When the news of death in the family reaches the relatives and friends, they should say : “Innaa lil-laahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji‘oon [Verily we belong to Allaah and verily to Him we must return.]” Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol.2, pp.192-93 no.341. In the case of the husband or wife they should add: Allaahumma ajirnee fee museebatee wakh-luf lee khayran minhaa (or minhu if it is the wife saying it) [Oh Allaah grant me refuge in my affliction and replace her (him) with someone better.] Umm Salamah reported that Allaah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, “For any Muslim who is afflicted with a misfortune and says : “Innaa lil-laahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji‘oon, Allaahumma ajirnee fee museebatee wakh-luf lee khayran minhaa, Allaah will replace it with something better.” She then said, “So when Aboo Salamah died I asked myself, ‘Who among Muslims is better than Aboo Salamah, the first family to make the Hijrah?’ When I said [the prayer], Allaah replaced [Aboo Salamah] with Allaah’s Messenger(PBUH). Haatib ibn Abee Balta‘ah was sent by Allaah’s Messenger (PBUH) to propose to me and I said, ‘I have a daughter and I am very jealous.’ The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘As for her daughter, we ask Allaah to make her benefit Umm Salamah, and I ask Allaah to remove her jealousy. ” Sahih Muslim, vol.2, pp.435-36, no.1999.