Short answer
Say La ilaha illallah softly near them so they can repeat it, and ask Allah to ease their passing and forgive them. The Prophet's ﷺ own last dua was Allahumma-ghfir li warhamni wa alhiqni bir-rafiq al-a'la. Recite Quran near them, such as Yasin, and speak only good words.
Talqin of the shahada for the dying is sunnah, said near them without telling them to say it. Reciting Surah Yasin near the dying is mustahabb in Hanafi books. Making dua for them and saying only good is recommended, since the angels say amin to what is said.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Sitting with someone you love as they leave this world is painful and also a gift. The words below are for you to say near them, and for them to say if they are able. Keep your voice soft and the room calm.
For the dying person to hear:
- La ilaha illallah. Say it gently so they hear it, without ordering them. If they say it once, do not repeat it unless they speak of something else. See what to do when someone is dying.
- La ilaha illallah, inna lil-mawti la-sakarat: "There is no god but Allah; death truly has its pangs." The Prophet ﷺ said this in his final illness as he wiped his face with water.
For them to say, if they can: Allahumma-ghfir li warhamni wa alhiqni bir-rafiq al-a'la: "O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me and join me with the highest companions." Aisha heard the Prophet ﷺ say this as he passed away.
For you to say for them:
- "O Allah, make his passing easy, forgive him and have mercy on him."
- "O Allah, let his last words be La ilaha illallah."
- Any dua in your own language. The Prophet ﷺ said that when you are with the sick or the dying you should say good, because the angels say amin to what you say.
Quran. Hanafi books recommend reciting Surah Yasin near the dying, and any part of the Quran brings blessing. Remind them gently of Allah's mercy so they die thinking well of Him. After they pass, say Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un and see dua for a dead person.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Qaaf 50:19
وَجَآءَتْ سَكْرَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ ﴿١٩﴾
And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid.
Death has its pangs, so the dying need gentle help and dua.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5674
Sahih... اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني وألحقني بالرفيق ...
"O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me and join me with the highest companions."
The Prophet's ﷺ own dua as he passed away.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4449
Sahih... لا إله إلا الله إن للموت سكرات ...
"There is no god but Allah; death truly has its pangs."
Words the Prophet ﷺ said in his final moments.
Sahih Muslim 916
Sahih... لقنوا موتاكم لا إله إلا الله ...
"Prompt your dying ones with La ilaha illallah."
The basis of talqin.
Sahih Muslim 919
Sahih... فقولوا خيرا فإن الملائكة يؤمنون على ما تقولون ...
"Say good, for the angels say amin to what you say."
Only good words and dua around the dying.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Bab Ahkam al-Jana'iz. Talqin and reciting Yasin near the dying.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, Bab Salat al-Janazah. Not telling the dying to say the shahada; recitation near them.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.