Ruling 597.* Ṣalāt al‑mayyit has five takbīrs.[1] It is sufficient if one who is performing the prayer says five takbīrs as follows:[2]

After making the intention and saying the first takbīr, the person says:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ

ashhadu an lā ilāha illal lāhu wa anna muḥammadan rasūlul lāh

I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is the messenger of Allah.

After the second takbīr, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammdin wa āli muḥammad

O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad.

After the third takbīr, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

allāhummagh fir lilmuʾminīna wal muʾmināt

O Allah! Forgive the believers, men and women alike.

After the fourth takbīr, if the deceased is male, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لِهٰذَا الْمَيِّتِ

allāhummagh fir lihādhal mayyit

O Allah! Forgive this deceased man.

If the deceased is female, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لِهٰذِهِ الْمَيِّتَةِ

allāhummagh fir lihādhihil mayyitah

O Allah! Forgive this deceased woman.

Then he says the fifth takbīr [to conclude the prayer].

It is better that after the first takbīr, he says:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ، أَرْسَلَهُ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيْرًا وَنَذِيْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ السَّاعَةِ

ashhadu an lā ilāha illal lāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh, arsalahu bilḥaqqi bashīran wa nadhīran bayna yadayis sāʿah

I testify that there is no god but Allah, He alone, for whom there is no partner; and I testify that Muḥammad is His servant and His messenger, whom He sent with the truth as a giver of glad tidings and a warner before the advent of the Hour [i.e. the Day of Judgement.]

[And it is better that] after the second takbīr, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَٱرْحَمْ مُحَمَّدًا وَآلَ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَأَفْضَلِ مَا صَلَّيْتَ وَبَارَكْتَ وَتَرَحَّمْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَآلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَجِيْدٌ، وَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ جَمِيْعِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصِّدِّيْقِيْنَ وَجَمِيْعِ عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِيْنَ

allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa āli muḥammad, wa bārik ʿalā muḥammadin wa āli muḥammad, warḥam muḥammadan wa āla muḥammad, kaʾafḍali mā ṣallayta wa bārakta wa taraḥḥamta ʿalā ibrāhīma wa āli ibrāhīm, innaka ḥamīdun majīd, wa ṣalli ʿalā jamīʿil anbiyāʾi wal mursalīna wash shuhadāʾi waṣ ṣiddīqīna wa jamīʿi ʿibādil lāhiṣ ṣāliḥīn

O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad, and bestow Your bounty upon Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad, and have mercy on Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad, with the best blessing, bestowal of bounty, and mercy that You showered upon Ibrāhīm and the progeny of Ibrāhīm. Indeed, You are the All-Laudable, All-Glorious. Bless all the Prophets and Messengers and witnesses and the truthful and all Allah’s righteous servants.

[And it is better that] after the third takbīr, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وَالْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ، الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْأَمْوَاتِ، تَابِعْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ، إِنَّكَ مُجِيْبُ الدَّعَوَاتِ، إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

allāhummagh fir lilmuʾminīna wal muʾmināt, wal muslimīna wal muslimāt, alʾaḥyāʾi minhum wal amwāt, tābiʿ baynanā wa baynahum bilkhayrāt, innaka mujībud daʿawāt, innaka ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr

O Allah! Forgive the believers, men and women alike, and the Muslims, men and women alike, the living among them and the dead. Shower us and them with blessings. Indeed, You are the Answerer of Supplications. Indeed, You are powerful over everything.

[And it is better that] after the fourth takbīr, if the deceased is male, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّ هٰذَا الْمُسَجَّیٰ قُدَّامَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَٱبْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَٱبْنُ أَمَتِكَ، نَـزَلَ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْـرُ مَنْـزُوْلٍ بِهِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا لَا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنَّا، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِنًا فَزِدْ فِيْ إِحْسَانِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيْئًا فَـتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَٱغْفِرْ لَهُ، اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْهُ عِنْدَكَ فِيْ أَعْلَىٰ عِلِّيِّيْنَ، وٱخْلُفْ عَلَیٰ أَهْلِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِيْنَ، وَٱرْحَمْهُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ

allāhumma inna hādhāl musajjā quddāmanā ʿabduka wabnu ʿabdika wabnu amatik, nazala bika wa anta khayru manzūlin bih, allāhumma innā lā naʿlamu minhu illā khayra, wa anta aʿlamu bihi minnā, allāhumma in kāna muḥsinan fazid fī iḥsānih, wa in kāna musīʾan fatajāwaz ʿan sayyiʾātihi waghfir lah, allāhummaj ʿalhu ʿindaka fī aʿlā ʿilliyyīn, wakh luf ʿalā ahlihi fil ghābirīn, warḥamhu biraḥmatika yā arḥamar rāhimīn

O Allah! Indeed, this shrouded corpse in front of us is Your servant, son of Your servant, and son of Your maidservant. He has taken abode with You and You are the best of those who are taken abode with. O Allah! We do not know from him anything but good, and You are more knowing of him than we. O Allah! If he was benevolent, then increase his benevolent deeds, and if he was sinful, then overlook his sins and forgive him. O Allah! Place him near You in the highest of the high ranks, and be his replacement for his family while they remain, and have mercy on him, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful!

Then he says the fifth takbīr [to conclude the prayer].

However, if the deceased is female, [it is better that] after the fourth takbīr, he says:

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّ هَٰذَهِ الْمُسَجَّاةَ‏ قُدَّامَنَاْ أَمَتُكَ وَٱبْنَةُ عَبْدِكَ وَٱبْنَةُ أَمَتِكَ، نَـزَلَتْ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْـرُ مَنْـزُوْلٍ بِهِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا لَا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهَا مِنَّا، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَتْ مُحْسِنَةً فَزِدْ فِيْ إِحْسَانِهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُسِيْئَةً فَـتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِهَا وَٱغْفِرْ لَهَا، اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْهَا عِنْدَكَ فِيْ أَعْلَىٰ عِلِّيِّيْنَ، وٱخْلُفْ عَلَیٰ أَهْلِهَا فِي الْغَابِرِيْنَ، وَٱرْحَمْهَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ

allāhumma inna hādhihil musajjāta quddāmanā amatuka wabnatu ʿabdika wabnatu amatik, nazalat bika wa anta khayru manzūlin bih, allāhumma innā lā naʿlamu minhā illā khayra, wa anta aʿlamu bihā minnā, allāhumma in kānat muḥsinatan fazid fī iḥsānihā, wa in kānat musīʾatan fatajāwaz ʿan sayyiʾātihā wagh fir lahā, allāhummaj ʿalhā ʿindaka fī aʿlā ʿilliyyīn, wakh luf ʿalā ahlihā fil ghābirīn, war ḥamhā biraḥmatika yā arḥamar rāhimīn

O Allah! Indeed, this shrouded corpse in front of us is Your maidservant, daughter of Your servant, and daughter of Your maidservant. She has taken abode with You and You are the best of those who are taken abode with. O Allah! We do not know from her anything but good, and You are more knowing of her than we. O Allah! If she was benevolent, then increase her benevolent deeds, and if she was sinful, then overlook her sins and forgive her. O Allah! Place her near You in the highest of the high ranks, and be her replacement for her family while they remain, and have mercy on her, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful!

It is worth noting that the supplication mentioned after the fourth takbīr is exclusively for people who are bāligh. For a prayer conducted for believing children, the following is said after the fourth takbīr:

اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْهُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَلَنَا سَلَفًا وَفَرَطًا وَأَجْرًا

allāhummaj ʿalhu liabawayhi wa lanā salafan wa faraṭan wa ajrā

O Allah! Make him for his parents and for us a good deed sent beforehand, a cause of recompense prepared in advance, and a cause of reward.

Ruling 598. The takbīrs and duʿāʾs must be performed one after another such that the prayer does not lose its form.

Ruling 599. Someone who performs ṣalāt al‑mayyit in congregation must also perform the takbīrs and recite the duʿāʾs even if he is a follower in the prayer [as opposed to being the imam of the prayer].