When a loved one returns back to Allah ﷻ, it is undeniable that we experience a range of emotions under grief. It has been especially hard and complex to grieve and honour deaths in the era of Covid as we used to: large gatherings at the mosque for the Janazah prayer, WhatsApp messages sent to groups letting others know of the Janazah and when to attend, to visitors and guests coming to comfort with words of remembrance, recitation of the Qur’an, hugs, stories of the loved one and food. Whilst we know death is guaranteed for us all and is the bridge between this life and the next, it does not remove the emotion and we all require comfort.

The comfort I have found whilst experiencing loss is the comfort Allah grants with His words. From the moment the person has returned to Allah, there is a prescribed dua or reminder in the Qur’an which can bring some sakinah. If we just begin with the words often uttered when we hear of the news:

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un: “Verily we belong to God, and verily to Him do we return.”

It reminds us that their death has been decreed by Allah, and we will all return to our creator.

May Allah envelope your loved one in mercy and forgiveness. Ameen. 

May Allah grant ease to the hearts of the family and friends who grieve the loss of the loved one. Ameen.

May Allah reunite us with our loved ones in Jannah. Ameen.

1. Dua to recite at the time of death

Allah reminds us through the Qur’an in Surah Al-Baqarah that we will endure tests and those of us who patiently endure will also receive the blessing and mercy of Allah. It is prescribed to say at the time of a disaster (including death).

Transliteration: Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un

Translation: Verily we belong to God, and verily to Him do we return. (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:156)

2. At the time of death and when you have pangs of grief for your loved one

In Surah Ali-‘Imran we are reminded that Allah is the one who decrees all affairs in our lives and those of our loved ones.

Transliteration: Hasbunallah Wa Ni’mal-Wakil 

Translation: Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs. (Surah Ali-‘Imran 3:173)

3. Dua for our loved ones who have passed

These duas can be received at funeral prayers too.

• Dua for their forgiveness

Transliteration: Allaahum-maghfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa’ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa wa kabeerinaa, wa thakarinaa wa ‘unthaanaa. Allaahumma man ‘ahyaytahu minnaa fa’ahyihi ‘alal-‘Islaami, wa man tawaffaytahu minnaa fatawaffahu ‘alal-‘eemaani, Allaahumma laa tahrimnaa ‘ajrahu wa laa tudhillanaa ba’dahu

Translation: O Allah forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our menfolk and our womenfolk. O Allah, whomever you give life from among us give him life in Islam, and whomever you take way from us take him away in Faith. O Allah, do not forbid us their reward and do not send us astray after them. (Abu Dawud)

• Dua for mercy and better in the hereafter

Transliteration: Allaahum-maghfir lahu warhamhu, wa ‘aafihi, wa’fu ‘anhu, wa ‘akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bilmaa’i waththalji walbaradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataayaa kamaa naqqaytath-thawbal-‘abyadha minad-danasi, wa ‘abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi, wa ‘ahlan khayran min ‘ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa ‘adkhilhul-jannata, wa. ‘a’ithhu min ‘athaabil-qabri[wa ‘athaabin-naar]

Translation: O Allah, forgive them and have mercy on them and give them strength and pardon them. Be generous to them and cause their entrance to be wide and wash them with water and snow and hail. Cleanse them of their transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give them an abode better than their home, and a family better than their family and a spouse better than their spouse. Take them into Paradise and protect them from the punishment of the grave [and from the punishment of Hell-fire]. (Muslim)

• Dua for their station and grave

Transliteration: Allaahummaghfir li [name of the person] warfa’ darajatahu fil-mahdiyyeena, wakhlufhu fee ‘aqibihi fil-ghaabireena , waghfir-lanaa wa lahu yaa Rabbal-‘aalameena, wafsah lahu fee qabrihi wa nawwir lahu feehi

Translation: O Allah, forgive [name of the person] and elevate his station among those who are guided. Send him along the path of those who came before, and forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds. Enlarge for him his grave and shed light upon him in it. (Muslim)

We understand that this is a difficult time for you, and should you feel you or a loved one need professional support or guidance, please reach out or encourage a loved one to seek help and guidance. We have a list of Mental health organisations that you can access; there are also grief counsellors available for this period. 

You can also continue to perform acts of Sadaqa Jariya in the month of Ramadan for extra rewards and throughout the year for the loved one which will benefit them in the hereafter Insha Allah.

May Allah have mercy on our loved ones that have passed and reunite us with them in Jannah, Ameen.