Back to search

How is the deceased guided through the stages of agonal breathing, washing, funeral prayer, and burial?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is recommended to direct the dying person and the deceased towards the Qibla. The dying person should be laid on their right side. If that is not possible, then on their back with their feet towards the Qibla. For the deceased, it is recommended to place them in the lahd (niche in the grave) on their right side with their face towards the Qibla. There are narrations from the Companions and the Tabi'in (successors) concerning this, but no marfu' (directly attributed to the Prophet) hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been authentically transmitted regarding it. However, when washing the deceased, it is not recommended to direct them towards the Qibla. When performing the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah), it is preferable for the deceased to be on their right side, facing the Qibla.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy