إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون
“Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.” (Al-Baqarah 2:156)
When Death Approaches
Talqeen — The Reminder
As a person approaches death, those present should:
- Gently recite the Kalimah Tayyibah: لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّ اللَّهِ
- Recite Surah Yasin (36) near the dying person — it eases the soul’s departure
- Recite Dua Istirja: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون with full presence of heart
- Contact your Amil Saheb immediately — he will guide the family through all subsequent steps
The community should be informed through proper dawat channels so that prayers can be offered.
After Death Occurs
Immediate Actions
- Close the eyes of the deceased gently, reciting Bismillah
- Straighten the limbs — extend the arms by the sides, straighten the legs, face slightly toward the Qibla
- Cover the body with a clean white sheet
- Notify the Amil Saheb — he will coordinate the Ghusl, Kafan, and Janaza Namaz
What to Recite
The family should recite:
- Surah al-Fatiha for the deceased
- Surah Yasin — the heart of the Quran
- Dua Istirja: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون
Ghusl al-Mayyit — The Ritual Bath
The Ghusl (ritual washing of the body) is a fard kifaya — a collective obligation. If some members of the community perform it, the obligation is lifted from all. It must be performed by people of the same gender as the deceased (with exceptions for spouses and young children).
In the Dawoodi Bohra community, trained individuals designated by the Amil Saheb typically perform the Ghusl.
The Process
The body is washed three times with:
- First wash: water mixed with sidr (lotus tree leaves)
- Second wash: water mixed with kafur (camphor)
- Third wash: plain water
A niyyat (intention) is made before each wash. The body is handled with great care and dignity throughout.
After Ghusl, the body is dried carefully with clean cloth.
Note: A person who dies as a shaheed (martyr) in certain defined categories is buried without Ghusl.
Kafan — The Shroud
The Kafan is the white cloth in which the deceased is wrapped. It should be:
- Plain white cotton or linen
- Free of any adornment
- Prepared in advance by the family if possible
Components (for men and women):
| Piece | Arabic | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Loincloth | إِزَار | Wrapped from chest to below knee |
| Long sheet | قَمِيص or لِفَافَة | Full-length wrapping |
| Head cloth | خِمَار | Wraps the head |
Additional pieces such as haneeth (camphor-treated cotton) are placed at the seven points of prostration (forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes).
A Sidr leaf (or camphor) is placed at each point. Specific waseelah texts — a formula recited over the body attesting to the deceased’s faith — may also be placed with the kafan, on the Amil Saheb’s instruction.
Salat al-Janaza — The Funeral Prayer
Salat al-Janaza is a fard kifaya — obligatory upon the community collectively. If enough people pray it, others are absolved.
Who may lead?
The Amil Saheb (or his designated representative) leads the Janaza Namaz. The jama’at (congregation) stands in rows behind him.
The Prayer
Salat al-Janaza does not contain ruku (bowing) or sujud (prostration). It consists of four takbeers (Allahu Akbar said four times) with specific recitations between them:
Niyyat: نَوَيْتُ أُصَلِّيَ صَلَاةَ جَنَازَةِ هَذَا الْمَيِّتِ فَرْضَ كِفَايَةٍ لِلَّه
(Intention: I intend to pray the Janaza prayer for this deceased — a collective obligation — for Allah)
After 1st Takbeer: Recite Surah al-Fatiha (silently or aloud as directed by the Amil Saheb)
After 2nd Takbeer: Recite Salawat on the Prophet: اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد
After 3rd Takbeer: Dua for the deceased: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الإِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الإِيمَان
After 4th Takbeer: Salam is given — السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ — to conclude the prayer.
The prayer is followed by a Qunoot dua for the deceased read by the Amil Saheb; the jama’at says آمين.
Transportation and Burial
Carrying the Jenaza
The jenaza (bier with the body) is carried on the shoulders of male members of the community. It is a great merit (sawab) to help carry the jenaza. The bier is typically carried in a procession to the graveyard, with those present reciting quietly.
A common recitation while carrying: Bismillah wa billah wa ‘ala millati rasulillah
Talqeen at the Graveside
Before burial, the Amil Saheb recites a Talqeen — a final instruction to the deceased — at the graveside. This is a distinctive and moving practice in the Bohra tradition. The Talqeen reminds the deceased of the core tenets of faith: Tawhid, the Prophet, the Imams, and the Dais, so that they may answer correctly when questioned in the grave.
The Grave
The grave (qabr) is:
- Dug to sufficient depth (chest height of an average person)
- Oriented so the deceased faces the Qibla
- Ideally excavated in the lahd style (a niche in the side wall, rather than a straight cut)
Lowering the Body
The body is lowered into the grave by male relatives/community members, with the recitation: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّه
The deceased is placed on their right side, facing the Qibla. The strings of the kafan are untied at this point.
First Soil
After the body is placed, those present each throw a handful of soil into the grave, reciting: مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى (From it We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you forth again — Ta Ha 20:55)
Sealing the Grave
The grave is filled and a raised marker placed. In the Bohra tradition, graves may be marked with a simple stone bearing the name and dates. The Amil Saheb reads further duas and the gathered community recites Surah al-Fatiha.
After Burial — The Mourning Period
Immediate Gatherings
Bohras traditionally hold Quran recitation gatherings in the days following death. Close friends and relatives visit the family to offer condolences and share in recitation. The gatherings often include:
- Recitation of Surah Yasin
- Recitation of specific marsiyas (elegiac verses) from the dawat tradition
- Dua for the deceased’s soul
The Third Day (Trija)
A gathering (fatiha majlis) is customarily held on the third day, led by the Amil Saheb. Sawab recitations are done and the soul is remembered.
The Fortieth Day (Chaliswa)
Forty days after the death, another gathering is held — the chaliswa. Quran recitation, marsiya, and dua are performed and the community comes together to support the grieving family.
Ongoing Duas for the Deceased
After burial, recite regularly for the deceased:
- Surah al-Fatiha with intention of sending sawab to the deceased
- Dua Istirja: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون
- Dua Nudba — the lament — which speaks of those who have left us
- Visiting the qabr on Fridays is especially meritorious
A Closing Reflection
Death in Islam is not an end but a transition — a return (ruju’) to the One from Whom we came. The careful attention given to the body of the deceased in the Bohra tradition reflects the community’s deep belief in the dignity of the human person and the reality of the Day of Resurrection, when Allah will resurrect all from their graves.
May Allah grant our departed ones the highest stations of the Hereafter, and may He make easy the day of our own departure. آمين يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِين