Burial ritual for the dead according to Islam
Allah Almighty said in the Koran that “We did not give eternal life to one person.” (Al-Anbiya, 34). "Every soul will taste death." (Al-Anbiya, 35). “But Allah will not delay any soul, as long as the time determined for it (the soul) has come. Allah knows about your deeds and will reward you for them.” (“Al-Munafiqun”, 11). Special rituals are performed over a Muslim who is already dying. Funeral rites are complex, carried out under the guidance of clergy and accompanied by special funeral prayers. Strict observance of funeral rites is the duty of every Muslim. First of all, the dying person (whether a man or a woman, an adult or a child) must be placed on his back with the soles of his feet facing Mecca. If this is not possible, then he should be placed on his right or left side facing Mecca. To the dying person, so that he can hear, the prayer “Kalimat-shahadat” (La ilaha illa-llahu, Muhammadun-Rasulu-llahi) is read.
“There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Muaz bnu Jabal cites the following hadith: The Prophet said that the one whose last word is the words “Kalimat-shahadat” will definitely go to Paradise. According to the hadith, it is advisable to read Surah Yasin to the dying person. The last duty to a dying person is to give him a sip of cold water, which will ease his thirst. But it is advisable to give the sacred Zam-Zam water or pomegranate juice drop by drop. It is not customary to talk too loudly or cry near a dying person. After the death of a Muslim, the following ritual is performed over him: they tie up their chin, close their eyes, straighten their arms and legs, and cover their face. A heavy object is placed on the deceased's stomach (to prevent bloating). In some cases, “mahram-suvi” is performed - washing the contaminated parts of the body. Then they make ghusul.
WASHING (TAHARAT) AND WASHING (GUSUL) OF THE DECEASED
The ritual of ablution and washing is performed over the dead.
water. If a Muslim was wearing ihram (pilgrim's clothing) and died
During the pilgrimage, not having time to walk around the Kaaba, they wash it and
wash with clean water without any admixture of cedar powder and camphor. Usually,
the deceased is washed and washed three times: with water containing cedar powder;
water mixed with camphor; clean water.
WASHING PROCEDURE
The deceased is placed on a hard bed so that his face is facing the Qibla. Such a bed is always available at the mosque and in the cemetery. Fumigate the room with incense. Cover the genitals with cloth. The hassal (washer) washes his hands three times, puts on protective gloves, then, pressing on the chest of the deceased, runs his palms down the stomach to release the contents of the intestines, then washes the genitals. In this case, it is forbidden to look at the genitals of the deceased. Hassal changes gloves, wets them and wipes the deceased’s mouth, cleans his nose, and washes his face. Then he washes both hands up to the elbows, starting with the right. This procedure for ablution is the same for both women and men.
WASHING
The face of the deceased and his hands up to the elbows are washed three times. The head, ears and neck are wetted. Wash your feet up to your ankles. The head and beard are washed with soap, preferably warm water containing cedar powder (gulkair). Place the deceased on the left side and wash the right side. Washing procedure: pour water, wipe the body, then pour water again. Only water pours onto the material covering the genitals. These places are not wiped. All this is done three times. The same is done by placing the deceased on his right side. Then again, placing it on the left side, wash it with water three times. It is forbidden to lay your chest down to wash your back. Lifting it slightly behind your back, pour it onto your back. Having laid the deceased down, they run their palms down the chest, pressing so that the remains of feces come out. A general wash of the entire body is performed. If after this the excrement occurs, then washing is no longer performed (the area is only cleaned). Be sure to wash the deceased once. More than three times is considered excessive. The wet body of the deceased is wiped with a towel, the forehead, nostrils, hands, feet of the deceased are smeared with incense (Bowls-anbar, Zam-Zam, Kofur, etc.).
At least 4 people participate in ablution and washing. Hassal and his assistant pouring water over the body may be a close relative. The rest help turn and support the body of the deceased during the washing process. Men do not wash women, and women do not wash men. It is allowed to wash small children of the opposite sex. A wife can wash her husband's body. If the deceased is a man, and among those around there are only women (and vice versa), then only tayammum is performed. Hassal should not talk about the physical disabilities and defects of the deceased. Washing can be done either free of charge or for a fee. The gravedigger and porters may also be paid for their work.
SAVAN (KAFAN)
Sharia law prohibits burying a deceased person in clothes. It is required to wrap the deceased in a shroud. The kafan is made of white linen or chintz and consists of: for men (of three parts): 1. Lifofa - fabric (of any kind and good quality) covering the deceased from head to toe (40 cm of fabric on both sides, so that after wrapping the body you can the shroud was tied on both sides); 2. Izor - a piece of fabric for wrapping the lower part of the body; 3. Kamis - an ordinary knee-length shirt, but sewn so that the man’s genitals are covered. For women (of five parts): 1. Lifofa - the same as for men; 2. Izor - a piece of fabric for wrapping the lower part of the body; 3. Kamis - a shirt without a collar, with a cutout for the head, opens to both shoulders; 4. Khimor - a scarf for covering a woman’s head and hair, 2 m long, 60 cm wide; 5. Pickaxe - a piece of fabric for covering the chest, 1.5 m long, 60 cm wide.
For deceased infants or newborns, only lifofa is sufficient. For boys under 8 or 9 years of age, it is permissible to be wrapped in a shroud, as is customary for an adult or an infant. It is advisable that the shroud be prepared for the deceased husband by the wife, and for the deceased wife by the husband, relatives or children of the deceased. If the latter has no one, the funeral is carried out by neighbors. At-Tabari conveyed the following hadith: “The Prophet said that a neighbor deserves, if he gets sick, that you treat him, if he dies, you bury him, if he becomes poor, you lend him, if you are in need, you protect him, if good comes to him, you congratulate him, if there was trouble, he consoled him. Do not raise your building above his, keep your fire from his, do not irritate him with the smell of your cauldron except by drawing for him from it.” (Jami-ul-Fawaid, 1464). A Muslim can be buried by the community. The entire body is covered with fabric. This is a mandatory condition, if the deceased was an insolvent person, then covering his body with three pieces of cloth is sunnah. If the deceased was a wealthy person and did not leave behind debts, then his body must be covered with three pieces of cloth. The matter must correspond to the material wealth of the person being buried - as a sign of respect for him. The body of the deceased can be covered with used cloth, but it is better if the cloth is new. It is forbidden to cover a man's body with silk.
ENVALUATION (KAFANLASH)
Before wrapping, the beard and hair are not cut or combed, fingernails and toenails are not cut, and gold crowns are not removed. Hair removal and nail trimming are performed during life. The procedure for enveloping for men: before enveloping, a bodice is spread on the bed. It is sprinkled with fragrant herbs and scented with incense such as rose oil. Isor is spread on top of the bodice. Then they lay the deceased, dressed in a kamis. Hands are placed along the body. The deceased is scented with incense. They read prayers and say goodbye to him. The body is wrapped in isor, first the left side, then the right. Lifofa is also wrapped starting from the left side, then knots are tied at the head, at the waist and at the feet. These knots are untied when the body is lowered into the grave.
The order of wrapping women. The procedure for wrapping in this case is identical to that for men, but the difference is that before putting on the kamis, the breasts of the deceased are covered with khirka - a material covering the chest from the armpits to the abdomen. The kamis is put on and the hair falls on it. The face is covered with a scarf - khimor, placed under the head. The only difference is this.
FUNERAL STRETCHER (TOBUT)
A tobut is a stretcher with a sliding lid, and is usually found at mosques and cemeteries. A blanket is laid on the tobuta, on which the deceased is placed, then the lid is closed and covered with cloth. According to some customs, the clothes of the deceased are placed on top so that those praying know whether they are burying a man or a woman.
FUNERAL PRAYER (JANAZA)
Particular importance is attached to the funeral prayer. It is performed by the imam of the mosque or a person replacing him. The tobut is installed perpendicular to the direction of the Qibla. The imam stands closest to the coffin, with the crowd standing in rows behind him. The difference from ordinary prayers is that bows and bows to the ground are not performed here. The funeral prayer consists of 4 takbirs (Allahu Akbar), appeals to the Almighty asking for forgiveness of sins and mercy for the deceased and greetings (to the right and to the left). Before starting the prayer, the imam repeats “As-Salat!” three times, that is, “Come to prayer!” Before the prayer, the imam addresses those gathered for prayer and the relatives of the deceased with the question whether the deceased has debts that were not paid during his lifetime (or, on the contrary, whether someone owes him) or was in a dispute with him and asks to forgive him or settle accounts with relatives. Without reading a prayer over the deceased, the funeral is considered invalid. If a child or newborn with vital signs has died (screamed, for example, before death), then prayer is obligatory. If the child is stillborn, prayer is not advisable. The prayer is usually read after washing and wrapping the deceased in a shroud.
FUNERAL (DAPHNE)
It is recommended to bury the deceased in the nearest cemetery as soon as possible. When the deceased is laid on the ground, his head should be turned towards the Qibla. The body is lowered into the grave with its feet down, and when a woman is lowered into the grave, a blanket is held over her so that men do not look at her shroud, they throw a handful of earth into the grave, saying in Arabic: “Inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun,” which translates means: “We all belong to God and return to Him” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 156). A grave filled with earth should rise four fingers above ground level. Then the grave is watered with water, a handful of earth is thrown onto it seven times and a prayer is read, which translated means: “We created you from it, and we will return you to it, and we will take you out of it another time.” Then one person remains at the grave and reads the talkin - the words of testimony about the Muslim’s faith in Allah, His Prophet, the Holy Scriptures, which are read over the grave of the deceased in order to facilitate his interrogation of the Angels Munkar and Nakir.
GRAVE (KABR)
The grave is constructed in different ways, depending on the terrain in which Muslims live. 1. Lahad - consists of an ivan and a cell inside it. The ivan is dug to a size of 1.5 x 2.5 m with a depth of 1.5 m. At the bottom of the ivan is a round entrance to the cell (80 cm), large enough to accommodate the body and those participating in the funeral procession. 2. Yoke - consists of an ayvan and an internal shelf. The yoke exceeds the size of the deceased's body by about half a meter on both sides. The shelf (shikka) is dug according to the length of the body or the width of the yoke (width 70 cm, height 70 cm). Sharia requires that the deceased be buried in such a way that there is no smell and predators cannot remove him. For this purpose, the grave is strengthened with baked bricks for the lahad, and with a board for the yoke. It is not customary for Muslims to be buried in a coffin. If a Muslim dies while sailing, Sharia requires, if possible, to delay the funeral and bury him on land. If the land is far away, a Muslim ritual is performed over it (ablution, wrapping in a shroud, prayer, etc.), then a heavy object is tied to the feet of the deceased’s body and the deceased is lowered into the sea or ocean.
READING THE QURAN DURING A FUNERAL
The funeral rites are associated with the reading of verses from the Koran. According to the covenant of the Prophet, peace be upon Him, Surah Al-Mulk is read, which is accompanied by numerous requests addressed to Allah Almighty to have mercy on the deceased. In prayers, especially after a funeral, the name of the deceased is most often mentioned, and only good things are said about him. Prayers and requests to Allah are necessary, since on the very first day (night) Angels Munkar and Nakir appear in the grave and begin interrogating the deceased, and prayers should help alleviate his situation before the “underground court.”
MUSLIM CEMETERIES
The peculiarity of Muslim cemeteries is that all graves and tombstones face the facades towards Mecca. Muslims passing by the cemetery read a surah from the Koran. Often people who do not know which way to turn when praying determine Qibla by the direction of the graves. The cemetery has special rooms for performing ablutions and washing the dead. Burying a Muslim in a non-Muslim cemetery and a non-Muslim in a Muslim cemetery is strictly prohibited. If a Muslim's wife, a Christian or a Jew, dies, and she was pregnant, then she is buried in a separate area with her back to Mecca, so that the child in the mother's womb lies facing Mecca. Sharia does not approve of various burial structures (for example, stones with the image of the deceased), rich family crypts, mausoleums and tombs humiliate poor Muslims or cause envy among some. It is also frowned upon for a grave to serve as a place of prayer. Hence the requirement of Sharia that tombstones should not look like mosques. It is recommended to write the following words on the tombstone:
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilyayhi rajiun"
(Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we will be returned.)
ABOUT OPENING GRAVES
Sharia prohibits opening the graves of the Prophet, peace be upon him, caliphs, imams, martyrs for the faith, and scientists with religious authority. It is also prohibited to open the burial of a child or insane person whose parents are Muslims. Opening the grave of a Muslim is permitted in the following cases: 1) if the deceased is buried in usurped land, and the owner of the plot is against having a grave there; 2) if the shroud and other funeral accessories are usurped or stolen, etc.; 3) if it is known that the burial was not carried out according to the rules of Sharia (without a shroud, or the body does not lie facing the Kibla; 4) if the Muslim is not buried in a Muslim cemetery or in an area where sewage, garbage, etc. are thrown; 5) if there is a danger that predatory animals could pull out the corpse, or the grave could be flooded, or the deceased had enemies who could violate the body; 6) if after the funeral unburied parts of the body of the deceased are discovered.
MOURNING FOR THE DEAD
Shariah does not prohibit mourning the deceased, but it is strictly forbidden to do it loudly. It is also unacceptable for close relatives of the deceased to scratch their face and body, tear out their hair or cause bodily harm to themselves, and also tear their clothes. The Prophet said that the deceased suffers when his family mourns him. According to Shariah, everyone is required to observe the following: if men, especially young or middle-aged men, cry, those around them should reproach them, and crying children and old people should be gently soothed. Islam strictly prohibits the profession of mourners for the dead, although despite the prohibitions of Islam, in many Muslim countries there are still professional mourners with especially touching voices. They are hired for the duration of funeral rites and memorials for the deceased. Islam does not approve of this and is against professional mourners. The saying of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, says: “My community cannot tolerate four customs of paganism: boasting of good deeds, defamation of the origin of other people, superstition that fertility depends on the stars, and crying for the dead.”
Muslim teaching requires one to endure grief patiently. Patience (sabr) is considered a great virtue. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, said: “Whoever, for the sake of a dead person, tears his clothes, hits himself in the face, or emits cries that were in the customs of the times of jahiliyya (ignorance before the revelation of Sharia to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him) is not one of us (i.e. that is, not from among the pious).” The fourth caliph, Imam Ali, said: “Patience in faith is the same as the head on the body.” About patience, Allah the Almighty said in the Quran: “Seek the help of Allah in patience and prayer, truly Allah is with those who are patient. Those who suffer any disaster say: “Truly, we are in the power of Allah and to Him we will return! We thank Him for blessings and suffer disasters with reward and punishment.” These are those upon whom Mercy is from their Lord, and they are on the right path.” (Al-Baqarah, 153,156,157).
ABOUT PREPARATION FOR DEATH
A Muslim must be prepared for death every moment: at night or during the day, in a dream or in reality. To do this you need:
1. Believe in the principle of Monotheism (there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger) 2. Observe five obligatory prayers (namaz) daily, as well as perform additional ones (sunnah, witr, nafil).
3. Read the Koran, reflect on its meaning, act according to it. Read the Koran during the day and in the middle of the night, as well as before obligatory prayers. Read the Qur'an in its entirety at least once or twice every month. 4. Read the Hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him, follow what the Sunnah commands and beware of what it prohibits. 5. Strive to be in the company of righteous Muslims who constantly remember Allah, and benefit from communicating with them to improve one’s own faith and life. 6. To command what is approved and to withhold what is blameworthy, attaching great importance to this.
For this to become a need of the Muslim soul, it is necessary to constantly remember death by:
a) visiting graves for reflection, observation, drawing conclusions;
b) visiting elderly people in their homes, especially relatives. After all, youth is not given forever; it will certainly be followed by helpless old age. Thus, it is necessary to use your youth for good deeds before old age sets in;
c) visiting patients and observing the differences in existing diseases. You should thank Allah for your own health, making as much effort as possible to worship Allah, until, Allah forbid, some illness happens to you.
All this helps the Muslim to constantly renew repentance (tawbah); be satisfied with one's own situation; increase activity in worship.
However, if a Muslim is inattentive in his obedience to Allah and His Prophet peace be upon Him, and is not serious about fulfilling the injunctions of Sharia, this is the result of a careless, lazy and indifferent attitude towards worship.
“Say: “Verily, there is no escape from the death from which you flee. It will certainly befall you, then you will be returned to the One who knows the hidden and the obvious, and He will remind you of what you did.” (Al-Jumu'a, 8)
OUR HELP FOR THE DEAD
The dead are known to need prayers
more than living things need food and drink. Therefore, one of the pious
The duty of a Muslim is to care for his deceased brothers and sisters in faith.
How can we help the dead?
When a Muslim has died, the first thing those who remain must do is to perform a funeral rite in accordance with Sharia: perform ablution for the deceased, read namaz-janaza (which is a prayer to Allah for his forgiveness), read talkin (1) in the cemetery immediately after burial, preferably distribute sadaka, read the Koran.
It is said in the Koran that for a Muslim who reads the Koran correctly, fulfills his prescribed duties (namaz, fasting, spending part of the property given to him by Allah on what is necessary according to Sharia, etc.), Allah promised reward and prosperity at the End of the World.
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, said: “The best of you are those who learned to read the Koran, its interpretation and taught it to others. They will receive a big sawab." “Whoever reads at least one letter from the Koran will receive hasanat (reward), and each subsequent letter increases hasanat 10 times.” “Read Surah Yasin to your dead.”
Once the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, walked with his companions through a cemetery. He stopped near two graves and said that two sinners were tormented in them. Then He broke a palm branch into two pieces and placed it on each of the graves. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this could ease their suffering. If a plant can benefit a deceased person, then what benefit should a person receive from reading the Koran, which is the Speech of Allah!
From these hadiths it follows that reading the Quran benefits both the reader and the deceased, provided that the Muslim read correctly and with the intention for the sake of Allah. It is very advisable to read the Quran yourself and ask Allah to pass on the sawab to the deceased, because reading the Quran contains medicine for people. Every Muslim can learn Surah Al-Fatihah (reading it 3 times is rewarded like reading the Koran 2 times) and at least several other short Surahs, for example, Al-Ikhlas (reading it 3 times is rewarded like for reciting the entire Koran), “Al-Falyak”, “An-Nas”.
A Muslim can also perform good deeds with the intention of “Isale-sawab” (i.e. asking Allah to transfer rewards to the dead). If a person with such an intention holds an additional fast, distributes sadaqa, builds a mosque, reads dhikr, salawat and istighfar, spreads knowledge of Islam, then for any of these actions the dead receive full sawab, and the sawab of the person who committed these acts does not decrease.
Today there are people who claim that there is no benefit from holding wakes where they talk about death and resurrection for reporting on the Day of Judgment, etc., distributing sadaqa or reading the Koran for the dead. Their opinion is wrong and dangerous for many reasons. Here are some of them:
1. Whoever does not believe that sawab from good deeds is passed on to the dead actually doubts the Omnipotence of Allah. Allah created the whole world out of nothing, and it was not difficult for Him. By His Will, sawab can be transferred to anyone - living or dead, and there are many sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, about this.
2. Whoever denies the possibility of such help from Muslims to each other is actually striving to destroy the fraternal bonds of Muslims, based on mutual support, love and willingness to help in difficult times. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, said that His community should be united, like the human body: if one organ hurts, then the whole body hurts.
3. Muslim scholars confirm the benefits of giving sadaqa and reading the Quran for the dead. Those who disagree with this opinion are against the majority. The Prophet, peace be upon Him, said: “My ummah is not united by error.”
4. Talkin - words of testimony about a Muslim’s faith in Allah, His Prophet, the Holy Scriptures, which are read over the grave of the deceased to facilitate his interrogation of the Angels Munkar and Nakir.
We happened to encounter such a ritual only once, during our travels. And, frankly, the Muslim funeral shocked us. It was an unusual sight. Nothing to do with our Christian rules and customs. It even became a little creepy. Let's try to weave together what we saw and what our guide and local resident said. It was he who told us details about how Muslims are buried.
Let's start with the fact that the graves are necessarily facing Mecca. Everyone passing must read a prayer (sura). At each cemetery there are rooms for ablution and washing of the deceased. It is prohibited to bury a non-Muslim in a Muslim cemetery and vice versa. If a woman dies who has not accepted the faith, but is bearing a child from a Muslim, she is buried with her back to Mecca, so that the child is facing Mecca. Tombstones in the form of mausoleums and crypts are not welcome, since excessive chic and wealth can cause envy and lead to temptation.
Shariah strictly prohibits loud mourning of the deceased, who will suffer in this case. The crying man is reproached, the women and children are tenderly calmed down. Grief must be endured patiently, then Allah will help and support.
Muslims hold funerals only once. Opening graves and reburials are prohibited. However, there are still exceptional cases. For example, when a body is buried on someone else’s land (more correctly, usurped), if the rules were violated during the process, if the cemetery is not Muslim, if there is a danger of abuse of the body, if parts of the body of the deceased are found after the funeral.
A little more about this. It is not customary to delay this process. The burial takes place at the nearest place. The deceased is laid with his head towards the Qibla, lowering the body with his feet down. If it is a woman, then when lowering the coverlet is stretched (men should not see the shroud). A handful of earth thrown into the grave is accompanied by words that translated mean: “We all belong to God, to Him we return.” The grave should rise 4 fingers, be poured with water and sprinkled with a handful of earth 7 times. At this time, the person left at the grave is reading and continues to read the Holy Scriptures even after everyone has left.
How Muslims are buried also largely depends on the area. Lahad includes an aivan 1.5 by 2.5 m (about one and a half meters deep) and a cell inside with a pre-made round (80 cm in diameter) entrance. The yoke (50 cm larger than the body on both sides) should consist of an internal shelf and an ayvan. And the shelf (shikka) corresponds to the length of the body. Predators should not smell and dig up the body, so the cabbage is strengthened. Muslims are not buried in a coffin, as is customary among Orthodox Christians. If it is not possible to bury the body on land, a ritual of ablution is performed over the deceased, he is shrouded, prayers are read, a stone is tied to his feet and immersed in water, choosing a deep place.
If Orthodox Christians send a person on his last journey shaved and well-groomed, then Muslims do not cut their beard, hair or nails. This can only be done during life.
Before starting to envelop the man, they spread the so-called lifofa on the bed, sprinkling it with pleasantly smelling herbs. Then the isor is rolled out, on which the deceased, already dressed in a kamis, is laid. The arms are not crossed on the chest, but placed along the body. The deceased is rubbed with incense. At this time, prayers are read and farewells are said. Then the body is wrapped in isor (first the left side, and then the right) and lifofa (wrapped like the isor). Knots are tied at the legs, waist and head. They are untied when the body is lowered into the grave.
It's the same with women. Only before putting on the kamis, the chest of the deceased is covered from the stomach to the armpits with a khirka. The hair is lowered over the kamis, the face is covered with a khimor placed under the head.
If the death is not sudden, then a clearly established ritual is performed over the dying person in the presence of a clergyman, with the reading of certain prayers. Muslims take burial extremely seriously, so strict adherence to all details is mandatory. This is a sacred duty. The dying person, regardless of his age and gender, is laid on his side, turning his face towards Mecca. The prayer “Kalimat-shahadat” is read, then he is given a sip of liquid, a few drops of sacred water or pomegranate juice. Crying and talking loudly during this time is prohibited. After death occurs, the chin is tied up, the eyes are closed, the legs and arms are straightened, the face is covered, and a stone (or something heavy) is placed on the stomach to prevent bloating. In some cases, “mahram-suvi” is performed - washing the contaminated parts of the body.
Before burial, it is obligatory to read the funeral prayer, called “Janaza”. It is read by the imam standing closest to the deceased. The person saying the prayer asks for favor towards the departed, for forgiveness, greeting and mercy. No bows are made during prayer. Then the crowd is asked if the deceased owes anything, or if anyone owes him anything. A funeral without reading this prayer is invalid.
Then comes the burial itself.
It is difficult to describe the feelings and emotions when we saw Muslims being buried. There was something bewitching, solemn and mystical in this ritual. And also inspiring respect for someone else's religion. Unusually solemn and beautiful, despite the understanding that for the loved ones of the deceased it is a great grief.
Sorrow walks side by side with joy, we always expect good things, but we should not forget that funerals are inevitable in the life of every family, and they come, as always, unexpectedly and at the wrong time... When someone leaves this world, it must be carried out with dignity , according to the traditions and religion of the deceased. Muslim rites of passage to another world are quite original; to some they may even seem strange.
Getting your body in order
If you know, then it will not be news to you that the body preparation procedure is carried out in three stages, according to the established centuries-old tradition. A ritual three-time ablution of the deceased is carried out (what exactly is written below), and the very room in which these actions are carried out is fumigated with incense. Let's return to ablution. For this we use:
- Water with cedar powder.
- Camphor solution.
- Cool water.
There are some difficulties in washing the back, since the deceased cannot be placed chest down. The deceased is lifted to wash him from below, then palms are passed along the chest from top to bottom, pressing with medium force. This is necessary so that all impurities leave the body. Then the deceased is washed entirely and the soiled areas are cleaned, if after the final ablution and pressing on the chest, excrement occurs.
It is necessary to emphasize how a Muslim is buried in modern times - today it is enough to wash the body once or twice, but carrying out this procedure more than three times is considered unnecessary. The deceased is wiped with a woven towel, the legs, arms, nostrils and forehead are anointed with incense, such as Zam-Zam or Kofur. Under no circumstances is it permissible to cut the deceased's nails or hair.
Any Muslim cemetery has a room for ablutions, and not only the relatives of the deceased can perform the ritual, but also, if they wish, the cemetery workers can take over this procedure.
Laws and regulations
According to Sharia law, burying a Muslim in a non-Islamic cemetery, and vice versa, burying a person of another faith in a Muslim cemetery is strictly prohibited.
When they ask the question of how to properly bury a Muslim, when burying the deceased, they pay attention to the location of the grave and monument - they should be directed strictly towards Mecca. If the pregnant wife of a Muslim, who had a religion other than Muslim, is to be buried, then she is buried with her back to Mecca in a separate area - then the child in the mother’s womb will be facing the Shrine.
Burial
If you do not know how a Muslim is buried, keep in mind that another very important aspect of the procedure is that representatives of this religion are interred without a coffin. Exceptional cases of burials in coffins are severely mutilated dismembered bodies or their fragments, as well as decomposed corpses. The deceased is taken to the cemetery on a special iron stretcher, rounded at the top, called a “tabuta”. A grave is prepared for the deceased with a hole in the side, which is similar in appearance to a shelf - this is where the deceased is placed. This prevents water from getting on the body when watering flowers. Therefore, in Islamic cemeteries you cannot walk between the graves, since Muslims bury the dead in the grave, but in fact the buried person turns out to be located in it slightly to the side, while directly under the grave is empty. This location of the deceased prevents, in particular, animals from smelling him, digging up the grave and dragging him out. By the way, this is precisely why a Muslim grave is strengthened with bricks and boards.
Certain prayers are read over a deceased Muslim. The body is lowered into the grave, feet down. It is customary to throw earth and pour water into the grave.
Why sitting?
Why and how are Muslims buried sitting? This is due to the fact that Muslims believe in a living soul in the deceased body immediately after the funeral - until the angel of death hands it over to the angel of heaven, who will prepare the soul of the deceased for eternal life. Before this action, the soul answers the questions of the angels; such a serious conversation must take place in decent conditions, which is why sometimes (not always) Muslims are usually buried sitting.
Kaftan for burial
How is a Muslim buried according to all the rules? There is one more feature. It is customary to wrap the deceased in a white shroud or caftan, which is considered grave clothing and consists of pieces of fabric of different lengths. It is better that the caftan is white, and the quality of the fabric and its length should correspond to the status of the deceased. In this case, the caftan is allowed to be prepared during the person’s lifetime.
The knots on the shroud are tied at the head, waist and feet, and they are untied immediately before burying the body.
A men's caftan consists of three pieces of linen. The first covers the deceased from head to toe and is called “lifofa”. The second piece of fabric - “isor” - is wrapped around the lower part of the body. Finally, the shirt itself - “kamis” - should be of such length that the genitals are covered. The photos presented in the article allow you to understand how Muslims are buried.
As for the female funeral costume, a Muslim woman is buried in a caftan, consisting of the parts described above, as well as a scarf (“pick”) covering the head and hair, and “khimora” - a piece of takni covering the chest.
Days and dates
Sharia law clearly defines how Muslim men and women are buried. This procedure should be carried out on the day of death of the deceased. Only men are present at the funeral, but in some Muslim countries women are also allowed to attend the procession; both sexes must have their heads covered. It is not customary to give speeches at funerals, only the mullah reads prayers, remaining at the grave for about another hour (and earlier - until sunrise) after the burial procedure and the departure of the procession from the cemetery (with his prayers he must “tell” the soul of the deceased how to properly answer the angels). In the picture below you can see how Muslims are buried - the photo illustrates the prayer of a mullah.
As in Christianity, in Islam there are the third, seventh (not ninth) and fortieth days from the moment of death, which are memorable. In addition, the relatives and acquaintances of the deceased gather every Thursday from the seventh to the fortieth day and remember him with tea, halva and sugar, with a mullah sitting at the head of the table. The house where the deceased lived should not hear music for 40 days after the tragic event.
Features of a child's funeral
They buy pigeons in advance, the number of which should be equal to the number of years of the deceased. When the funeral procession leaves the house, one of the relatives opens the cage and releases the birds into the wild. The favorite toys of an untimely departed child are placed in a child’s grave.
The most serious sin is to dare to take a life
Why do God-fearing Muslims dare to commit suicide, and how are suicidal Muslims buried? The Islamic religion categorically prohibits both violent actions towards other people and against one’s body (the act of suicide is violence against one’s flesh), punishing this with the road to hell. After all, by committing an act of suicide, a person resists Allah, who predetermines the fate of every Muslim. Such a person in fact voluntarily renounces the life of his soul in paradise, that is, as if entering into an argument with God... - is this conceivable?! Often such people are driven by banal ignorance; a true Muslim will never dare to commit such a grave sin as suicide, because he understands that eternal suffering awaits his soul.
Suicide funeral
Although Islam condemns unlawful killing, burial rites are carried out as usual. The question of how Muslim suicides are buried, and how this should be done correctly, has repeatedly arisen before the leadership of the Islamic Church. There is a legend according to which the Prophet Muhammad refused to read a prayer over a suicide and thus punished him for a grave sin and doomed his soul to torment. However, many believe that a suicide is a criminal before Allah, but not in relation to other people, and such a person himself will answer to God. Therefore, the process of burying a sinner should not differ in any way from the standard procedure. Today there is no ban on holding funeral prayers over suicides; mullahs read the prayer and carry out the burial procedure according to the usual pattern. To save the soul of a suicide, his relatives can perform good deeds, give alms on behalf of the buried sinner, live modestly, decorously and strictly follow the laws of Sharia.
How are Muslim funerals conducted? Traditions, customs and rituals according to Sharia
Anyone who attended a Muslim funeral will never forget this.
What is most striking is the trepidation with which the relatives and friends of the deceased try to fulfill all the requirements of Sharia and bury their loved one as a True Muslim. Starting from the dying state, and until a year (or even more) has passed after the funeral, relatives will diligently perform certain rituals. Many of them will seem strange to a person who does not know, but for true Muslims they are important, they are sacred. The funeral itself takes place in several stages.
Preparing for the funeral
The Koran calls for preparing for death throughout your life, so that at the end of it you can accept such a difficult test with a light heart. Special rituals prescribed in Sharia begin to be performed while a person is still alive, but already at the point of death. First of all, they invite an imam, a Muslim priest, to read “Kalimat-shahadat” over the deathbed. In addition to reading the prayer, do the following:
The dying person is placed on his back with his feet facing Mecca. This is the personification of the soul's path to a holy place.
It is necessary to help the sufferer cope with thirst by giving a sip of cold water. If possible, pomegranate juice or Zam-Zam - sacred water - is dripped into the mouth.
Crying loudly is prohibited so that the dying person can concentrate on his final ordeal and not grieve about worldly things. Therefore, compassionate women may not be allowed near the bed or even taken out of the house.
Immediately after death, the deceased’s eyes are closed, his arms and legs are straightened, and his chin is tied up. The body is covered with a cloth, and a heavy object is placed on the stomach.
Muslim funerals should be held as soon as possible, preferably on the same day. Therefore, usually followers of Islam are not taken to the morgue, but are immediately prepared for burial.
Ablution and washing (taharat and ghusul)
Islam has a strict attitude towards cleanliness. If cleansing rituals are not observed, the body of the deceased is considered desecrated, and the soul is considered unprepared to meet God. Taharat is ablution, the cleansing of the material body, while ghusul is more of a ritual washing.
First, Hassal is chosen - the responsible person who will conduct the rituals of ablution and washing. This must be a close relative, usually one of the elders. In this case, women wash women, men wash men, but a wife can wash her husband. At least three more people will help Hassal carry out cleansing rituals. If it is not possible for the deceased to be washed by a person of his sex, instead of washing with water, the ritual of tayammum is performed - cleansing with earth or sand. Taharat takes place in a special room in a cemetery or mosque. Before ablution begins, incense is lit in the room. Hassal washes his hands three times and puts on gloves. Next, he covers the lower part of the deceased with a cloth and performs the cleansing procedure. Then follows washing (ghusul). The body of the deceased is washed 3 times: with water with cedar powder, with camphor and clean water. All parts of the body are washed and dried one by one, the head and beard are washed with soap.
Wrapping in a shroud (kafan)
According to Muslim customs, both men and women are buried barefoot, dressed in a simple shirt (kamisa) and wrapped in several pieces of linen. A rich and respected Muslim who has not left behind any debts is wrapped in expensive cloth. But not silk: a Muslim man is forbidden to wear silk even during his lifetime.
A man's shroud is a shirt, a piece of cloth to cover the lower body and a large piece of cloth to cover the entire body with the head on all sides.
A woman's shroud consists of the same shirt, only down to the knees, a piece of fabric for the lower part, a large piece of fabric to envelop the body on all sides, as well as a piece for the hair and another for the chest. Newborns and very young children are completely wrapped in one piece. According to Muslim customs, the deceased is clothed in a shroud by the closest relatives, usually the same ones who took part in the ablution.
Burial (daphne)
Muslim burials take place only in the cemetery. Cremation is strictly prohibited; it is equivalent to burning in hell. That is, if a Muslim cremated the body of a relative, it is the same as dooming his loved one to hellish torment. The deceased is lowered into the grave, feet down, while a veil is held over the women: even after death, no one should see her body. The imam throws a handful of earth into the grave and recites the sura. Then the burial site is watered and soil is thrown seven times. After the funeral of a Muslim, everyone leaves, but one person remains to say prayers for the soul of the deceased. By the way, since Muslims are buried without a coffin, after the funeral wild animals can smell it and dig up the grave. This cannot be allowed: desecrating a grave and a dead body is a terrible sin. The Muslim people found a way out in burnt bricks. They strengthen the grave with it so that it cannot be dug up, and the burnt smell scares away animals.
Funeral prayer (janaza).
Muslims are buried without a coffin. Instead, a special stretcher with a lid (tobut) is used. The deceased is carried on a stretcher to the grave, where the imam begins to recite the janaza. This is a very powerful and important prayer in the Islamic tradition. If it is not read, the funeral of a Muslim is considered invalid.
Muslim funeral
No feasts are held immediately after the funeral. For the first three days after death, relatives should only pray for the deceased, and reduce cooking and household chores to a minimum. On days 3, 7 and 40 after the funeral, as well as a year later, memorial meals are held. All these days (until the fortieth day) there should be no music in the house of the deceased. Luxurious funerals with gourmet food are frowned upon among radical Muslims. Islam prohibits “eating” the family of the deceased and forcing grieving relatives to do housework. Instead, you need to support in every possible way, help both morally and financially. The funeral meal should be a simple lunch with loved ones.
A funeral in Islam is, first of all, a commemoration of the deceased, a prayer for his soul and an opportunity for the family to unite in order to more easily survive grief. Alcohol is strictly prohibited at Muslim funerals.