--- title: "Dua for the Deceased (Allahumma-ghfir lihayyina): Arabic" description: "The Sunnah dua to recite for any deceased Muslim — at the graveside, in Janazah prayer, or any time you remember them. Full Arabic text, transliteration" url: https://globalprayertimes.org/blog/dua-for-the-deceased/ source: Global Prayer Times --- # Dua for the Deceased (Allahumma-ghfir lihayyina): Arabic The Sunnah dua to recite for any deceased Muslim — at the graveside, in Janazah prayer, or any time you remember them. Full Arabic text, transliteration Daily Duas · 2nd May 2026 · 5 min read · Global Prayer Times Dua for the Deceased (Allahumma-ghfir lihayyina): Arabic, English Meaning & Janazah Hadith The Sunnah dua to recite for any deceased Muslim — at the graveside, in Janazah prayer, or any time you remember them. Full Arabic text, transliteration, English meaning and the hadith from Sunan Abi Dawud. Quick Answer The Sunnah dua to recite for any deceased Muslim — at the graveside, in Janazah prayer, or any time you remember them. Full Arabic text, transliteration, English meaning and the hadith from Sunan Abi Dawud. When a Muslim dies, the most powerful gift the living can offer them is sincere dua. — Global Prayer Times. When a Muslim dies, the most powerful gift the living can offer them is sincere dua. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'When a person dies, his deeds end except for three — ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who prays for him' (Sahih Muslim 1631). The Sunnah gives us a comprehensive dua to recite for the deceased — covering both those still living and those who have already passed. The dua for the deceased اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا، وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا، وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا، وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا. اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ Allahumma-ghfir lihayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha'ibina, wa saghirina wa kabirina, wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa-ahyihi 'alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa-tawaffahu 'alal-iman. O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those present and those absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whomever You keep alive among us, keep alive upon Islam, and whomever You take among us, take upon faith. (Sunan Abi Dawud 3201 / Jami at-Tirmidhi 1024 — narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA), graded Sahih) The Janazah prayer dua for an individual When praying Janazah prayer over a specific deceased Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ also recited: 'Allahumma-ghfir lahu warhamhu, wa 'afihi wa'fu 'anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi' madkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma'i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naqqihi minal-khataya kama yunaqqath-thawbul-abyadu minad-danas, wa abdilhu daran khayran min darihi wa ahlan khayran min ahlihi wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi…' — the full dua of mercy, forgiveness, expansion of the grave and a better home, family and spouse in the next life (Sahih Muslim 963). Dua at the graveside The Prophet ﷺ would stand at the grave after burial and say: 'Ask forgiveness for your brother, and ask Allah to make him firm — for indeed he is now being questioned' (Sunan Abi Dawud 3221). Recite the dua above and add personal forgiveness, then leave in silence. When to recite this dua In the third takbir of every Janazah prayer (after sending salawat in the second takbir). At the graveside on the day of burial and any time you visit the cemetery. On Fridays — many of the salaf would make extra dua for the deceased on this blessed day. Whenever you remember a specific parent, grandparent, sibling, friend or teacher who has passed. Combine with sadaqah jariyah on their behalf — water wells, mosque maintenance, Quran printing — the rewards reach them in the grave. Hadith reference The general dua is in Sunan Abi Dawud (3201), Jami at-Tirmidhi (1024), Sunan Ibn Majah (1498) and Musnad Ahmad on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA). The Janazah dua for an individual is in Sahih Muslim (963) on the authority of Awf ibn Malik (RA). The graveside hadith is in Sunan Abi Dawud (3221) on the authority of Uthman ibn Affan (RA). Share: WhatsApp X Copy link More from the Knowledge Hub Daily Duas Dua for Guidance (Allahumma ihdini wa saddidni): Arabic, English Meaning & Hadith from Ali (RA) 4 min read Daily Duas Dua for Entering the Marketplace: Arabic, English Meaning & The Million Hasanat Reward 4 min read Islamic Knowledge Seerah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: The Complete Biography — Birth, Revelation, Hijra and Legacy 20 min read Community Muslims on the Frontline: How British Muslims Showed Up During the COVID-19 Pandemic 7 min read — Global Prayer Times. Source: https://globalprayertimes.org/blog/dua-for-the-deceased/