Janazah: The Islamic Funeral Prayer

When a Muslim dies, the community is called on to prepare the body and pray for the deceased through a specific sequence of steps, beginning with ghusl — a ritual washing of the body, performed with modesty and respect, typically by close family members of the same gender as the deceased. After washing, the body is wrapped in plain white cloth called the kafan, without elaborate decoration, reflecting a deliberate emphasis on simplicity and equality in death. The community then gathers to perform Salat al-Janazah, the funeral prayer — a prayer performed standing, without the bowing or prostration of ordinary salah, consisting of a set sequence of declarations of God's greatness (takbirat) interspersed with supplication for the deceased. Burial follows soon after, typically without a coffin in many traditions, with the body placed directly in the earth facing the direction of the Kaaba. Islamic teaching generally discourages delaying burial and discourages elaborate or costly funeral displays, treating death as a matter to be met with dignity, communal support for the grieving family, and sincere supplication for the deceased rather than public mourning rituals.