Islam Death and Burial Essay

When a Muslim knows that they are dying relatives and friends are sent for; these people gather around the bed. The dying person must then ask for forgiveness from God and their loved ones. If possible, the last word spoken or heard by a dying Muslim is ‘God’, this is also the first word heard by a Muslim, just after they are born. As soon as possible, after the person has died, friends and family must give the body a final ritual washing and pray. Those people chosen to wash the body must be of the same sex and a close member of the family. This ritual washing can either take place in a mosque, in the home or in a community facility. After this washing has taken place the body is anointed with spices or scents, and then wrapped in clean, white, unstitched cloth from head to toe. The amount of cloth differs from male to female; men are covered in three pieces of cloth and five for a woman. During this procedure incense must be burnt. The body is now washed and dressed appropriately and is carried on foot to the chosen site for burial. Muslims often have their own cemeteries or small plots of land for burying the dead, for the simple reason that the body’s head must be facing makkah when placed in the ground. Muslim prefer not to bury the dead in a coffin, so not to waste valuable wood, the body is often advised to be placed in a coffin to follow special health regulations. There is no difference in how the corpse is dressed, whether the person was rich or poor, important or humble in death and in Allah’s eyes they are the same. No expenses are to be made at the funeral. The funeral must be simple; leaders do not have a special cemetery, but the same funeral as others of less importance. While the body is being lowered into the ground the mourners say the following: ‘In the name of God We commit you to the earth, according to the Way of the Prophet of God.’ The mourners then sprinkle down a little earth while saying: ‘We created you from it, and return you to it, and from it we will raise you a second time.’ (Surah 20:55) The body is then covered up with remaining earth. The money the family would otherwise spend on a tombstone is given to charity. There is to be no other writing on the grave except the person’s name. Mourning is very strict after a Muslim funeral, mourning can last for a few days or up to forty days during this time the family must not attend any happy parties or celebrations, even weddings. On the seventh and fortieth days there are some time special meals held for the friends and family. Widows are allowed to mourn for four months and ten days, they must not remarry in this period but are able to afterwards. While the family are mourning friends often bring food to offer support and to comfort the family with prayers. Islam does not discourage grieving which it considers a mercy from God. Even the Prophet Muhammad wept when his infant son Ibrahim, the only son born to his wife Miriam, died. He said, â€Å"The eyes shed tears and the heart feels pain, but we utter only what pleases our God. O Ibrahim! We are aggrieved at your demise.† The Prophet also wept when his granddaughter died. Then the Prophet said to his followers, â€Å"This weeping is the mercy that God has placed in the hearts of his servants.† ‘God fixes the time-span for all things. It is He who causes both laughter and grief; it is He who causes people to die and to be born; it is He who causes male and female; it is He who will re-create us anew.’ (surah 53:42-47) ‘When a person dies his deeds come to an end except in respect of three matters which are left behind: a continuing charity, knowledge which still brings benefit, and righteous offspring to pray for him. (Hadith) ‘It is Allah who gives you life, then gives you death; then He will gather you together for the day of judgement.’ (surah 45.26) These verses would help to encourage a Muslim to have faith in where their loved ones are and that one day they will be rejoined, on the day of judgement. To remind them that life is a gift and only Allah can decide when some one will born and when they will die. After grieving Muslims are comforted from their belief that on the day of judgement they will be reunited with the ones they loved and lost. Muslims believe that throughout their lives they have two angels with them and watching them, keeping a record of their good and bad deeds. This book of deeds will then be handed over to Allah on judgement day. Allah will decide whether they are truly sorry for the bad they have done and if so reward them in heaven. Here is a description of Paradise and Hell found in the Qur’an, ‘On that day, there will be joyful faces of people in the garden of delights. A gushing fountain shall be there and soft couches with goblets placed before them, silk cushions and rich carpets.’ ‘On that day, there will be downcast faces of broken and worn out, burnt by scorching fire and drinking from a boiling fountain. Their only food will be bitter thorns.’ Some people don’t believe in life after death other people don’t understand and do not care whether there is life after death at all, Muslims are positive that all life belongs to Allah and one day he will return, from this belief they can take happiness with remembering that their dead friend is going on to a better place where they can be closer to Allah, and that one day they will join them. Not to care about life after death is illogical, we all know that humans die. ‘Does Man think that we shall not assemble his bones? Yes, surely, yes-We are able to restore his finger-prints.’ The parting may seen long for the people currently left behind, these people carry out family festivals each year to remember the dead and pray regularly, this keeps drawing them close to their lost ones and Allah. A Muslim also does not look at death as final. In fact, the term used for death is Intekal (crossing over to the next and eternal life). To the Muslim, death is simply the return of the soul to Him who gave it, the last stage of the journey from earth to God. Parents may request that a dying infant or one who has died be turned to face the holy city of Mecca. That way, the infant may begin the journey home to god. Muslims believe that children go straight to heaven, if a parent has lost a child some say it is their ticket to heaven and that it is a blessing in disguise, they find comfort in believing that in heaven Muhammad (peace be upon him) is sitting under a tree surrounded by children, Allah asks these children â€Å"what can I do for you know† the children then answer â€Å"bring my mum and dad.† In the Qur’an life after death is not described in a spiritual sense, rather in a physical way, they bury the dead bodies quickly before they start to decay. This is the reason why Muslims do not burn corpses or have them cremated. They believe that every one will be raised back to life again on the day of judgement (not the souls but their bodies). Life and death, therefore, are both integral parts of the Muslim way of life and their views on death have implications on how they live day to day. Death is not the end but follows on from this life in a natural way and Allah chooses the time of death for each person and will choose what happens in the afterlife.