Guide
Salat al-Janazah: The Funeral Prayer
Salat al-Janazah is the prayer offered over a deceased Muslim before burial. It is a collective duty (fard kifayah): if enough members of the community perform it, the obligation is fulfilled for all; if none do, all are accountable. It is a prayer of intercession, asking God to forgive and have mercy on the one who has died.
A prayer without bowing or prostration
Unlike the daily prayers, the funeral prayer is offered entirely standing, with no bowing (ruku) or prostration (sujood). It is built around four declarations of "God is greatest" (takbirat), the congregation lined up in rows behind the imam facing the Qibla.
How it is performed
After the first takbir, the opening chapter of the Qur'an (al-Fatiha) is recited; after the second, blessings are sent upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as in the daily prayer; after the third, a supplication is made for the deceased; and after the fourth, a brief pause and then the closing salam. It is short — often only a few minutes.
When it is prayed
The funeral prayer is not tied to the five daily time windows and may be offered whenever the deceased is ready for burial, which is encouraged to be soon. Many scholars avoid the very short discouraged moments at sunrise, midday and sunset where it can easily be delayed a few minutes.
The prayer in absentia
Where the body is not present — for someone who died far away — many scholars permit a funeral prayer in absentia (salat al-gha'ib), performed in the same way. Views on when this is appropriate differ between the schools.