Death

Transcript of the talk given by Dr Munawar Haque at AMDA on Jan 24, 2015 to a group of students from Central Michigan University on one of their under-graduate core subjects “Death & Dying”

One of the reasons why the topic of death is very important is because each and every one has to experience it. Almost every day we hear of the death of someone, yet most people ignore the fact that they have to die one day. Death is unavoidable; it is certain. It has to come. A verse in the Qur’an says, “Every human being is bound to taste death: and you shall receive your rewards in full on the Day of Resurrection.” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:185). The knowledge of the reality of death helps people understand it and prepare themselves for its coming. According to the Muslim belief, life and death are both creations of God, and have been created to test us. There is a verse in the Qur’an that says, “He created death and life so that He might test you, and find out which of you is best in conduct. He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving One.” (al-Mulk, 67:2)

According to Muslim belief, death is not pure annihilation or extinction but a transition or movement from one world to another; from one state to another; from one dimension to another. Death is a stage, which occurs when the spirit departs from the body to make it lifeless. As Muslims, a fundamental article of faith is to believe in the resurrection when the body and the spirit will be reunited in the hereafter. The belief in the life of the hereafter is very deeply rooted in the Islamic faith and tradition. Muslims believe that all humans will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment to give an account of their life on this earth. God will judge all humans. One will be rewarded or punished according to how one conducted oneself here on this earth. After the judgment, there will be some who will be in pure happiness and others who will be in total misery. Islam explains death in full detail and what Muslims should do before, during, and after the death of a person. There are simple step by step procedures for a Muslim funeral that explain what should be done when death occurs. 

At the Point of Death

When a Muslim is at the point of death, those around him are called upon to comfort him and remind him of God's mercy and forgiveness so that he feels at peace and hopes the best from God.  They should prompt him very gently every now and then to say the Shahada (testimony of faith): "La ilaha illallah", which means ‘There is no deity (no object of worship) other than God. Those present near the dying person also supplicate God to forgive him and to help him pass over the situation with ease. 

Just after Death has been Determined

When the person is confirmed dead, family members and friends and those who are present near the deceased should supplicate and say, "Inna Lillahi Wa inna ilaihi Raji’un," which means “To God we belong, and to Him we will return.” This is a verse from the Qur’an which reminds us that this world is not our final destination rather we have to return from where we came. After the death of a person, those around the deceased

·        Should gently close the eyelids of the deceased. 

·        Should cover the body with a clean sheet.

·        Should make arrangements as soon as possible for washing, shrouding and burial of the body.

·        Should pay off debts of the deceased from the wealth that he has left or by donations if there is no wealth left. It is reported through a prophetic tradition that the dead person's soul will not rest until his debt is paid off.

Preparing the Burial

Preparing the dead for burial consists of (1) Bathing the dead, (2) wrapping the body with a shroud, (3) praying for the dead, and (4) burying the body. 

Bathing the Dead

When a Muslim dies, it is the responsibility of his family or other Muslims to bathe him or her according to the Islamic rites of bathing the deceased. Deceased males should be washed by men, while deceased females should be washed by women. It is permissible for either spouse to wash the other after death.

Steps of Bathing

The body of the deceased should be placed on a table or an elevated platform; the clothes of the deceased should be removed, making sure that the awrah is always covered. Awrah is a term in Arabic that means the part of the body that should always remain covered in front of others. For men, the awrah is from the navel to the knees. For women, it is from below the neck all the way down to the feet.  This is to avoid nakedness of the body of the deceased. The head and the upper body is then raised slightly to ensure that while washing, the water with any discharge from the body flows down. Washing is begun by saying:" Bismillah ", which means “in the name of Allah". The stomach of the deceased is pressed lightly so as so to expel, any remnants from it, and this way all impurities are removed.  

1.    The private parts of the deceased are washed first to remove any impurities.  

2.    Then the wudu or ablution on the deceased is performed without inserting the water in the nose and in the mouth.

3.    The body is then washed with water and soap, starting from the head;  then the upper right side of the body then the left side, after that the lower right side then the lower left.

4.    In the case of a female, her hair should be loosened, washed, combed, and be braided in three braids, and placed behind her back.

5.    The washing should be done three, five or seven times, as needed.

6.    After bathing is done, the body should be dried with a clean cloth and perfumed.

Shrouding the Dead

Shrouding should start Just after washing the body of the deceased. Usually white sheet from inexpensive material is used for shrouding. Extravagance is not recommended. The shroud consists of three white sheets for men and five for women, large enough to conceal the whole body. The body is lifted and laid on its back on the shroud. The deceased’s left hand should be placed on the chest, then the right hand on the left hand like the way the hands are held during in the Salah (Prayer).

The Funeral Prayer

A divine service is held over the dead body of every Muslim, young or old, even of infants who have lived only a few moments. It is recommended that, after washing and shrouding the body of the deceased, the body is not to be kept long rather the funeral prayer should be performed and the body should be buried as soon as possible. The funeral prayer is performed in congregation. The meaning of the invocation reads like this: “O Allah, grant forgiveness to our living and to our dead, and to those who are present and to those who are absent, and to our young and our old, and to our males and females. O Allah! Whoever you grant to live, from among us, help him to live in Islam, and those of us you cause to die, help him to die in faith. Grant especially this dead person your ease, rest, forgiveness and consent. O Allah, if he acted well, then increase for him his good action, and if he acted wrongly, then overlook his wrong actions. Grant him security, glad tidings, generosity and closeness to you. We seek your blessings. You are the most Merciful.”

Following the Funeral

After the funeral prayer, the deceased is taken to the cemetery. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Visit the sick and walk with the funeral; it will remind you of the hereafter."

The Burial

The Muslim burial is characterized by humility, simplicity and economy in costs and avoids glorifying the dead with elaborate monuments. Muslims, whether rich, poor or commoner are all buried following the same procedure. All Muslims who are present during the burial should remember death, the hereafter, and the reality that one day they too will be buried. Those who bury the body of the deceased in the grave should say: Bismillah wa ala millati rasulilllah, which means, “in the name of Allah and in the faith of the Messenger of Allah.” 

The deceased’s face should be towards the Qiblah, i.e., the direction towards which Muslims offer their daily prayers. A plank of wood or block of stone is placed at a distance above the body so that earth will not be put directly on the body when the grave is filled. After the body is totally covered, it is desirable to throw three handfuls of earth into the grave. Then the grave should be filled up. Just after the burial, people including the deceased’s relatives, may stay in the cemetery for a while supplicating for the deceased.

Mourning the Dead

Mourning over the dead is allowed in Islam. One is allowed to weep because grief at the death of a loved one is normal. What is prohibited is to express grief by crying aloud, beating the chest and cheeks, scratching the face, tearing the clothes etc. One of the practices prevalent before Islam was excessive wailing and lamenting for the dead. Relatives of a deceased Muslim may mourn him for three days only, but a widow may mourn her husband up to four months and ten days. This is the waiting period that must elapse before a widow or divorcee may remarry. It is recommended to comfort the family of the dead person with consoling words that would soothe the grieving relatives and reduce their sadness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Surely, every believer who comforts his brother at a time of grief will be dressed with the garments of dignity on the Day of Judgment.”

One of the reminders that the prayer leader invariably gives to his congregation from the pulpit is a verse from the Qur’an that says, “O you who believe! Be conscious of God as is His due, and do not die except in a state of complete submission to Him” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:102).There is a well-known saying that says, “While you were born, you were crying while others were happy, so make sure that when you die, you be very happy, while others cry.”  

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