Q 2: What are the funeral rites in Islam?

(Part No. 8; Page No. 383) A: A person intending to perform the Funeral Prayer should direct the corpse before him towards the Qiblah (Ka`bah-direction faced in Prayer). Then raise his two hands to his ears or shoulders and say Takbir (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]") intending to perform the Funeral Prayer. Then he should say: "I seek refuge with Allah against the accursed Satan. In the Name of Allah, most Merciful, most Compassionate." Then he should recite Surah Al-Fatihah, raise his hands and pronounce Takbir, then ask Allah to confer peace and blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is preferable to offer it as was mentioned in the second part of the second Tashahhud (a recitation in the sitting position in the second/ last unit of Prayer). Then one should raise his hands and offer Takbir and supplicate to Allah for the dead person and for all Muslims. One should say: "O Allah, forgive those of us who are living and those of us who are dead, those of us who are present and those of us who are absent, our young and our old, our male and our female, for You know Allah our movement and our resting place. You are Potent over everything. O Allah, to whomsoever of us You give life grant him life as a believer, and whomsoever of us You take 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." There are many supplications mentioned concerning the Funeral Prayer. You can refer to these supplications in the book called Bulugh Al-Maram, Muntaqa Al-Akhbar and other books of Hadith. Then one should raise his hands, say the fourth Takbirah (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]") and perform one Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer).May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.