the washing table. Keeping the private parts of the body covered; remove all other garments from the body. Gently but firmly press the stomach and clean out by a towel or cloth any excretions that may have resulted by stomach pressing. The body is now ready for washing. 

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Body should be washed with your hands or a piece of clean cloth. Use clean and warm water to wash the body. The body is to be washed three times, five times or seven times-always an odd number of times.  For each washing, first place the body on its left and wash the right side using warm water and soap. Then place it on its right side and wash the left side. Male's hair should be unbraided, washed and combed. Female's hair should be gathered into two braids, with loose hair at end of each braid. For the final washing, scented water (non-alcoholic scent) can be used.

 

Now perform ablution (wudu) for the body. Do not forget to clean the teeth and nose also. generous application of non-alcoholic perfume can be made on various parts of the body. Perfumed cotton can be placed on the front and the rear private parts and the nostrils. 

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STEP C: WRAPPING THE BODY (KAFAN) 

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For men, three pieces of clean, cotton preferably white cloth should be used. Each piece of cloth should be large enough to cover the entire body.  A similar procedure applies to women except that five pieces of cloth are used. Again, each piece of cloth should be large enough to cover the body.  Apply non-alcoholic perfume to the kafan.  Use a piece of cloth and tie the top (head side) and bottom (foot side). The two tie knots should be different so as to recognize the head side.

 

Covering material Required: Kafan 4 feet x 12 feet. Head Wrap 4 feet x 4 feet. Body Wrap 4 feet x 6 feet. Chest Wrap 4 feet x 4 feet. Body Sheet 4 feet x 8 feet. Ties. 3 pieces 6 feet X 1” wide.

 

For wrapping an adult male the pieces required are Kafan, Body wrap and Body sheet

 

For wrapping an adult female body, all five pieces are required. 

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Procedure for wrapping the male body. 

1. Spread the Body Sheet on a flat table, a firm bed or floor. 

2. Then the Body wrap on the Body Sheet about one foot each from the top and the bottom edge of the Body Sheet. 

3. Fold the Kafan sheet over in half, so that its size after folding is 4 feet x 6 feet. 

4. At the crease in the middle, cut a hole big enough for the head of the body to pass through. 

5. Unfold the Kafan sheet and lay it on the two sheets prepared earlier in steps 1&2 above; the cut hole will now be in the center of the Kafan sheet. 

6. Lay the body on its back on one half (which is on the other two sheets) and pull the other half of the Kafan sheet over the whole body, making sure that the head comes out through the hole; except for the head, the rest of the body should be covered inside the Kafan sheet. 

7. Comb the hair on top and back of head. 

8. Roll the upper half of Kafan sheet from both the right and the left sides to gather in the center of the body. 

9. Wrap the lower long sides of the Kafan sheet over the body from both the right and the left sides (from shoulders to feet). 

10. Then unroll the upper half of the Kafan sheet to spread it over the lower half wrapped previously on the body (as above) and wrap it along both sides of the whole body. To do this, the whole body will have to be tilted on its side to push the Kafan sheet under the body; first on the right side and then on the left side. 

11. Wrap the left side of the Body Wrap over the body and cover it by wrapping the right side of the Body Wrap over the left side on the body. 

12. Wrap the Body Sheet in a like manner, with the right side over the left side on the whole body. 

13. Gather at the head and tie a string, then gather at the feet and tie a string. Use another string to tie in the middle of the body. 
     

Procedures for wrapping the female body.

1. Spread the Body sheet on a flat table, a firm bed or floor. 

2. Lay the Chest wrap on the Body sheet about two feet each from the top and the bottom edge.

3. Then lay the Body wrap on the Chest wrap about one foot each from the top and the bottom edge of the Body sheet. 

4. Fold the Kafan sheet over in half, so that its size after folding is 4 feet x 6 feet. 

5. At the crease in the middle, cut a hole big enough for the head of the body to pass through.

6. Unfold the Kafan sheet and lay it on the three sheets prepared earlier in steps 1-3 above; the cut hole will now be in the center of the Kafan sheet. 

7. Lay the body on its back on one half (which is on the other three sheets) and pull the other half of the Kafan sheet over the whole body, making sure that the head comes out through the hole; except for the head the rest of the body should now be covered inside the Kafan sheet. 

8. Comb and brush the hair in two groups loose or braids; spread one group on the right breast and the other group of hair on the left breast. 

9. Roll the upper half of Kafan sheet from both the right and the left sides to gather in the center of the body.

10. Wrap the lower long sides of the Kafan sheet over the body from both the right and the left sides (from shoulders to feet). 

11. Then unroll the upper half of the Kafan sheet to spread it over the lower half wrapped previously on the body (as above) and wrap it along both sides of the whole body. To do this, the whole body will have to be tilted on its side to push the Kafan sheet under the body; first on the right side and then on the left side. 

12. Fold the Headwrap in half; raise the head and upper part of the body to slip about one half of the Headwrap under the body.

13. Then fold the other half over and around the head so that the face is not covered, and the lower edge of the Headwrap covers the hair on the breast. 

14. Now wrap the left side of the Body wrap over the body and cover it by wrapping the right side of the Body wrap over the left side on the body. 

15. Next in alike manner wrap the Chest wrap with the right side of the wrap over the left side of the wrap on the body. 

16. Use the Kafan strings to tie around the body; one just below the shoulders, another in the middle on the navel, and third-string a little above the knees on the thighs. 

17. Cover the face with the Headwrap. 

18. Lastly, wrap the Body sheet all over the body with the right side over the left side on the body; gather at the head and tie a string and then gather at the feet and tie a string. If necessary, tie a string in the middle of the body also. 
     

STEP D: JANAZA PRAYER 

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Try and attend the prayer of a deceased even if you do not know him/her.  

 

The entire Janazah Prayer is said in the standing position, facing the Qibla. An odd number of rows are required. 

 

The body of the deceased is placed in front of the Imam. The Imam stands approximately by the center of the body if the deceased is a female, and by the shoulder if the deceased is a male.  If the prayer to be offered is for more than one person, then the bodies should be placed one in front of the other male body closest to the Imam and female body further away. 

 

The Janaza prayer

The Imam raise his hands and says Allah u-Akbar loudly, then places his right hand over the left

 

The followers do the same. Everyone recites the Thana And Surah Fatiha silently. 

 

With hands folded, the Imaam says Allah u-Akbar loudly. Everyone Invoke peace and Blessings on the Holy Prophet silently.

 

With hands still folded, the Imaam says Allah u-Akbar loudly. Everyone Recites Dua for the deceased silently.

 

With Hands still folded, the Imaam says Allah u-Akbar Loudly and immediately thereafter Loudly calls Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (twice), turning the head First to the right and then to the left. Everyone does the same silently.

 

This concludes the Janaza Prayer. 

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1. THANA: Subhaanaka allaahumma wa bihamdika wa tabaaraka ismuka wa ta'aala jadduka wa jalla thannaa-uka wa laal ilaaha ghayruka 
   
   Translation: Glory be to you Oh Allah, and praise be to You, and blessed is your name, and exalted is Your Majesty, and there is none to be served besides. 
    

2. DAROOD: On the Holy Prophet: Allaahumma salli alaa muhammadin wa alaa muhammadin kama sallayta alaa ibraaheema wa alaa aali ibraaheema innaka hameedun majeed. Allahumma baarik alaa muhammadin wa alaa aali muhammadin kamaa baarakta alaa ibraheema wa alaa aali ibraheema innaka hameedun majeeedun
   
   Translation: Oh Allah ! Shower Your mercy upon Muhammad (upon him be peace) and the followers of Muhammad (upon him be peace), as You showered Your mercy upon Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam) and the followers of Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam). Behold You are Praise worthy, Glorious. Oh Allah! Shower Your blessing upon Muhammad (upon him be peace), as you showered Your blessings upon Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam) and the followers of Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam). Behold You are Praise worthy, Glorious. 
    

3. DUAH for the deceased: Allaahumma ighfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa-ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa, wa kabeerinaa, wa dhakarinaa wa unthaanaa. Allaahumma man ahyaytahoo minnaa fa ahyihee alal islaam wa man tawaffaytahoo minnaa fatawaffahoo alal iemaan. 
   
   Translation: Oh Allah ! Forgive those of us that are alive and those of us that are dead; those of us that are present, and those of us who are absent: those of that are young, and those of us that are adults; our males and females. Oh Allah! Whomsoever of us You keep alive, let him live as a follower of Islam, and whomsoever You cause to die, let him die as a Believer. 
    

If the deceased is a male child, the invocation is: Allaahumma ij'alhu lanaa faratan, wa j'alhu lanaa ajran wa dhukharn wa j'alhu lanaa shaafi'an wa mushaffa'an. 
 

If the deceased is a female child, the invocation is : Allaahumma ij'alhu lanaa faratan, wa j'alhaa lanaa ajraan wa dhukhran wa j'alhaa lanaa shaafi'atan wa mushaffa'atan.

Translation: Oh Allah, make him/her (this child) a source for our salvation; and make him/her a source of reward and treasure for us; and make him/her an intercessor for us, and one whose intercession is accepted.

 

STEP E FUNERAL:

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When not carrying it, one should walk behind or beside the bier. No idle talk is permitted. One should either be silent or better still praying or doing Zikr; recite Surah Fatiha and Surah Ikhlas. No music or outburst of emotion is allowed. When you enter the cemetery, you should recite: Assalam alaikum yaa ahlil kuboor ( Peace be upon you O people of the graves ) 

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STEP F BURIAL:

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 A grave should consist of two parts. The lower part is smaller than the upper part. Both parts of the grave, should, however, be spacious and uniformly excavated and dug to a depth of at least five feet.

1. The body of the deceased should be slowly and gently put on the ground of the lower part of the grave. The face of the deceased should be toward the qibla.

2. The deceased's head should be raised a little from the ground by using a hard object like a stone or brick or hard soil, but under no conditions, any foreign object including a pillow should be put in the grave.

3. Now make a roof on the lower part of the grave by using a large stone or laying bricks side by side or a very hardwood slab.

4. Everyone accompanying the Janazah should pour three handfuls of soil on the roof of the grave.

The remaining part of the grave should then be filled up with soil. Again all present should contribute at least three handfuls of soil to finally complete the grave. The grave can be raised above the ground so that it is not more than a foot above it. Although burial is permitted at all-times, burial at sun-rise, high noon and sunset should be avoided.

 

When the body is lowered into the grave, one should recite:  Bismilllahi wa ala millati rasulilllah In the Name of Allah, ( we bury ) according to the way of the Prophet of Allah.

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1. When throwing the FIRST handful in the grave recite: Minhaa khalaqnaa kum From the (earth) did We create you.
    

2. During the SECOND handful: Wa feehaa Nu’eedu kum And into it shall We return you.
    

3. And the time of the THIRD handful: Wa minhaa nukhrijukum taaratan ‘ukhraa And from it shall We bring you out once again.