How to Respect a Muslim Burial

Muslims respect death as being part of the cycle of life, not the end of life. So, while Muslims may bid farewell to their loved ones at burial, they also remain reverent of the eternal life that is before them and strive to find solace and joy in that. Learning more about Islamic funeral customs and Muslim burial can help you to develop respect for the religion's traditions.

Instructions

1. Encourage those surrounding the newly departed to pray for the deceased. Meanwhile, the eyes of the deceased person should be closed and the body covered with a white sheet. Since it is ordained by Allah when a life will come to an end, it is the duty of every Muslim to respect this divine intervention by refraining from excessive displays of grief (such as wailing).

2. Begin preparation for a Muslim burial by washing the corpse. This is performed by family members or the community as a whole. The body is gently bathed in scented water with respect and in a manner conducive to the Sunnah of the Prophet.

3. Prepare the body for takfeen, the method of shrouding the deceased with clean, white cloth referred to as the kafan. While takfeen is taking place, care is taken to be sure the private parts of the body are protected from public view. It is essential that the cloth is plain, but it is permissible to sprinkle it with perfume.

4. Expect the body to be taken to a central outdoor location (such as a public square) where the Imam will lead the community in special prayers called Janazah. The Janazah prayers are similar to the daily Muslim prayers, but exclude bowing and are, for the most part, observed silently.

5. Understand that while the entire community may attend the al-dafin (burial), only the men are permitted to accompany the body to the burial site. Also, the preferred burial site is actually where the person died. It is also desirable to bury the deceased without a coffin if local law allows it. In any case, the body is always placed on its right side to face Mecca.

6. Know that it is expected that the family mourn for 3 days while refraining from wearing fancy clothing or jewelry. However, as outlined in the Qur'an, a widow is entitled to iddah, a mourning period of 4 months and 10 days during which she is restricted to plain dress and is not permitted to move or remarry.

Tips & Warnings

• It is highly desirable that a dying Muslim's last words should be, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah."

• If the deceased died as a martyr, do not wash the body. Bury the deceased in the clothes he was wearing at the time of death.