In the authentic hadith the Prophet (may the Salah and Salam of Allah be upon him) invoked Allah for a deceased man to replace him with a wife better than his. So, is it permissible to say the same supplication if the deceased is a woman? هل يدعى للمرأة في الجنازة بقول: (اللهم أبدلها زوجا خيرا من زوجها)؟

All praise is due to Allah alone, and may the Salah and Salam of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions. To answer your question, we say while seeking the success from Allah: ‘Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may the Salah and Salam of Allah be upon him) while offering a funeral prayer say: 'O Allah! Forgive him, have mercy on him, pardon him, heal him, be generous to him, cause his entrance to be wide and comfortable, wash him with the most pure and clean water, and purify him from sins as a white garment is washed clean of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better than his home (on earth) and a family better than his family, and a wife better than his wife, and protect him from the trial of the grave and the torture of Hell Fire'." Reported by Sahih Muslim (1600) Some scholars said that if the deceased is a female then the pronouns used in the supplication should be feminine (i.e. O Allah! forgive her). However, they differed on the wording of the part “and a wife better than his wife” if the deceased is a female; some of them said it should not be said because she can be the wife of her husband in this world – that is assuming the meaning of the statement is to ask Allah to replace the person per se. Al-Hajjawi in al’Iqnaa’ (1/223) said: “One should not say “may Allah replace her with a husband better than hers, which is what can be understood from the apparent meaning of their words.” Abu Zaid al-Qairawani al-Maliki said in al-Risalah (p. 57): “If the [deceased] is a woman, you should say: “ O Allah, she is your female salve… and to address the deceased as a female but without saying the part “replace her with a husband better than hers” because in Paradise she can be the wife of her husband in this life. The women of Paradise are only made lawful for their husbands; contrary to women, the man can have many wives in Paradise.” However, if the meaning of replacement is intended to be in respect to the characteristics of the husband, then that is fine to say it. This is because the meaning would be asking Allah to rectify his affairs and make him a good husband for her in Paradise. It was said that the meaning of the part in question is asking Allah to give the deceased that which comforts him in his loneliness in the grave, after he departed from his family and children; therefore it is possible that replacement refers to having a new person. Al-Haythami discussed this matter in details in Tuhfatul Muhtaj (2/140) and he said in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (2/476): “It appears that “replacing the wife” does not refer to the wife, per se, but rather to her characteristics because Allah, the Most High said: {And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants,} [Quran 52:21]” In conclusion, it appears to me that it is permissible to say this supplication for the wife too – that is to say, ‘O Allah! Replace her with a better husband than hers.” And Allah knows best. Your brother, Khalid al-Mosleh 8/4/1425 H.