Death will come for each
and every one of us. Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, said, “Remember often the destroyer of pleasures (i.e. death)”. 1 The
religion of Islam has not forgotten death, nor has it forsaken the rights of
the dying. Islam provides us with a complete set of instructions for the one
who is dying, those who are present at the time of death and those responsible
for burying the deceased individual. “Everyone shall taste death.” (Quran
3:185)
1 An-Nasaa’i,
At-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah and Ahmad. Authenticated by Sheikh Al Albani.
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How those facing death should
behave
Death is inevitable however
there are certain things that a believer can do to prepare for his departure to
life everlasting.
The first is to remain
patient in the face of an event over which we have no control, and those
suffering illness or injury should refrain from accusing or cursing God for his
or her misfortunes. There are many authentic sayings and traditions from
Prophet Muhammad that explain how and why illness and injury expiate sins and
evil deeds. On this web site you will find articles that go into great detail about
the benefits of patience and accepting the will of God2. Prophet Muhammad said:
“How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all
good. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good
for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is
also good for him.” When faced with any degree of pain and
suffering it is generally not permitted to complain and whine about God’s
decree. However, Islam tells us that it is permissible to cry directly to God
and lay before Him all our fears, pain and suffering. Prophet Jacob cried out
to God when he feared the loss of both his beloved sons, Joseph and Benjamin. “I
only complain of my grief and sorrow to God.” (Quran 12:86) Knowing that it is
God alone who has control over our lives means that a believer is able to hover
between the states of fear and hope. Fearful, due to the nature and number of
sins he has acquired but hopeful that God will forgive them all and provide
shelter from everything that he dreads. A believer facing death must put his
trust in God, knowing that God’s decree is without a doubt the best, most just
decision.
2
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2231/
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Before death overtakes
him a believer must also make sure that his affairs are in order. He must write
his will and try to settle any debts. Prophet Muhammad commented on both these
issues. It is the duty of a Muslim who has anything to bequeath, not to let two
nights pass without writing a will about it. 3 A believer’s soul remains in suspense until all his debts are paid off. 4
How the one dealing with a
dying person should behave
The sick person should
be gently reminded that even sickness has a positive side. It is expiation from
past negligence or error and it is a source of great reward for one who trusts
God and bears the ordeal with patience. When visiting a sick or dying person a
believer should pray and make supplications. According to the Prophet’s beloved
wife Aisha, with whom God is pleased, whenever he visited a sick person he
would pray using the following words:
Lord of mankind, remove the affliction from this patient for You alone
are the healer, none can be healed unless healed by You: heal him so completely
that the affliction is removed completely. 5 If a believer visits a
non Muslim patient, he should seek help from God and invite the patient to
accept Islam.
One of the most
important things to remember about a sick or injured believer is that the
angels gather around him. The words spoken at the bedside should be gentle,
kind words, full of supplications because the angels gathered there respond by
saying ‘Ameen’ (this means: O God respond) to all that is uttered. The patient
should also be asked what he desires and the believer must
3 Saheeh Bukhari 4
At-Tirmidhi 5 Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
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do his best to deliver
it. Perhaps it is food or drink, to send a message or to see a particular
family member or friend.
When death becomes inevitable
A dying person sees what
we do not see. He may drift in and out of consciousness. He may become very
weak, hearing, but unable to reply. This is known as the ‘death struggle’ and
it is full of agonies we cannot imagine. When Aisha spoke about Prophet
Muhammad’s death she said, “At the time of his death, he (Prophet
Muhammad) dipped his hand in a water container and wiped it across his face
saying, ‘There is no true deity but God! Indeed death is full of agonies’.” There
are a number of things that can be done to ease a dying person’s mind and help
him to cope with the agonies. If it will not cause any discomfort he should lie
facing the qibla, either on his right side or back. He can be
prompted, very gently without any insistence to say the words, ‘there is no
true deity but God.’ If possible these should be his last words before dying. A
dying person should never be left alone and wetting his lips or putting a few
drops of water in his mouth may ease his suffering somewhat. In part 1we
learned that the religion of Islam upholds the rights of the dead and the dying.
Death should not be a stranger to us and Muslims are encouraged to remember
death even in the midst of life. Death is an ever present, a part of everybody’s
life and the simple procedures set by Islam ensure that the dying and dead are
treated with the upmost respect and gentleness.
Immediately after death
Immediately after death,
those in attendance should gently close the eyes of the deceased and say the
simple supplication for those afflicted by a calamity. To God we belong and
unto Him is our return. 6 If the deceased did not clear his debts before dying
6 Saheeh Muslim.
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now is the time to pay
his debts from his own wealth or from the wealth of family, relatives or
friends. This is an important matter. Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him,
encouraged the believers to pay the debts of the deceased. As mentioned in part
1, a believer’s soul remains in suspense until all his debts are paid off. The
entire body of the deceased should be covered, except for the one who dies in a
state of Ihraam - that is, whilst performing pilgrimage (Hajj or
Umrah), in which case the head and face should not be covered. It is
permissible to kiss the deceased. We know that when Prophet Muhammad died, his
best friend leaned over and kissed him on the forehead between the eyes saying,
‘O my Prophet, O my best friend’. When hearing the news of a person’s death a
believer should try to remain steadfast and patient. Greif at the loss of a
loved one, friend or relative is normal and weeping for the dead is allowed.
However wailing, shrieking, beating the chest, and pulling the hair or clothes
are not permissible. Finally, immediately after death, those in attendance
should hasten to prepare the body for washing, shrouding and burial. Islam has
set out strict and comprehensive instructions for these procedures and nowadays
they are usually done by qualified Muslims in the mortuary section of an
Islamic centre, mosque or government mortuary. Preparing the deceased for
burial is the responsibility of the Muslim community. The deceased body is
handled with respect, and great care and gentleness. The washing and
preparation for burial are usually performed by those of the same gender as the
deceased.
The funeral prayer
A prayer service should
be held for every dead Muslim, young or old, even infants who have lived who
died before their birth. Women are permitted to attend the funeral prayer just
as they are
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permitted to perform
other non obligatory prayers. In order to keep the time between death and
burial to a minimum this should be held in the same city or area in which the
person died. It is not necessary for the body to be sent to another country.
The funeral prayer
should be performed in congregation, it is a rewarding act and believers should
not hesitate to participate in any funeral prayer even those of people not
known to them. Prophet Muhammad encouraged this saying that whoever attended
the funeral prayer until it was finished would earn rewards as hefty as a great
mountain7. The number of attendees at the funeral prayer also brings great
reward to the deceased. Prophet Muhammad said that if a Muslim dies and forty
pious Muslims pray for him in the funeral prayer God will accept their prayers.
8 After the funeral prayer the deceased should be taken to the Muslim cemetery
or the Muslim section of the local cemetery. Carrying a coffin and accompanying
it to the burial ground is a recommended and rewardable act.
The Burial
Islam has a unique style
of building graves and cemeteries that is characterized by simplicity, and
humility. All Muslims, rich, poor, king or commoner are all buried following
the same procedure. Burying the deceased in the coffin is not allowed unless
there is a requirement that must be followed in a particular area or country.
The burial should be
done as soon as possible after death; however there are specific times when it
is prohibited to bury the dead. They are, from sunrise until the sun has risen,
when the sun is at its highest and, from when the sun begins to pale until it
is fully set. After the burial it is permissible for the believers to stay
7 Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh
Muslim 8 Ibid.
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in the graveyard making
supplication as this is the time when the deceased is being questioned by the
angels. In part 3 we will discuss what happens after the burial, particularly
the mourning period and condolences. We will also look briefly at the funeral
rites and practices of other religions and compare them to the simplistic yet
beautiful Islamic methods and procedures.
One of the practices
prevalent before Islam was excessive wailing and lamenting for the dead. This
was denounced by Islam and is strictly forbidden. Prophet Muhammad, may God
praise him, made this abundantly clear when he told his companions and thus the
believers until the end of time, ‘the deceased suffers
when someone bewails loudly’. 9 No amount of wailing or grieving can
change the situation or bring the dead back to life, therefore Islam insists
that death be handled with dignity and acceptance of God’s decree.
Mourning
A woman may mourn the
death of a loved one for three days. This period is considered long enough for
a person to immerse himself in grief and sadness. Islam emphasizes that death
is not the termination of a person rather it is the beginning of a journey,
from a transient stop to life everlasting. The only exception to this duration
is at the death of a woman’s husband.
It is prohibited for a
woman who believes in God and the Last Day to mourn for a deceased person for
more than three nights, except for her husband. 10
9 Saheeh Al-Bukhari,
Saheeh Muslim 10 Saheeh Al-Bukhari
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A wife must observe a
mourning period, known in Islam as iddah,
of four months and ten days for her deceased husband. This period is considered
an extension of her marriage and she is not allowed to receive any new
proposals of marriage during this time. This period is prescribed for widows in
order that they mourn the death of their husbands, fulfill any required
obligations and to see if the widow is pregnant. If pregnancy is confirmed then
the mourning period is extended until delivery.
Condolences
Offering condolences to
the relatives and friends of the deceased is an important act of kindness. It
is not limited to three days, and can be extended for as long as there is a
need. Offering condolences means sharing in the grief and helping to lighten
the feelings of sadness and misfortune, however it also means gently reminding
the bereaved to be patient and accept the will of God. The words should be
chosen carefully and offered with sympathy. Among the actions recommended at
the time of offering condolences are to leave relatively quickly, unless the
family requires and asks for assistance, and to prepare food for the grieving
family. So far we have learned a great deal about Islam’s attitude towards
dying, death and funerals. The overall theme encompasses complete submission to
the will of God, being patient in the face of adversity and simplicity
involving a distinct lack of worldly rituals and procedures. The basic
procedures of washing, shrouding, prayers and burial are exactly the same for
every believer, be he rich, poor, black, white, a king or a commoner, young or
old. We now take a brief look at the funeral rites of other religions to
further emphasize the uncomplicated rites inherent in Islam.
Cremation, a practice
forbidden in Islam is practiced in many parts of the world and in many
religions. In Hinduism, cremation is the primary mode of body disposal. Taken
from the belief that
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the soul could not enter
a new body until its former one had totally disappeared, cremation is
considered the fastest way to expeditiously dispose of the body. Antyesti
funeral rites are important sacraments in Hindu society. While extensive texts
of such rites are available there is wide inconsistency in theory and practice,
and procedures differ depending upon the location, caste, social group, and the
status of the deceased person.
In Sikhism the preferred
method of disposal is cremation, and the ashes are taken to be submerged in the
nearest river. In Japan it is estimated that 99.81%11 of all deceased persons
are cremated, the majority of them after a Buddhist ceremony. However before
the 20th century most bodies in Japan were buried and cremation was limited to
the wealthy. In a Buddhist funeral a wake is performed before the burial, this
involves a special prayers and giving of condolence money by the guests who are
in turn given departure gifts based on the value of their condolence
contribution. After cremation the guests return to pick the bones of the
deceased out of the ashes with chopsticks, transferring them to urn feet first.
In some cases, the ashes of the deceased will be divided between more than one
urn for transporting to different locations and depending upon the local
custom, the urn may stay at home of the deceased for a specific number of days
before being transported, to the grave site. Some African funeral ceremonies
are purely animist, and without any set ritual. Often the females of the
deceased wail loudly and sometimes work themselves into a frenzy heightened by
the use of alcohol. The funeral service may last as long as a week.
Chinese funerals and
burial customs are determined by the age of the deceased, the cause of death,
the marital status and the deceased's status and position in society. Improper
arrangements
11(http://www.srgw.demon.co.uk/CremSoc5/Stats/Interntl/2007/StatsIF.html)
-----------
are believed to bring
ill fortune and disaster on the family of the deceased. A Chinese Buddhist
funeral ceremony traditionally last 49 days but if finances are an issue, this
period may be shortened to 3 days. It is customary for the daughters of the
deceased to pay for the funeral expenses. The Zoroastrian religion strictly
prohibits burying dead bodies in the ground, cremation and disposal in
waterways of any kind. In accordance with religious injunctions, Towers of
Silence (circular raised structures for the exposure of the dead) are built
with a view that they may last for centuries without the possibility of
decaying bodies polluting the earth or contaminating any living beings. The
deceased is carried to the Tower of Silence on an iron bier by official
corpse-bearers and is followed in procession by the mourners, dressed in white
flowing robes, walking behind in pairs and joined hand in hand by holding a
white handkerchief.
Once at the tower the body must be exposed
and left without clothes so that birds of prey are able to completely devour
the body. As a post script, now days in large cities such as Mumbai, there are
serious concerns about the sanitary conditions at Towers of Silence due to the
fact that birds of prey12 no longer exist in numbers great enough to dispose of
the number of bodies left to decay. Death is a very painful and emotional time
both for the dying and the loved ones left behind. The simplicity of Islam’s
rites and rituals fill the believers with hope. Hope of life everlasting
surrounded by their loved ones and hope in God’s forgiveness, mercy and
justice.
the marital status
and the deceased's status and position in society. Improper
arrangements
11(http://www.srgw.demon.co.uk/CremSoc5/Stats/Interntl/2007/StatsIF.html)
-----------
are believed to bring
ill fortune and disaster on the family of the deceased. A Chinese Buddhist
funeral ceremony traditionally last 49 days but if finances are an issue, this
period may be shortened to 3 days. It is customary for the daughters of the
deceased to pay for the funeral expenses. The Zoroastrian religion strictly
prohibits burying dead bodies in the ground, cremation and disposal in
waterways of any kind. In accordance with religious injunctions, Towers of
Silence (circular raised structures for the exposure of the dead) are built
with a view that they may last for centuries without the possibility of
decaying bodies polluting the earth or contaminating any living beings. The
deceased is carried to the Tower of Silence on an iron bier by official
corpse-bearers and is followed in procession by the mourners, dressed in white
flowing robes, walking behind in pairs and joined hand in hand by holding a
white handkerchief.
Once at the tower the body must be exposed
and left without clothes so that birds of prey are able to completely devour
the body. As a post script, now days in large cities such as Mumbai, there are
serious concerns about the sanitary conditions at Towers of Silence due to the
fact that birds of prey12 no
longer exist in numbers great enough to dispose of the number of bodies left to
decay. Death is a very painful and emotional time both for the dying and the
loved ones left behind. The simplicity of Islam’s rites and rituals fill the
believers with hope. Hope of life everlasting surrounded by their loved ones
and hope in God’s forgiveness, mercy and justice.
Source: islamhouse.com/
Source: islamhouse.com/
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