One’s Own Funeral Prayer

A man died, and an acquaintance of mine attended his burial service. The namaz-e janaza (funeral prayer) was about to begin when a person who was standing next to my friend wanted to know what sort of prayer he should intend to make—a farz (obligatory) prayer or a sunnat (optional) prayer. My friend responded by saying that he should make the intention of making his own funeral prayer! The man was shocked!

Reciting the funeral prayers for a deceased person isn’t a mere ritual. Rather, it is a reminder of a very grave reality—that just as the deceased has died, everyone present at the time of his burial will also one day die. Participating in the burial prayers for someone is a reminder of this reality. The true funeral prayer is one where participants in the service remember in the death of the deceased their own impending death. Participating in the prayer, they become aware that, one day or the other, they will meet with the same fate as the deceased. In this way, while participating in someone else’s funeral prayer they will, as it were, participate in their own funeral prayer.

Death is something that all of us will face. It is an indisputable reality for everyone. Once it comes, no one can send it back. Given this, we ought to remember death often. Every now and then we should reflect on the fact that one day or the other we will die. This will greatly help us live in the right way.