Dua for the Deceased
“O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, give him well-being and pardon him.” The Arabic, how to say it, when to read it, and its source.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ
- Transliteration
- Allāhumma-ghfir lahu warḥamhu wa ʿāfihi waʿfu ʿanh
- Meaning
- O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, give him well-being and pardon him.
- Source
- Sahih Muslim 963
When to say it
- In the funeral (janazah) prayer
- Whenever you remember someone who has passed away
- For a woman, say lahā, warḥamhā, wa ʿāfihā, waʿfu ʿanhā
About this dua
Awf ibn Malik memorised this dua from the Prophet’s ﷺ funeral prayer. It continues by asking Allah to honour the deceased, widen their grave and wash them clean of sins (Sahih Muslim 963).
On hearing of a death, Muslims also say Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
Quran and hadith references link to quran.com and sunnah.com. Reviewed 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the dua for the deceased?
Allāhumma-ghfir lahu warḥamhu wa ʿāfihi waʿfu ʿanh: “O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, give him well-being and pardon him.” (Sahih Muslim 963).
Is this dua authentic?
Yes. It is from Sahih Muslim 963, an authentic hadith collection. The source is linked on this page so you can check it.