How to Make Dua for the Deceased

Our prayers, or dua, for the deceased can bring them peace, mercy, and forgiveness from Allah, helping to elevate their status in life after death. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized the significance of making dua for our loved ones who passed away, as this is one of the ongoing deeds that can benefit them even after their time in this world has ended.

Narrated Uthman ibn Affan: When the Prophet ﷺ became free from burying the dead, he stayed at him (i.e. his grave) and said: “Seek forgiveness for your brother, and beg steadfastness for him, for he will be questioned now”. (Sunan Abi Dawud 3221)

First of all, when we hear about the death of our loved ones, we should say immediately: Innā lillahi was innā ilaihi rāji’ūn (Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return). (Surah Baqara, 2:156)

Dua for the deceased that prophet ﷺ used to pray

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلاً خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ

Transliteration

Allāhummaghfir lahū, warḥamhu, wa ‘āfihi, wa‘fu ‘anhu, wa akrim nuzulahū, wa wassi‘ mudkhalahū, waghsilhu bil mā i wath thalji wal barad, wa naqqihi minal khaṭāyā kamā naqqaitath thawbal abyāḍa minad danas, wa abdilhu dāran khairam min dārihī, wa ahlan khairam min ahlihī, wa zawjan khairam min zawjihī, wa adkhilhul jannah, wa a’idh hu min ‘adhābil qabr.

Translation

O Allah! forgive him, have mercy upon him, give him peace and absolve him. Receive him with honour and make his grave spacious; wash him with water, snow and hail. Cleanse him from faults as Thou wouldst cleanse a white garment from impurity. Requite him with an abode more excellent than his abode, with a family better than his family, and with a mate better than his mate. Admit him to the Garden, and protect him from the torment of the grave. (Sahih Muslim 963)

Another Dua recited by the prophet ﷺ

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ ‏

Transliteration

Allāhammaghfir li hayyinā wa mayyittinā, wa shāhidinā wa ghā ibinā, wa saghīrinā wa kabīrinā, wa dhakarinā wa unthanā. Allāhumma man ahyaitahū minnā, fa ahyihī ‘alal islām, wa man tawaffaitahū minnā, fatawaffahū ‘alal īman.

Translation

O Allah! Forgive our living and our deceased, our present and our absent, our young and our old, our male and our female. O Allah, to whomsoever of us Thou givest life grant him life as a believer, and whomsoever of us Thou takest in death take him in death as a follower of Islam. O Allah, do not withhold from us the reward (of faith) and do not lead us astray after his death. (Tirmidhi 1024, Abu Dawud 3201)