The FUNERAL Prayers (Salatu-l-Janazah)
Main points for the preparation of a Muslim's body for burial;
1. The prayer to God for the deceased Muslim is
a common collective duty (Fard Kifayah). This means that some Muslims should
offer this prayer, and when it is offered by some of the Muslims present at the
time it is sufficient, and the other Muslims become exempt from responsibility.
2. When a Muslim dies, the whole body,
beginning with the expose parts of ablution must be washed a few times with
soap or some other detergent or disinfectant, and cleansed of all visible
impurities; this is called "Ghusul". A man's body should be washed by men and a
woman's body by women, but a child's body can be washed by either sex. A
husband may wash his wife's body and vice versa if the need arises. When the
body is thoroughly clean, it is warped in one or more white cotton sheets
(Kafan or Kefen) covering all the parts of the body.
3. The dead body is then placed in a coffin and
carried to the place of prayer, a mosque (outside in the courtyard) or any
other clean premises. The body is put in a position with the face toward the
direction of Kaba in Mecca (Qibla or Kible).
4. All participants in the prayer must perform
an ablution unless they are keeping an earlier one. The imam stands beside the
body facing the Qiblah at Mecca with the followers behind him in lines.
5. The imam raises his hands to the ears
declaring the intention in a low voice to pray to God for the particular
deceased one, and saying "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is greatest). The worshippers
follow the imam's lead and after him place their right hands over the left ones
under the navel as in other prayers.
6. Then the imam recites in a low voice what is
usually recited in other prayers, i.e. the 'Thana' and the Fatiha verses of the
Koran only.
7. At this stage he says "Allahu Akbar" without
raising his hands and recites the second part of the Tashahud verse (from
''Allahumma salli'ala sayyidina Muhammad'' to the end).
8. Then he makes the third takbeer (tekbir)
saying "Allahu Akbar" without raising the hands and offer his supplication
(Du'a' in Arabic) in any suitable words he knows: "Allahumma-ghfir li hayyina
wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha`ibina wa sagheerina wa kabeerina wa dhakarina
wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa aahyihi 'ala-i-Islam. Wa man
tawaffaythu minna fa tawafahu 'ala-i-Islam. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrah, wa la
taftinna ba' da".
Translation: "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 folk, and to our males and females. O Allah! Whomsoever you
grant to live, from among us, help him to live in Islam, and whom of us you
cause to die, help him to die in faith. O Allah! do not deprive us of the
reward for patience on his loss, and do not make us subject to trail after
him".
9. Then the four takbeer (tekbir) saying
"Allahu Akbar" without raising the hands is made followed by the concluding
peace greetings right and left as in other prayers. It should be remembered
that the worshippers behind in lines follow the lead of imam step by step and
recite privately the same utterances in a low voice.
10. After completing the prayer, the coffin
will be taken to the cemetary; mourners should walk in front or beside the
bier, those who are riding or driving should follow it. During this process
silence is recommended. The grave should be deep. The body is lowered for
burial with the face resting in the direction of Mecca (Qibla). When lowering
the body down, these words are said: "Bismi-I-lahe wa be-I-lahe wa 'ala millati
rasuli-I-lahe salla-I-lahu 'alayhi wa sallam."
Translation: "In the name of Allah and with Allah, and according
to the sunnah of the messenger of Allah upon whom be the blessings and peace of
Allah."
Beside these, any other fit prayers may be offered. If the
deceased is a child under the age of puberty, the prayer is the same except
that after the third takbeer (tekbir) and instead of that long supplication the
worshippers recite these words: "Allahumma-j'alhu lana faratan wa j'alhu lana
dhukra, wa j'alhu shafi'an wa mushaffa'a".
Translation: "O Allah! make him (or her) our fore-runner, and
make him for us a reward and treasure, and make him for us a pleader, and
accept his pleading".
It is not recommended to use a casket unless there is a need for
it .,e.g the soil is wet or loose. A stone or bricks or soil should be placed
under the deceased's head to raise it up. After placing the body in the grave,
fill the pit with soil, and raise the level of the grave a little less than one
foot in a sloping way.
The grave should be built and marked in a simple way. The dead
body should be covered with white cotton sheets of standard material. Any
extravagance in building the grave or dressing up the body in fine suits or the
like is non Islamic. It is false vanity and a waste of assets that can be used
in many useful ways. It is strongly against the teachings of the Islamic
religion and the prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him).
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