Invocation for closing the eyes of the dead

اللَّهُمَّ اغفِر لِفُلاَنٍ (بِاسمِهِ) وَارفَع دَرَجَتَهُ فِي المَهدِيِّينَ، وَاخلُفهُ فِي عَقِبِهِ فِي الغَابِرِينَ، وَاغفِر لَنَا وَلَهُ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ، وَافسَح لَهُ فِي قَبرِهِ، وَنَوِّر لَهُ فِيهِ

Approximate Arabic reading aid

Allāhumma aghfir lifulānin bismihi warfa' darajatahu fī almahdiyyīna, wakhlufhu fī 'aqibihi fī alghābirīna, waghfir lanā walahu yā rabba al'ālamīna, wafsaḥ lahu fī qabrihi, wanawwir lahu fīhi

English meaning

O Allah, forgive -here the name of the deceased is mentioned- and raise his rank among the rightly guided, and be a successor to whom he has left behind, and forgive us and him O Lord of the worlds. Make spacious his grave and illuminate it for him.)(A successor: one who succeeds another due to the latter’s absence or death. This is the correct meaning of the word khaleefah; thus, it is incorrect to believe that Adam is the khaleefah (vicegerent, as is commonly translated) of Allah on earth because Allah is never absent, and will never die. This supplication proves the correct understanding of this term and shows that Allah succeeds us and guards whom we leave behind when we die or are absent (also refer to supplication #198).

Explanation (Tafseer)

This prayer names the deceased and asks Allah for forgiveness, an elevated rank among the guided, and care for the family left behind. It includes the living in the request for forgiveness, then asks that the grave be made spacious and filled with light.

When to use

Invocation for closing the eyes of the dead

Reference & source

Hisn al-Muslim 155

Open source