From the first signs of his illness, through the moment of his death, through ghusl and shrouding and funeral prayer, all the way to the words of condolence whispered to his family — our faith has assigned the believer a series of sacred duties toward a dying or deceased brother. These duties are at once a payment of the deceased's final rights and a quiet school in which the living are taught to remember their own departure. This sermon traces that whole journey, with its practical fiqh and its lived adab, from the bedside to the grave.
Death Is Decreed; Preparation Is Our Debt
Allah declares in the Qur'an:
قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ ٱلَّذِي تَفِرُّونَ مِنۡهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مُلَٰقِيكُمۡۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ
— Surah Al-Jumu'ah 62:8Say: The death from which you flee will surely overtake you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of all that you used to do.
Death is the decreed end of every living thing; no flight saves us from it. And yet to wish for death is also not commended. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
— Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Marda, no.Let none of you wish for death. For if he is a doer of good, he is likely to live and increase in goodness; and if he is a sinner, he may yet repent and seek the pleasure of Allah.
The believer's task is not to seek death but to remember it and prepare for it. That preparation consists in obeying the commands of Allah and avoiding His prohibitions.
Our faith lays a series of duties upon us toward a brother from the onset of his illness until his burial. The Prophet (peace be upon him) summarised them with precision:
— Sahih Muslim, as-Salam, no. 2162A Muslim has five rights upon another Muslim: returning the greeting, visiting the sick, following the funeral, accepting an invitation, and saying "may Allah have mercy on you" to one who sneezes.
1. Visiting the Sick — Finding Allah at Their Bedside
Our faith treats social solidarity as central to Islamic life, and visiting the sick as one of its key forms. The Prophet (peace be upon him) reported a striking divine narration on its weight in the hereafter:
— Sahih Muslim, al-Birr wa as-Silah, no. 2569Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection: "O son of Adam, I fell ill and you did not visit Me." The servant will say: "O Lord, how could I visit You, when You are the Lord of all worlds?" Allah will say: "Such-and-such a servant of Mine fell ill and you did not visit him. Had you visited him, you would have found Me with him."
The same narration extends the principle to feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty. Every act of kindness the believer extends to his brother is, in the divine economy, extended to Allah Himself.
The Prophet visited the sick, asked after them, and prayed for their healing. He made no distinction even among non-Muslims. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: "A Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet. He fell ill. The Prophet visited him and sat at his head. He said: 'Embrace Islam.' The boy looked at his father, and his father said: 'Obey Abu al-Qasim.' The boy embraced Islam. The Prophet rose, pleased, saying: 'All praise to Allah who has saved this youth from the Fire.'"
In another tradition the Prophet gave glad tidings to the believer who walks to the sick:
— Sahih Muslim, al-Birr wa as-Silah, no. 2568When a Muslim visits a sick brother, he remains gathering the fruits of Paradise until he returns.
The adab of the visit is this: ask Allah for healing and well-being for the patient; counsel patience and endurance; encourage him by saying he looks well, will recover, and that this illness is an expiation for his sins; do not linger long unless he insists. To reach the sick without tiring him is the highest ihsan one can offer.
2. The Last Breath — Prompting the Testimony of Faith
When the signs of death appear in the patient, he is — if possible — turned to lie on his right side facing the qibla. Or his feet may be pointed toward the qibla and his head raised slightly while he lies on his back. If he is still able to understand speech, one of those at his bedside should prompt him gently, at intervals, with the testimony of faith: "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadu Rasul Allah."
The adab of talqin is important: the one prompting says the testimony himself; he does not say to the patient "you say it." The aim is that the patient hear the words and repeat them inwardly, so that his final word is the testimony of faith. The Prophet's promise is unambiguous:
— Sunan Abu Dawud, al-Jana'iz, no.Whoever's last word is "La ilaha illa Allah" enters Paradise.
In the same source the Prophet said: "Prompt your dying ones with La ilaha illa Allah." Great scholars such as Imam al-Nawawi and Ibn Hibban explained that "your dying" here means those at the threshold of death — not those already deceased. There is consensus that this prompting is to be performed before death, not after.
When death occurs, the eyes are closed, the jaw is bound, and a cloth is drawn over the body before any further work is undertaken.
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates: "The Prophet entered upon Abu Salamah after he had died. His eyes were open. The Prophet closed them and said: 'When the soul is taken, the sight follows it.' Some of the family began to wail. The Prophet said: 'Pray only for what is good for yourselves, for the angels say amen to whatever you say.' Then he prayed: 'O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah, raise his rank among the rightly guided, watch over those he has left behind, forgive us and forgive him. O Lord of all worlds, widen his grave and place a light in it for him.'"
3. Inna Lillahi — The Believer's First Word at the News
Those who hear the news of a death turn at once to Allah and pronounce the words: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" — "Surely to Allah we belong, and to Him we return." Allah Himself taught the believers this sentence in the Qur'an:
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةࣱ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
— Surah Al-Baqarah 2:156Those who, when a calamity befalls them, say: "Surely to Allah we belong, and to Him we return."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) added a beautiful completion to this verse:
— Sahih Muslim, al-Jana'iz, no. 918No servant says, in calamity, "O Allah, reward me in my affliction, and grant me something better in exchange," except that Allah rewards him for his affliction and bestows upon him something better.
Those who lose someone dear will, of course, grieve and weep. This is natural. Islam does not prohibit it. What Islam prohibits is excess: shouting, tearing one's hair, rending one's collar, and the wailing of the days of ignorance. The Prophet said: "He who beats his cheeks, rends his collar, and wails in the manner of the days of ignorance, is not from among us."
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: "The Prophet entered upon his son Ibrahim, who was breathing his last. The Prophet's blessed eyes filled with tears. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf said: 'Even you weep, O Messenger of Allah?' He replied: 'O Ibn Awf, this is mercy.' Then he said: 'The eye weeps and the heart grieves, but we say only what is pleasing to our Lord. O Ibrahim, we are sorrowful at being parted from you.'"
This is the deep balance of the Prophet's sunnah: tears are sunnah, wailing is forbidden. Sorrow is a mark of mercy that becomes the believer; but the cry of protest against destiny is rejected.
4. Washing, Shrouding, and the Funeral Prayer
After death, the procedures are performed in order: first the ritual washing (ghusl), then shrouding (kafan), and then the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah).
After the deceased has been washed and shrouded, his outstanding debts must be paid. This is a responsibility upon his family and friends. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
— Sunan al-Tirmidhi, al-Jana'iz, no.The soul of the believer is suspended in connection with his debt until it is paid for him.
A burial performed before debts are settled leaves a bond that will hold the deceased on the Day of Resurrection. For this reason close relatives and friends should cooperate to discharge the debt — from his estate, or voluntarily as a charity on his behalf. This last act of ihsan is one of the most beautiful gifts the living can give to the deceased.
The funeral prayer is a fard kifayah — a communal obligation: if a single qualified Muslim performs it, the obligation is lifted from the rest; if no one performs it, the whole community of that neighbourhood bears the sin. This is the foundation of Muslim neighbourhood ethics.
5. Following the Funeral — Not Leaving Him Alone on His Last Journey
To follow the funeral is to walk behind the body after the prayer, accompanying it on its way to the grave. It is to refuse to leave one's brother alone on this final journey — to keep him company at least until the grave receives him. For the only companion that goes with him into the grave is his deeds. The Prophet (peace be upon him) put this with beautiful precision:
— Sahih al-Bukhari, ar-Riqaq, no.Three things follow the deceased to the grave. Two of them return; one remains. His family follows him, his wealth follows him, and his deeds follow him. His family and his wealth return; his deeds remain with him.
The Prophet specified the reward for one who escorts the funeral to the end:
— Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Jana'iz, no.Whoever follows a Muslim's funeral seeking Allah's reward, and stays until the funeral prayer has been performed and the burial completed, returns with two qirat of reward — each qirat the size of Mount Uhud. Whoever prays over the funeral and leaves before the burial returns with one qirat.
The word qirat is figurative — an indication of abundance. The reward of one who leaves after the prayer is half of the reward of one who stays through the burial: he who patiently waits is given double.
6. After the Burial — Prayer at the Graveside
Once the burial is complete, those at the graveside pray for the deceased. The Prophet did this and instructed us to do the same. Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: "The Prophet would stand at the grave after burial and say: 'Pray for the forgiveness of your brother, and ask that he be made firm — for he is being questioned now.'"
This prayer is a defence offered at the most critical moment, when the deceased meets the questioning of the angels Munkar and Nakir in the realm of the Barzakh. The believer prays that his brother's faith may stand firm when he stands alone in his grave.
Reciting Surah Ya-Sin and supplicating at the graveside has become a widespread custom. Scholars have disagreed: some among the Hanafis have said "neither perform it nor forbid it"; the Shafi'is consider it recommended; the Malikis and Hanbalis have viewed it as disliked. What is uncontested is supplication at the graveside. Ya-Sin and other passages recited freely for the deceased — without payment — are a good deed; but the Qur'an recited for a fee loses its character as worship and brings no benefit to the deceased.
7. Condolence — Counselling Patience to the Bereaved
The relatives of the deceased are offered taziyah — condolence — in which the bereaved are counselled to patience and Allah is petitioned to forgive the deceased. Condolence is offered after the burial; it is not extended beyond three days, for to do so renews the family's grief. Those who were absent or who learned the news late may, however, offer it after three days. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
— Sunan Ibn Majah, al-Jana'iz, no.Whoever offers condolence to one struck by calamity receives a reward equal to that of the one who bears the calamity.
There is also a beautiful sunnah whose practice has weakened in our time: relatives and neighbours should carry food to the household of the deceased. When Ja'far ibn Abi Talib was martyred, the Prophet said:
— Sunan Abu Dawud, al-Jana'iz, no.Prepare food for the family of Ja'far, for they have been struck by something that will preoccupy them.
By contrast, the household of the deceased preparing food and entertaining others is disliked (makruh). Feasting belongs to occasions of joy; the bereaved should not be made to host. This principle is sunnah which many of us today have inverted in practice — food should come to the bereaved, not be served from them.
Stories — The Prophet's Practice of Funeral Adab
The Martyrdom of Ja'far and the Food for His Household
When Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, one of the commanders at the Battle of Mu'tah, fell as a martyr, the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to his household. He consoled them, embraced the children, and then turned to the Companions and said: "Prepare food for the family of Ja'far, for they have been struck by something that will preoccupy them. They are in a state that does not leave them time for cooking."
This simple instruction established a rule of funeral adab: the bereaved should not be left to prepare meals — food is brought to them from outside. The solidarity of the Muslim community is meant to lift this burden from a grieving brother. Yet today this sunnah has been inverted in many places, with the household of the deceased now expected to feed the visitors. The Prophet's command points the other way: food should come, not go.
The Kissing of Uthman ibn Maz'un's Face
When Uthman ibn Maz'un (may Allah be pleased with him), one of the first emigrants of Islam, passed away, the Prophet bent over his body. He uncovered the blessed face, kissed his forehead, and wept. His tears flowed over his blessed cheeks.
This narration teaches two things. First, that uncovering the deceased's face to kiss him is permissible — the love and respect owed to the body of a Muslim is honoured by Islam. Second, that the Prophet's tears were sunnah. To weep at a funeral is a mark of mercy; provided one does not pass into the excess of wailing, sorrow is an emotion that becomes the believer.
The Ansar's Service to a Migrant's Funeral
A Muhajir who had emigrated to Medina passed away alone — his family had remained behind in Mecca. A group of Ansari Companions came at once. They washed the body, shrouded it, prayed over it, and buried it. They bore every expense from their own purses.
The Prophet, when informed, said to them: "You are like angels in the service of those who set out on this journey; the reward of this burial of your brother is a deposit in your record that will not diminish." The narration captures what Muslim neighbourhood ethics actually mean: a believer is never buried alone. If he has no spouse, he has a brother; if he has no relative, he has a neighbour; if he has no neighbour, he has his Ummah. This is the deepest meaning of the Muslim funeral.
The Prophet's Visits to Baqi'
The Prophet's sunnah of duties to the deceased did not end with the day of burial — it included visits to the graves of those long passed. A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that the Prophet would quietly leave her chamber at night and walk to the Baqi' cemetery. There he would address the dead with this greeting: "Peace be upon you, O people of the graves. May Allah forgive us and forgive you. You have preceded us, and we — God willing — will follow."
This teaches us: the duty to the deceased does not stop on the day of burial. The prayers offered for a brother continue over the years that follow his death. Allah taught this very prayer to the believers in the Qur'an: "O our Lord, forgive us and our brothers in faith who have gone before us."
Three Rewards That Continue After Death
The Prophet (peace be upon him) named three things that continue to write reward in the record of the deceased even from within his grave:
— Sahih Muslim, al-Wasiyyah, no. 1631When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except from three: a continuing charity, knowledge from which others benefit, and a righteous child who prays for him.
A continuing charity — an endowment, a fountain, a school, a well, a tree — pours reward into the deceased's account until the Day of Resurrection. Beneficial knowledge — whether written or taught — continues to credit reward to the one who taught it each time it is practised. A righteous child — raised in faith — brings the reward of every prayer and good deed back to the parents who raised him.
These three are channels that grow the believer's record after death. The believer should, during his life, work actively to open at least one of them.
Putting Funeral Adab and Condolence Into Practice With VAAZ
The dua archive in the VAAZ app collects the supplications appropriate after a death — "Allahumma'ghfir lahu wa'rhamhu", istighfar, and the verse of Inna lillahi — in one accessible place. Within the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah collection, the name Al-Warith — "the only Inheritor after the perishing of all created things" — reminds us that everything we own returns at last to its true Owner.
For the broader treatment of the afterlife, see the Sermon on the Hereafter; for what happens to the soul after death and in the Barzakh, see the Sermon on the Life of the Grave.
References
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Jumu'ah 62:8.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:156.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Ahzab 33:5.
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of al-Jana'iz and Book of ar-Riqaq — hadith on funeral and the permanence of deeds.
- Sahih Muslim, Book of al-Jana'iz and Book of al-Birr wa as-Silah — adab of visiting the sick and offering condolence.
- Sahih Muslim, Book of al-Wasiyyah, hadith no. 1631 — continuing charity.
- Sahih Muslim, Book of al-Jana'iz, hadith no. 918 — supplication in calamity.
- Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of al-Jana'iz — talqin, condolence, food for the bereaved.
- Imam al-Nawawi, al-Majmu' — rulings on talqin and recitation at the grave.
- Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Ilmihal — chapters on funeral, ghusl, kafan, and Salat al-Janazah.