اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِفُلانِ بْنِ فُلانٍ ، وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الْمَهْدِيِّينَ ، وَاخْلُفْهُ فِي عَقِبِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِينَ ، وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ ، وَافْسَحْ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ ، وَنَوِّرْ لَهُ فِيهِ.
O Allah, forgive [Name of the deceased son of Name of his father], and raise his rank among those who are guided. And be his successor among those who remain behind. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds. And make his grave spacious and illuminate it for him.
Allahummaghfir li fulan ibn fulan, warfa' darajatahu fil-mahdiyyeen, wakhlufhu fi 'aqibihi fil-ghabireen, waghfir lana wa lahu ya Rabb al-'alamin, wafsah lahu fi qabrihi, wa nawwir lahu feehi.
When to Read
This dua is recommended to be recited after the death of a Muslim, especially during funeral prayers (Salat al-Janazah) and also at other times as a general supplication for the deceased. It is particularly poignant when remembering someone who may have struggled with sins, like theft, as it focuses on Allah's immense mercy and forgiveness.
How to Read
When reciting this dua, it is customary to replace '[Name of the deceased son of Name of his father]' with the actual name of the deceased and their father's name. For example, if the deceased was named Ahmed and his father was named Khalid, you would say 'Allahummaghfir li Ahmed ibn Khalid...'. Recite with sincerity, sincerity, and a hopeful heart, remembering that Allah's mercy encompasses all things. It's also beneficial to make continuous dua for the deceased throughout one's life.
Virtues & Benefits
The primary benefit of making dua for the deceased is fulfilling a Muslim's right upon another, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This specific dua seeks Allah's forgiveness and elevation of the deceased's status, even if they were imperfect in life. It reflects the belief that Allah's mercy is vast and can extend to those who may have erred, provided they were Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ also said: 'When a person dies, all their deeds come to an end except for three: a continuous charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who supplicates for them.' (Sahih Muslim 1631). This dua, made by a living Muslim, falls under the category of righteous supplication.
Source & Authentication
It was narrated from Awf ibn Malik al-Ashja'i that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the funeral prayer for a man and he said: 'O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, grant him peace and forgive his shortcomings.' Then he said: 'O Allah, be generous in his reception and make his place of entry wide; wash him with water, snow and hail, and cleanse him from his sins as a white garment is cleansed from dirt. And give him a house better than his [former] house, and a family better than his family, and admit him to Paradise, and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire.' He said: 'And Awf ibn Malik came back and remembered that the Prophet ﷺ had mentioned the deceased's family, and he said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what about his family?' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'And his family?' Then he remembered that the Prophet ﷺ had prayed for him and said: 'O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, grant him peace and forgive his shortcomings.' Then he said: 'O Allah, be generous in his reception and make his place of entry wide; wash him with water, snow and hail, and cleanse him from his sins as a white garment is cleansed from dirt. And give him a house better than his [former] house, and a family better than his family, and admit him to Paradise, and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire.' And Awf ibn Malik said: 'I wished that I had been that deceased person.' (Sahih Muslim 904). The quoted Arabic text in the entry is a variation of this comprehensive dua for the deceased, specifically mentioning rank elevation and succession, found in other narrations attributed to the Prophet ﷺ for the deceased.