15 sunnahs and manners pertaining to funerals

Here are four hadith of the final Prophet صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم discussing funerals.

1.      Whoever receives news of a funeral and offers condolences to the family of the deceased, Allah writes the reward of one qīrāṭ for him. The reward of two qīrāṭ are written by Allah if the person accompanies the funeral procession, three if he offers salah upon the deceased, and four if he is present during burial. Each qīrāṭ is equivalent to Mount Uḥud.²

² Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah, vol. 9, p. 401; ‘Umdat al-Qārī, vol. 1, p. 400, under hadith 47

2.      A Muslim harbours six rights over a fellow Muslim. (One of them is:) When he dies, one must attend his funeral.¹

3.      When a person destined for Paradise dies, whoever carried his funeral bier, walked behind it, and offered his funeral salah, shall not be punished by Allah.²

4.  The first reward given to a believer after they die is the participants of his funeral salah being forgiven.³

5. Prophet Dāwūd عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام once asked, “O Allah! What reward does one earn for accompanying a funeral, purely seeking to please You?” Allah replied, “Angels shall accompany his funeral when he dies, and I shall forgive him.”⁴

6.      Mālik b. Anas رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ was seen in a dream after his passing and was asked, مَا فَعَلَ اللهُ بِكَ - “How did Allah treat you?”

He replied, “He forgave me due to a phrase Uthmān b. ‘Affān رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ would say upon seeing a funeral; سُبْحَانَ الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ⁵. I began doing this, and this phrase led to my forgiveness.”⁶

7.      Offer funeral prayers with good intentions, such as to please Allah, fulfil the obligation of funeral salah, take admonition, and to please the deceased and the latter’s family.

¹ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, p. 1192, hadith 2162, summarized

² Musnad al-Firdaws, vol. 1, p. 282, hadith 1108

³ Musnad Bazzār, vol. 11, p. 86, hadith 4796

 ⁴ Sharḥ al-Ṣudūr, p. 97

 ⁵ “Pure is He Who is alive and will never die.”

 ⁶ Iḥya’ al-‘Ulūm, vol. 5, p. 266, summarized

8.      Whilst accompanying a funeral, contemplate over good and bad deaths. Think to yourself, “I do not know if I will die with my faith intact. I will be taken like this one day. I will be buried in the Earth like this.” It is an act of worship and a source of reward to contemplate like this.

9.     Shouldering the funeral bier is a rewardable act. The final Prophet صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم shouldered the funeral bier of Sa‘d b. Mu‘ādh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ.¹

10.  A hadith explains, “He who takes a funeral bier forty steps is forgiven forty of his major sins.”

It is stated in another hadith, “Allah will grant absolute forgiveness to he who shoulders all four corners of a funeral bier.”²

11.  The sunnah method is to shoulder a funeral bier from all four corners, one after another, and to walk ten steps each time.

¹ Ṭabaqāt li Ibn S‘ad, vol. 3, p. 329; Al-Bināyah, vol. 3, p. 242, summarized

² Jawharat al-Nayyirah, p. 39; Durr Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 158-159; Bahār-i-Sharīat, vol. 1, p. 823

The complete sunnah is to begin carrying from the right side of the deceased’s head, then from the right side towards their feet, the left head side, and finally the left side towards their feet. By walking for ten steps in each position, the total number shall amount to forty.¹

During funeral processions, some people shout, “Walk two steps each.” They should instead announce, “Walk ten steps each.”

12.  When carrying a funeral bier, it is haram to deliberately cause harm to others by pushing or shoving, as happens in the funerals of famous personalities or when videos are being recorded.

13.  There is no harm if a single person carries the body of a deceased child in his hands. People may take it into their hands one after another.² It is impermissible for women to go with a funeral procession (whether it is of a child or an adult).³

14.  A husband can shoulder the funeral bier of his wife, lower her into the grave, and even see her face. Only bathing and touching the body directly without any intervening cloth are forbidden for him.⁴

15.  It is permissible to recite aloud the kalima tayyiba, kalima shahāda, and poetry in praise of Allah and His Messenger when accompanying a funeral bier.⁵

¹ Fatāwā Hindiyyah, vol. 1, p. 162; Bahār-i-Sharīat, vol. 1, p. 822

                                                                      ² Fatāwā Hindiyyah, vol. 1, p. 162

³ Bahār-i-Sharīat, vol. 1, p. 823; Durr Mukhtār, vol. 3, p. 162

⁴ Bahār-i-Sharīat, vol. 1, pp. 812-813

⁵ Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah, vol. 9, pp. 139-158

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Funerals are among the most profound reminders of the temporary nature of worldly life and the certainty of our return to Allah Almighty. The teachings of the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding funerals are not merely a collection of rituals; rather, they provide a complete code of conduct that nurtures compassion, humility, patience, and preparation for the Hereafter. Every Muslim should strive to learn and practice these sunnahs and manners so that they may fulfill the rights of the deceased while earning immense rewards from Allah.

The narrations presented demonstrate that attending a funeral, offering condolences, participating in the funeral prayer, carrying the bier, and remaining present until the burial are all acts of tremendous virtue. The rewards promised for these deeds are immense, highlighting the importance Islam places on supporting grieving families and honoring fellow Muslims after their passing. These actions strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and remind the living that death is an inevitable reality awaiting every soul.

Accompanying a funeral should also become a moment of sincere self-reflection. Instead of engaging in unnecessary conversation or worldly distractions, a believer should contemplate the uncertainty of life, the reality of the grave, and the importance of preserving faith until death. Such reflection softens the heart, encourages repentance, and inspires a person to increase righteous deeds before their own appointed time arrives.

The Sunnah also teaches Muslims to conduct funerals with dignity, respect, and adherence to Islamic etiquette. Carrying the funeral bier according to the prescribed Sunnah, avoiding harm or disorder, respecting the sanctity of the deceased, and maintaining proper conduct throughout the procession all reflect the honour that Islam grants every believer. Likewise, reciting the Kalimah, words of remembrance, and praises of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ during the funeral procession keeps hearts connected to Allah and reminds everyone of the ultimate purpose of life.

Finally, these beautiful teachings remind us that serving the deceased is, in reality, a service to ourselves. Every funeral we attend is a lesson that worldly status, wealth, and power eventually come to an end, while faith and righteous deeds remain our only lasting companions. Therefore, let us honour the deceased by fulfilling their Islamic rights, comforting their families, and sincerely praying for their forgiveness. At the same time, let every funeral renew our determination to obey Allah Almighty, follow the blessed Sunnah of His Beloved Prophet ﷺ, prepare for our own meeting with our Creator, and strive to leave this world with true faith, righteous deeds, and the hope of eternal success in the Hereafter.