اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلاً خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ أَوْ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ
O Allah, forgive him, have mercy upon him, grant him ease, pardon him, make his resting place honorable, make his entry wide, cleanse him with water, snow, and hail, and purify him from sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. Grant him a home better than his home, a family better than his family, and a spouse better than his spouse. Admit him to Paradise and protect him from the torment of the grave or from the torment of the Fire.
Allahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa 'afihi wa 'fu 'anhu wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi' madkhalahu waghsilhu bil-ma'i wath-thalji wal-baradi wa naqqihi minal-khataya kama yunaqqa ath-thawbul-abyadu minad-danasi wa abdilhu daran khayran min darihi wa ahlan khayran min ahlihi wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi wa adkhilhul-jannata wa a'idh-hu min 'adhabhil-qabri aw min 'adhabin-nar.
When to Read
When we lose someone we love, our hearts ache, and our immediate concern is for their standing with Allah. We pray for their forgiveness, mercy, and ease in the Hereafter. This comprehensive dua, taught by the Prophet ﷺ, is recited during the Janazah (funeral) prayer for any deceased Muslim. However, its profound words are not limited to the funeral prayer alone. You can also recite it privately at any time after their passing, whenever you remember them or make dua for the deceased, especially if they were someone you knew who struggled with worldly attachments. It's a powerful invocation asking Allah for comprehensive mercy, covering all aspects of their transition to the next life.
How to Read
Recite this dua with a heart full of sincerity and hope in Allah's boundless mercy. As you articulate each phrase, reflect on its meaning: asking for forgiveness, seeking purification, and yearning for a blessed abode in Jannah. Understand that Allah knows the deepest intentions and struggles of His servants, including any past preoccupations with worldly appearances. Our role is to ask for His all-encompassing forgiveness, knowing that His mercy is vaster than our sins. Make this dua earnestly, truly believing that Allah can forgive all shortcomings and elevate their status. It's not about inventing a specific plea for a specific trait, but applying the Prophet's comprehensive guidance to all situations.
Virtues & Benefits
The virtues of reciting this profound dua are immense. Firstly, it embodies the spirit of compassion and brotherhood/sisterhood in Islam, as we intercede for our departed. Each phrase is a weighty request: * **Forgiveness (ighfir lahu):** A blanket request for all sins, major and minor, known and unknown, to be wiped away. This is critical for anyone who might have erred, consciously or unconsciously, in their worldly pursuits. * **Mercy (warhamhu):** Implores Allah's ultimate compassion, especially crucial in the grave and on the Day of Judgment. * **Pardon and Ease ('afihi wa 'fu 'anhu):** Asks for well-being in the grave and for their shortcomings to be overlooked. * **Purification (naqqihi minal-khataya):** A specific and powerful request to cleanse them from every trace of sin, making them pure like a white garment. This directly addresses the need for spiritual purification from any worldly taint. * **Better abode in Jannah (abdilhu daran khayran min darihi... wa adkhilhul-jannah):** A plea for the ultimate success and eternal reward, replacing any worldly deficiencies with divine blessings. * **Protection (a'idh-hu min 'adhabhil-qabri aw min 'adhabin-nar):** Guards them from the terrifying punishments of the grave and Hellfire. Through this single dua, you are covering every conceivable need for your deceased loved one, trusting in Allah's power to forgive and transform their worldly struggles into a means of elevation, by His immense grace.
Source & Authentication
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed over a dead body and said: > **Arabic:** اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلاً خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ أَوْ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ > > **Translation:** 'O Allah, forgive him, have mercy upon him, grant him ease, pardon him, make his resting place honorable, make his entry wide, cleanse him with water, snow, and hail, and purify him from sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. Grant him a home better than his home, a family better than his family, and a spouse better than his spouse. Admit him to Paradise and protect him from the torment of the grave or from the torment of the Fire.' > > — Sahih Muslim 963c (also narrated similarly in Sunan an-Nasa'i 1982 and others)