Namaz e Janaza Ka Tarika: Step-by-Step Funeral Prayer with Duas for Male, Female and Child

Namaz e Janaza (Salat al-Janazah) is the funeral prayer Muslims offer for a deceased Muslim. It is Fard Kifayah: if some people of the community perform it, the obligation is lifted from the rest. This guide explains namaz e janaza ka tarika according to the Hanafi method, gives the Arabic duas with transliteration and English/Urdu meaning, and covers the janaza dua for female, male and child. A short note on differences between the schools of fiqh is included at the end.

What Makes Namaz e Janaza Different

• It has 4 Takbeers and is prayed standing only.
• There is no Ruku, no Sajdah, no Adhan and no Iqamah.
• Wudu, clean clothes and place, and facing the Qiblah are required, as in other prayers.
• The body of the deceased is placed in front of the Imam; the Imam stands in line with the chest of the deceased (Hanafi).
• Rows are formed behind the Imam; an odd number of rows (e.g. 3) is preferred where possible.

Namaz e Janaza Ka Tarika (Hanafi Method) – Step by Step

Step 1: Niyyah (Intention)

Make the intention in your heart. You may say: “I intend to offer 4 Takbeers of Namaz e Janaza, Fard Kifayah, the praise is for Allah, the Salawat for the Prophet ﷺ and the dua for this deceased, behind this Imam, facing the Qiblah.”

Learn this with a teacher: with one-to-one online lessons you can go deeper in online Islamic studies classes or polish your recitation in Tajweed classes.

Urdu: نیت کرتا/کرتی ہوں نمازِ جنازہ کی، چار تکبیروں کے ساتھ، فرضِ کفایہ، ثنا اللہ کے لیے، درود نبی ﷺ کے لیے، دعا اس میت کے لیے، پیچھے اس امام کے، منہ میرا کعبہ شریف کی طرف۔

Step 2: First Takbeer and Thana

Raise both hands to the ears, say “Allahu Akbar”, and fold the hands below the navel. Then read the Thana with the addition “wa jalla thana’uka”:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالٰى جَدُّكَ وَجَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ

Transliteration: Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarakasmuka, wa ta’ala jadduka, wa jalla thana’uka, wa la ilaha ghairuk.

English: Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your Name, exalted is Your Majesty, great is Your praise, and there is no god besides You.

Urdu: اے اللہ! تو پاک ہے اور تیری ہی تعریف ہے، تیرا نام بابرکت ہے، تیری شان بلند ہے، تیری ثنا بڑی ہے اور تیرے سوا کوئی معبود نہیں۔

Step 3: Second Takbeer and Durood Ibrahimi

Say “Allahu Akbar” without raising the hands (Hanafi), and read Durood Ibrahimi:

اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلٰى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Transliteration: Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin kama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hamidum Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hamidum Majid.

English: O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.

Step 4: Third Takbeer and Dua for the Deceased

Say “Allahu Akbar” and read the dua that matches the deceased (adult male, adult female, boy or girl). The duas are below.

Step 5: Fourth Takbeer and Salam

Say “Allahu Akbar”, then (without any recitation in Hanafi practice) turn the face to the right saying “Assalamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullah”, then to the left saying the same. Lower the hands after the fourth Takbeer, before or with the Salam. The prayer is complete.

Janaza Dua for Adult Male and Female (Baligh)

This dua, narrated in Sunan at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, is read for any adult Muslim, male or female:

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

Transliteration: Allahummaghfir li hayyina wa mayyitina wa shahidina wa gha’ibina wa saghirina wa kabirina wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaitahu minna fa ahyihi ‘alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaitahu minna fa tawaffahu ‘alal-iman.

English: 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, whoever of us You keep alive, keep him alive on Islam, and whoever of us You cause to die, cause him to die with faith.

Urdu: اے اللہ! ہمارے زندوں اور مُردوں، حاضر اور غائب، چھوٹوں اور بڑوں، مردوں اور عورتوں کو بخش دے۔ اے اللہ! ہم میں سے جسے تو زندہ رکھے اسے اسلام پر زندہ رکھ اور جسے موت دے اسے ایمان پر موت دے۔

Janaza Dua for Female – Is It Different?

For an adult woman, the same dua above is read; it already includes “wa unthana” (and our females). If you also read the longer dua “Allahummaghfir lahu warhamhu…”, change the pronoun to the feminine form for a woman:

اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهَا وَارْحَمْهَا وَعَافِهَا وَاعْفُ عَنْهَا

Transliteration: Allahummaghfir laha warhamha wa ‘afiha wa’fu ‘anha.

English: O Allah, forgive her, have mercy on her, give her well-being and pardon her. (Sahih Muslim, with masculine pronouns in the original.)

Janaza Dua for a Child

For a Boy (Na-Baligh Larka)

اللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَّذُخْرًا وَّاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَّمُشَفَّعًا

Transliteration: Allahummaj’alhu lana faratan waj’alhu lana ajran wa dhukhran waj’alhu lana shafi’an wa mushaffa’a.

English: O Allah, make him a forerunner for us, make him a reward and a treasure for us, and make him an intercessor for us whose intercession is accepted.

Urdu: اے اللہ! اسے ہمارے لیے آگے جانے والا بنا، اسے ہمارے لیے اجر اور ذخیرہ بنا، اور اسے ہمارا سفارشی بنا جس کی سفارش قبول ہو۔

For a Girl (Na-Baligh Larki)

اللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا لَنَا فَرَطًا وَّاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا أَجْرًا وَّذُخْرًا وَّاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا شَافِعَةً وَّمُشَفَّعَةً

Transliteration: Allahummaj’alha lana faratan waj’alha lana ajran wa dhukhran waj’alha lana shafi’atan wa mushaffa’ah.

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

If You Do Not Remember the Dua

If someone has not memorised the janaza dua, they may read any dua of forgiveness they know, such as “Allahummaghfir lil-mu’minina wal-mu’minat” (O Allah, forgive the believing men and women), or simply stay silent and follow the Imam. Learning the duas with correct Tajweed is a good step for every family.

Note on Differences Between the Madhahib

• Surah Al-Fatiha: Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars read Surah Al-Fatiha after the first Takbeer (based on a narration of Ibn Abbas in Sahih al-Bukhari). Hanafis read the Thana; many Hanafi scholars allow Fatiha with the intention of dua and praise.
• Raising hands: Hanafis raise hands only at the first Takbeer; Shafi’is and Hanbalis raise them at every Takbeer.
• Salam: Hanafis give two Salams; many Maliki and Hanbali scholars consider one Salam to the right sufficient.
• Imam’s position: Hanafis stand at the chest for both male and female; Shafi’is and Hanbalis stand at the head for a man and the middle for a woman.
• Ghaib Janaza (absentee prayer): Accepted by Shafi’is and Hanbalis; Hanafis and Malikis generally do not practise it.

Follow the method of your local Imam and scholars; all of these are valid scholarly positions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Performing Ruku or Sajdah – there is none in Janaza.
• Praying without Wudu – Wudu is required.
• Reading the boy’s dua for an adult or using a masculine pronoun for a woman in the longer dua.
• Rushing ahead of the Imam’s Takbeers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Takbeers are there in Namaz e Janaza?

Four Takbeers, with no Ruku or Sajdah.

Is the janaza dua for a female different from a male?

The main adult dua is the same for both. In the longer dua, the pronouns change to the feminine form (laha, -ha) for a woman.

Can women pray Namaz e Janaza?

Yes, women can offer the funeral prayer. Customs about attending at the mosque or graveyard vary; follow the guidance of local scholars.

What if I join late?

In the Hanafi method, wait for the Imam’s next Takbeer, join with him, and after the Imam’s Salam complete the missed Takbeers before the body is lifted, without the duas.

Is Namaz e Janaza Fard?

It is Fard Kifayah: a communal obligation fulfilled when some Muslims perform it.

Is Surah Fatiha read in Namaz e Janaza?

Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars read it after the first Takbeer; in the Hanafi method the Thana is read instead.

Learn the Duas With a Teacher

Memorising the janaza duas with correct pronunciation is easier with a qualified teacher. Smart Quran Academy offers online Quran classes for all ages, including online Quran classes for ladies with female teachers and online Quran courses for kids. Families abroad can also see our online Quran classes in the UK.