Finding Peace Through Supplication
Losing a loved one is the hardest of things we face in life, leaving us overwhelmed with grief, hurt, and confusion. We make various du’as from the Quran and Sunnah to ask Allah (SWT) to provide comfort and ease for the deceased as they depart the Dunya and begin their journey beyond. At Islamic Relief, we recommend seeking support from a professional if bereavement has left you feeling unable to cope or in need of someone to talk to.
Du’a Upon Hearing News of a Death
In Surah Baqarah, the second chapter of the Qur’an, Allah says that when struck by disaster, you should say:
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
Transliteration: Inna li-llahi wa Inna ilayhi Raaji’un.
Translation: Verily we belong to Allah, and verily to Him do we return.
[Qur’an | Surah Al Baqarah | 2:156]
ترجمہ: بے شک ہم اللہ کے ہیں اور بے شک ہم اسی کی طرف لوٹنے والے ہیں۔
[قرآن | سورہ البقرہ | 2:156]
A Muslim typically recites this du’a when they hear that someone has passed away or after experiencing a personal loss. It’s more than just a prayer for the one who died — it also reminds us that every soul will one day return to Allah, and that our time in this world is temporary before the Day of Judgement.
Du’a When Closing the Eyes of the Deceased
The Compassionate Act of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
Umm Salama narrated that when Abu Salama, one of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) close companions, passed away, his eyes were still open. The Prophet gently closed them and said,
“When the soul is taken away, the sight follows.”
“Do not supplicate for yourselves anything but good, for the angels say ‘Ameen’ to what you say.”
He then made a heartfelt prayer:
“O Allah, forgive Abu Salama, raise his rank among those who are rightly guided, grant him a lasting successor among his descendants. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the Universe, expand his grave, and fill it with light.”
You can recite this particular du’a for your loved one:
اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لِـ-فُلاَنٍ (باسـمه)وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتََـهُ فِي المَهْـدِيّيـنَ ، وَاخْـلُفْـهُ في عَقِـبِهِ في الغَابِِـرِينَ، وَاغْفِـرْ لَنَا وَلَـهُ يا رَبَّ العـالَمـين، وَافْسَـحْ لَهُ في قَبْـرِهِ وَنَـوِّرْ لَهُ فِيهِ
Transliteration: Allaahummaghfir li (name of the person) warfa’ darajatahu fil-mahdiyyeena, wakhlufhu fee ‘aqibihi fil-ghaabireena , waghfir-lanaa wa lahu yaa Rabbal-‘aalameena, wafsah lahu fee qabrihi wa nawwir lahu feehi.
Translation in English: O Allah, forgive (name of the person) and elevate his station among those who are guided. Send him along the path of those who came before, and forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds. Enlarge for him his grave and shed light upon him in it.
ترجمہ: اے اللہ بخش دے (اس شخص کا نام) اور اس کا ہدایت یافتہ لوگوں میں بلند فرما۔ اسے ان لوگوں کے راستے پر بھیج دے جو پہلے گزرے ہیں اور ہمیں اور اس کو بخش دے، اے جہانوں کے رب۔ اس کے لیے اس کی قبر کشادہ کر اور اس میں اس پر روشنی ڈال۔ [حدیث | مسلم 2-634]
Du’a for the Deceased During the Funeral
A Timeless Prayer for the Departed
This du’a is commonly recited during the funeral for the deceased, but it can also be offered at any time as a sincere prayer for the departed soul.
اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـه ، وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْـه ، وَأَكْـرِمْ نُزُلَـه ، وَوَسِّـعْ مُدْخَـلَه ، وَاغْسِلْـهُ بِالْمـاءِ وَالثَّـلْجِ وَالْبَـرَدْ ، وَنَقِّـهِ مِنَ الْخطـايا كَما نَـقّيْتَ الـثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَـضَ مِنَ الدَّنَـسْ ، وَأَبْـدِلْهُ داراً خَـيْراً مِنْ دارِه ، وَأَهْلاً خَـيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِـه ، وَزَوْجَـاً خَـيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِه ، وَأَدْخِـلْهُ الْجَـنَّة ، وَأَعِـذْهُ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر [وَعَذابِ النّـار]
Transliteration: Allāhumma’ghfir lahu warḥamh, wa `āfihi, wa`fu `anh, wa akrim nuzulah, wa wassi` mudkhalah, wagh’silhu bi ‘lmā’i wath-thalji walbarad, wa naqqihi mina ‘l-khaṭāyā kamā naqqaytath-thawba ‘l-abyaḍa minad-danas, wa abdilhu dāran khayran min dārih, wa ahlan khayran min ahlih, wa zawjan khayran min zawjih, wa adkhilhu ‘l-jannah, wa a`idhhu min `adhābi ‘l-qabri [wa `adhābin-nār].
Translation: O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him, and enlarge his entrance (to his abode), and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home, and a family better than his family, and a wife better than his wife. Take him into Paradise, and protect him from the punishment of the grave [and from the punishment of Hell-fire]. [Muslim 3-598]
ترجمہ: اے اللہ اسے بخش دے اور اس پر رحم فرما اور اسے طاقت دے اور اسے معاف فرما۔ اس کے لیے سخاوت کر، اور اس کے دروازے کو کشادہ کر، اور اسے پانی اور برف اور اولوں سے دھو ڈال۔ اس کی خطاؤں سے اس طرح صاف کر دے جیسے سفید کپڑا داغوں سے صاف ہو جاتا ہے۔ اسے اس کے گھر سے بہتر ٹھکانہ اور اس کے اہل و عیال سے بہتر گھر اور اس کی بیوی سے بہتر بیوی عطا فرما۔ اسے جنت میں لے جا، اور عذابِ قبر [اور جہنم کے عذاب سے] محفوظ رکھ۔
[مسلم 3-598]
Dua for the Deceased During the Janazah Prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ احْتَاجَ إِلَى رَحْمَتِكَ، وَأَنْتَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْ عَذَابِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِناً فَزِدْ فِي حَسَنَاتِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيئاً فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهُ
Transliteration: Allahumma abduka wabnu amatika ihtaaja ila rahmatik wa anta ghaniyyun ‘an ‘adhaabih, in kaana muhsinan fazid fee hasanaatih, wa in kaana musee-an, fatajaawaz ‘anhu.
Translation: Oh Allah, this son of a servant of yours is now in need of Your mercy and You are not in need of punishing that person. If he was pious then increase his rewards, and if he was a transgressor then pardon him. [Al-Hakim 1/359]
ترجمہ: اے اللہ تیرے بندے کا یہ بیٹا اب تیری رحمت کا محتاج ہے اور تو اس شخص کو سزا دینے کا محتاج نہیں۔ اگر وہ متقی ہے تو اس کے اجر میں اضافہ کر دے اور اگر وہ فاسق ہے تو اسے معاف کر دے۔
[الحکیم 1/359]
Prayer to Widen the Grave
A comforting dua from the Sunnah is for the expansion of the grave, offering the deceased more space and light.
The dua,
“اللهم وسع قبره وأدخله نورا
Transliteration :“Allahumma wasi’ qabrahu wa adkhilhu nooran.”
Translation in English : “O Allah, expand his grave and fill it with light.”
ترجمہ: اے اللہ اس کی قبر کو کشادہ کر اور اسے نور سے بھر دے۔
Du’a to Recite After the Burial of the Deceased
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ الَّلهُمَّ ثَبِّتْهُ
Transliteration: Allaahum-maghfir lahu Allaahumma thabbithu
Translation: O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, strengthen him.
[Abu Dawud 3:315]
ترجمہ: اے اللہ اسے بخش دے۔ اے اللہ اسے مضبوط کر۔
[ابو داؤد 3:315]
