Janaza — Islamic Death Rites: Ghusl, Kafan, Prayer, and Burial

At the Time of Death

Talqin: As a Muslim approaches death, those present encourage the dying person to say the Shahada — “La ilaha illa Allah”. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Prompt your dying ones with the testimony: ‘There is no god except Allah.’” (Muslim) The last words of a believer being La ilaha illa Allah is considered a sign of a blessed death.

Closing the eyes: When the person has died, those present close the eyes of the deceased. The Prophet (SAW) said: “When the soul is taken, the eyes follow it.” (Muslim) Closing the eyes with du’a and closing the mouth (by tying the jaw) are immediate acts of care.

The announcement: The community should be informed promptly so that preparations can begin and the community can gather. In Bohra tradition, the community network (mosque, jamaatkhana announcements) spreads the news quickly.

Urgency in the rites: The Prophet (SAW) said: “Hasten with the janaza — if the deceased was righteous, then you are sending it toward good; if the deceased was other than righteous, it is an evil that you are removing from your shoulders.” The rites should be performed as soon as possible — delay is discouraged unless needed for preparation or for immediate family to arrive.

Ghusl al-Mayyit: The Purificatory Bath

Who performs it: The ghusl is performed by knowledgeable Muslims of the same gender as the deceased. In Bohra tradition, specific learned community members (often associated with the masjid or jamaatkhana) perform the ghusl. Exception: a husband may perform ghusl on his wife and vice versa.

The water: The ghusl uses clean water with sidr (lotus or jujube leaves — Ziziphus) and camphor (kafur). The Prophet (SAW) specified this for the ghusl of his daughter Zaynab: “Wash her with sidr three times — or five, or more if you see fit — and put some camphor or something of it in the last wash.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

The sequence:

1. The deceased is placed on a flat surface, head elevated slightly
2. The private parts are covered throughout; the ghusl is performed with eyes averted
3. The body is turned on the left side, then the right side, then laid on the back
4. The body is washed three times: first with sidr water, second with sidr water again, third with camphor water
5. The hair is washed and braided (for women)
6. The body is thoroughly dried

Spiritual purpose: Ghusl al-mayyit is the final ritual purification — presenting the soul that has departed in purity. The person who performs ghusl receives abundant reward; the Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever performs ghusl for a deceased Muslim and conceals what they see, Allah will forgive them 40 major sins.”

Al-Kafan: The Shroud

White cotton cloth: The shroud is plain white cloth — symbolizing the equality of all before Allah in death. The Prophet (SAW) was buried in three plain white Yemeni garments. “Shroud your deceased ones in white, for it is the best of your clothing.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Minimal and simple: The shroud is not expensive cloth, embroidered fabric, or branded clothing. The Prophet explicitly discouraged expensive shrouds. The purpose is covering and purity, not display.

Three cloths for a man: The full Sunnah for men is three pieces of white cloth — two small wraps and one full body wrap (lifafa) or three full sheets.

Five cloths for a woman: The full Sunnah for women is five pieces: the full body wrap, a top garment, a head covering, a chest binder (khirqa), and an undergarment — providing additional coverage appropriate to the Islamic emphasis on a woman’s modesty.

Bohra specific practice: In Bohra tradition, the kafan may be scented with ud (agarwood), camphor, and other fragrant substances. The shroud may carry the ism (name of Allah) written in camphor paste, and specific du’as are recited during the shrouding.

Tying: The head and feet of the shroud are tied — this is loosened before burial, so the body rests in the earth without constraint.

Salat al-Janaza: The Funeral Prayer

The funeral prayer is a fard kifaya — a communal obligation: if enough Muslims perform it, the obligation is discharged for the community; if no one does, all are sinful.

For full details of the funeral prayer structure, see Salat Al Janazah.

Key points: Salat al-janaza has no ruku’ (bowing) or sujud (prostration) — it consists of four takbir (Allahu Akbar) with specific recitations between them: Surah al-Fatiha (after the first takbir), salawat on the Prophet (after the second), du’a for the deceased (after the third), and a final du’a before the closing takbir.

Where performed: Ideally at the mosque, or in an open area near the graveyard. Large communities gather for the janaza prayer.

Women attending: Women may attend the janaza prayer; the prohibition in some hadith against women following the bier to the graveyard is separate from attending the prayer.

Al-Dafn: The Burial

In the ground: Islamic burial is in the earth — “From it We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will bring you forth once more.” (20:55). The body is placed in the ground, not cremated. The earth receives the body and keeps it until the Day of Resurrection.

The lahd: The most recommended grave form in Islamic jurisprudence is the lahd (a niche cut into the side of the grave at the bottom) — the body is placed in the niche facing the qibla, then the niche is sealed with bricks or stone, and the grave is filled. This prevents the body from being in direct contact with the soil and ensures it faces Mecca.

Facing the qibla: The body is placed on its right side, facing the qibla direction, as if in the sleeping position of prayer.

Lowering the body: Those who lower the body say: “Bismillahi wa ‘ala sunnati rasul Allah” (In the name of Allah and upon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah). (Abu Dawud)

The Talqin at the grave: After burial, the Islamic tradition of talqin involves a scholar or imam addressing the deceased by name: reminding them of the articles of faith, telling them to answer the angels of the grave (Munkar and Nakir) correctly. The Prophet is reported to have stood at graves and said: “Ask forgiveness for your brother and pray that he be made firm, for he is being questioned right now.”

The grave mound: The grave should be raised slightly above the ground — approximately a hand’s breadth — to mark it as a grave. It should not be raised excessively into an elaborate structure; simplicity is the Islamic value in burial. Placing a simple marker (a stone, or in modern practice a headstone with the name) is permitted.

Bohra Death Rites: Distinctive Practices

The Da’i’s du’a for the deceased: In Bohra tradition, when a community member dies, the news is communicated to the Da’i’s establishment, and du’as are recited for the deceased from the Da’i’s side — this connection maintains the chain of walayah through death.

Urs ceremonies: Dawoodi Bohras observe ‘urs (anniversary of death) commemorations for the Imams, the Du’at (Da’i plural), and deceased members of the community. These involve gatherings, Quran recitation, and du’a.

Lisan al-Dawat du’as: The death rites in Bohra tradition include specific du’as in Lisan al-Dawat — the liturgical language of the da’wa — recited at the time of death, during ghusl, during the janaza, and at the burial.

Community support: The Bohra community has strong protocols for supporting the bereaved — bringing food for three days, organizing the janaza logistics, community presence during the condolence period. This social dimension of death care is itself an Islamic fard kifaya.

Quran recitation for the deceased: Reciting Quran and gifting its reward to the deceased is a widely practiced tradition. “If a person dies, their deeds come to an end — except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them.” (Muslim) The family and community reciting Quran for the deceased adds merit that (scholars differ on whether) reaches the deceased.

Al-Barzakh: After death, the soul enters al-Barzakh — the intermediate realm between death and resurrection. What the soul experiences in Barzakh (the questioning by Munkar and Nakir, the expansion or narrowing of the grave, the soul’s awareness) is among the topics of Islamic theology that informs why the janaza rites are performed with such care.

See also: Salat Al Janazah, Ghusl, Barzakh, Tawhid Divine Unity, Understanding Dua, Dai Al Mutlaq Institution