The question is, of course, not an easy one. Islam dictates certain burial laws to its followers. These are the so-called In this article I will tell you how the burial ritual of a Muslim occurs.

How a Muslim is buried: what needs to be done before death

Shariah prescribes and predetermines the entire life of adherents of Islam from birth to death. So, while the dying person is still alive, he is placed on his back so that his legs “look” towards Mecca. Then a very loud reading of the prayer begins. This is necessary so that the dying person can hear it. Before dying, any Muslim should be given a sip cold water. Crying in front of him is strictly prohibited!

What to do after death

When a Muslim has died, it is necessary to tie his chin, close his eyes, straighten his arms and legs and cover his face. Something heavy should be placed on his stomach.

How a Muslim is buried: ablution

Before the burial itself, it is necessary to carry out the procedure of washing the body. As a rule, the funeral of a Muslim occurs only after a threefold ritual ablution, in which at least four people of the same sex as the deceased participate.

The first time is washed with water with cedar powder dissolved in it, the second time camphor is dissolved in it, and the third wash is carried out simply clean water.

How a Muslim is buried: burial

Sharia law prohibits burying Muslims in clothing. This is done in one shroud. The material from which it is made must correspond to the material condition of the deceased. It is forbidden to cut the hair and nails of the deceased! His body should be scented with all sorts of oils. Then prayers are read over him, after which he is wrapped in a shroud, making knots at the head, at the belt and at the feet.

The knots made are untied immediately before the body begins to be lowered into the grave. The deceased, wrapped in a shroud, is placed on a stretcher and thus taken to the cemetery. The body must be lowered feet down. After this, a handful of earth is thrown into the hole and water is poured. The fact is that Islam does not allow the dead to be buried in coffins. The exception is when the deceased has been dismembered or the body has already decomposed.

It is curious that the grave can be dug absolutely arbitrarily. It all depends on the local. The burial is accompanied by the reading of a prayer by all those present. They mention the name of the deceased. Shariah does not approve of tombstones that contain the image of a deceased person.

On what day are Muslims buried?

It is advisable to carry out the burial on the same day the person died. This happens if death finds him during the day. In this case, the ablution procedure takes place before sunset. Afterwards the burial takes place.

Why are Muslims buried sitting?

This is due to certain Muslim ideas about the physical body. They believe that the soul remains in it until the Angel of Death transfers it to the Angel of Paradise, who will prepare it for eternal life. But before that, the soul of the deceased must answer several questions. In order for this to happen in conditions of decency, a Muslim is given a grave in which he sits and does not lie.

Muslims are strictly regulated by religion, and the funeral rite is one of the key points on which the future path of a Muslim depends: there is life after death, and what it will be like depends on the funeral. But there are more than one and a half billion followers of Islam in the world and they live in different parts of the world, so the traditions of Tatar funerals will be slightly different from the funeral traditions of Dagestanis or Pakistanis - the culture of the country still leaves its mark.

If a Muslim is dying

For everyone who professes Islam, preparation for the afterlife begins in this world. So, according to Tatar traditions, older people prepare in advance for this moment: they purchase a shroud, towels and many things for sadaka - distribution at a funeral: these can be shirts, scarves, towels, etc.

When a person is dying, you need to put him facing the qibla, that is, towards the Kaaba, and on his right side. At the same time, it is important that the last words of a person are the words of the prayer “Kalimat-Shahdaat”. If the dying person is unable to speak, he needs to read the kalimah and remain silent: the main thing is that these are the last words heard. You can ease the pain of death with the help of Surah Thunder (or Ya Sin). You should not bring family members near a person.

After the Muslim has left, his limbs are straightened and his jaw is tied up. Something heavy is placed on the stomach. According to the tradition of Tatar funerals, the head is often covered with an old towel. The deceased is turned towards the qibla, all clothes are removed, a prayer (dua) is read, placed on a bed or any elevation and covered with a light blanket. Muslim funeral rules suggest that the deceased will be taken on his final journey on the very day of death. If the departure occurred at night, the burial must be done immediately the next day.

An infidel cannot be buried in a Muslim cemetery, even if all his relatives are adherents of Islam.

Responsibilities of Muslims towards the deceased

All that needs to be done for the deceased is to wash him, dress him, read the funeral prayer and bury him. All this must be done quickly. All this is the collective responsibility of all who practice Islam in this locality. This whole ritual is called janaza.

Washing the body of a deceased Muslim is called ghusl. The rules regarding this ritual Muslim funeral strict: men cannot perform ghusl on a woman, and women must not wash a man. Often an outsider is invited to bathe - not a friend or relative; a husband can perform ghusl on his wife and vice versa. They do not bathe martyrs or if there was not a single person of the same gender as the deceased. All stages of bathing are accompanied by prayer. In this case, you can perform tayammum: washing with dust, sand or earth.

Also important responsibility Muslims before the deceased is choosing a monument and fence; read more about decorating graves.

Takfin is the act of wrapping a deceased Muslim in a shroud or kafan. A woman is wrapped in five white blankets, a man in three, a small child in one. The head is left open.

Another important point, without which seeing off a Muslim on his last journey is impossible, is janaza prayer.

Funeral prayer is a collective prayer and those who say it must have the same faith, their prayer must be sincere. If a lot of people are reading the Janaza prayer, it is better if they line up in three rows. For a man this prayer is performed opposite his head, while for women it is performed opposite his torso. Women are allowed to perform janaza prayer. If a friend or relative was unable to read the funeral prayer over a deceased relative during the janaza itself, this can be done at the grave, only within a month (no later). It is best to read it in a cemetery, and the main one should be an imam or an amir. The naib or most educated Muslim in that locality is also suitable. Janazah is read over all the dead who professed Islam, even over small children, with the only exception being martyrs.

Funeral

The burial itself is called daphne. The grave is dug to such a depth that animals cannot dig it up, 70-80 cm wide and as long as the height of the deceased with his hand raised. The stretcher with the deceased is accompanied by men. They always bury without a coffin, turning the deceased towards the qibla, and then it is advisable to read prayers, for example tasbit or taskin.

According to Muslim traditions, funerals should not be accompanied by loud lamentations and loud crying; in addition, one should not cry for the deceased already on the fourth day after his death.

As for condolences, there is an opinion that they cannot be expressed if more than half a week has passed since death. This is not entirely true; you can express them to a Muslim’s relatives when it is appropriate.

Funeral services are organized three days, a week, forty days and a year after death. A monument to a Muslim should not be too large or expensive, and according to the Tatar funeral tradition, one or two trees grow on the graves.

How is a Muslim buried? The question is, of course, not an easy one. Islam dictates certain burial laws to its followers. These are the so-called Sharia laws. In this article I will tell you how the burial ritual of a Muslim occurs.

How a Muslim is buried: what needs to be done before death

Shariah prescribes and predetermines the entire life of adherents of Islam from birth to death. So, while the dying person is still alive, he is placed on his back so that his legs “look” towards Mecca. Then a very loud reading of the prayer begins. This is necessary so that the dying person can hear it. Before dying, any Muslim should be given a sip of cold water. Crying in front of him is strictly prohibited!

What to do after death

When a Muslim has died, it is necessary to tie his chin, close his eyes, straighten his arms and legs and cover his face. Something heavy should be placed on his stomach.

How a Muslim is buried: ablution

Before the burial itself, it is necessary to carry out the procedure of washing the body. As a rule, the funeral of a Muslim occurs only after a threefold ritual ablution, in which at least four people of the same sex as the deceased participate.

The first time they wash it with water with cedar powder dissolved in it, the second time they dissolve camphor in it, and the third time they wash it with just clean water.

How a Muslim is buried: burial

Sharia law prohibits burying Muslims in clothing. This is done in one shroud. The material from which it is made must correspond to the material condition of the deceased. It is forbidden to cut the hair and nails of the deceased! His body should be scented with all sorts of oils. Then prayers are read over him, after which he is wrapped in a shroud, making knots at the head, at the belt and at the feet.

The knots made are untied immediately before the body begins to be lowered into the grave. The deceased, wrapped in a shroud, is placed on a stretcher and thus taken to the cemetery. The body must be lowered feet down. After this, a handful of earth is thrown into the hole and water is poured. The fact is that Islam does not allow the dead to be buried in coffins. The exception is when the deceased has been dismembered or the body has already decomposed.

It is curious that the grave can be dug absolutely arbitrarily. It all depends on the local topography of the earth. The burial is accompanied by the reading of a prayer by all those present. They mention the name of the deceased. Shariah does not approve of tombstones that contain the image of a deceased person.

On what day are Muslims buried?

It is advisable to carry out the burial on the same day the person died. This happens if death finds him during the day. In this case, the ablution procedure takes place before sunset. Afterwards the burial takes place.

Why are Muslims buried sitting?

This is due to certain Muslim ideas about the afterlife. They believe that after the death of the physical body, the soul remains in it until the Angel of Death transfers it to the Angel of Paradise, who will prepare it for eternal life. But before that, the soul of the deceased must answer several questions. In order for this to happen in conditions of decency, a Muslim is given a grave in which he sits and does not lie.

Muslim funerals are strictly regulated by religion. The Koran says that there is life after death. The burial ritual is one of the most important moments in the life of every Muslim, on which his future path will depend. It is known that there are currently more than 1.5 billion adherents of Islam in the world, but since they live in different countries, then the funerals of the Tatars will be somewhat different from the burial rites of the Chechens or Dagestanis.

For all faithful followers of Islam, preparation for the afterlife begins in this world. Thus, following their national traditions, elderly Tatars prepare in advance for this day by purchasing a kafan, or kefen, towels and various things for sadak, that is, for distribution at a funeral: such things can be scarves, shirts, towels and other household items, and also money.

Funerals of Muslims must be carried out according to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad. The dead are never cremated. According to Islam, this is compared to a terrible punishment equal to burning in hell. In addition, Sharia law strictly prohibits burying a Muslim follower in a cemetery for other religious faiths, and non-Muslims cannot be buried in a Muslim cemetery. A true believer must be buried on the day of death before sunset. You can do this the next day before sunset, but only if he died during the night.

Muslims do not bring artificial flowers and wreaths to funerals, but real flowers are also undesirable. This is due to the fact that the Prophet advised to avoid unnecessary spending on the dead, since money is more needed by the living. He said that you need to take care of people while they are alive, and flowers should also be brought to living people. The dead have no use for flowers.

Sequencing

A person who professes Islam begins to prepare for the transition to another world, being on the threshold of death: he prays and reads the Koran. While the dying person is still alive, they place him on his back so that his legs are pointing towards Mecca and begin to read a prayer in a loud voice so that the dying person can hear clearly. Customs require that shortly before death any Muslim believer is given some cold water to drink.

Relatives, neighbors or invited people go to dig a grave, which cannot be left empty, so either a person remains near it or any metal object is placed in it. Those who participated in the digging receive sadaq: as a rule, these are handkerchiefs or money.

All this time the women are preparing for the funeral: they sew the shroud by hand, without knots, simply sewing the fabric together with large stitches. After the men return from the cemetery, washing the body begins.

Complete washing of the body, or ghusl, according to the requirements of the Koran, is performed by a woman if the deceased is female, and by a man if male. Then the body is wrapped in a shroud (kafan), and at least four people must take part in this process. Martyrs are not washed. If there are no people of the same gender as the deceased, then bathing is also not performed. However, in such a situation it is possible to perform tayammum, that is, one can perform ablution with sand or earth.

The body of the deceased is placed on a solid platform called tanashir and facing Mecca.

The deceased is given a bandage on his jaw so that it does not sag, his eyes are closed, his arms and legs are straightened, and something heavy is placed on his stomach so that it does not swell. Women's hair is divided into two parts and laid out across the chest. According to the tradition of Tatar funerals, the head is often covered with an old towel. All glass surfaces are also covered.

Then the body is transferred to the tobut, or funeral stretcher, and the funeral prayer begins to be recited, while remaining calm and refraining from loud sobs, since it is believed that the deceased will suffer if mourned noisily.

According to Muslim customs, it is forbidden to pray for someone who killed his mother or father, but you can do this for a suicide. If several people died at once, you can read one common prayer. If men are absent and a woman reads a prayer, then the latter is recognized as valid.

Washing traditions

The Muslim ritual of washing is carried out as follows:

1. The deceased is laid on a hard surface facing Mecca, and the entire place where the bathing will take place is scented with herbs or essential oils. The genital organs of the body are covered with cloth.
2. The hassal, or the person who will perform the washing, washes his hands three times, puts on gloves and presses on the belly of the deceased, squeezing out its contents. Then he washes his genitals without looking at them. Then the hassal takes off his gloves, puts on new ones, dips them in water and wipes the deceased’s mouth, cleans his nose and washes his face.
3. After this, he washes both hands up to the elbows, starting washing with right hand. The body is placed on the left side, and the right side is washed, while each arm up to the elbow and the face are washed three times. The head and beard are washed with warm soapy water and cedar powder, or gulkair.
4. The laws of Islam dictate the same procedure for bathing the body for men and women: the genitals are not touched with hands, water is simply poured onto the fabric with which they are covered. All actions are carried out three times. Then the body is turned over on the other side and everything is repeated. However, turning the body face down to wash the back is not permitted.
5. Aromatic oils are applied to the nostrils, forehead, hands and feet. It is prohibited to cut the hair or nails of the deceased.

According to Islamic law, you cannot bury a person wearing clothes. His body must be wrapped in a shroud, or kafan, preferably made of white material. This procedure is called Takfin. As reported in a hadith from Aisha, it is advisable to wrap a deceased man in three white blankets, each of which should cover his entire body. A woman is wrapped in 5 sheets: one to wrap her head, the second to cover her body below the navel, the third to cover her body above the navel, and the remaining two to wrap her entire body.

To wrap newborn children or dead babies, one piece of cloth should be enough. For male children under 9 years of age, it is permissible to be wrapped in a shroud in the same way as for an adult or baby. Tatar funerals require that the kafan be made for the deceased spouse by the wife, and for the wife by the husband, children or other relatives. In a situation where the deceased was alone, the funeral ceremony should be carried out by the closest neighbors.

If the deceased was poor, then wrapping his body with three blankets will be considered sunnah. If the deceased was not poor and did not leave debts behind, then his body is covered with three sheets without fail. At the same time, the fabric of the shroud must correspond to the material condition of the deceased - in this way respect for him is expressed. Although the body is allowed to be wrapped in fabric that has already been used, it is better if the fabric is new.

Silk cloth is prohibited from wrapping a man's body.

The wrapping order is as follows:

1. According to the rules that accompany funerals in Islam, hair and beard are not cut or combed before takfin, fingernails and toenails are not cut, and gold crowns are never removed. All these procedures must be carried out while the person is still alive.
2. The procedure for wrapping for men is as follows: the first cloth, lifofah, sprinkled with aromatic herbs and sprinkled with aromatic oils, such as rose oil, is laid on a hard surface. The next cloth, isor, is spread on top of the bodice. The body is placed on it, wrapped in a third cloth, kamis. The hands of the deceased are stretched along the body and rubbed with incense. After this, prayers are read, and then the deceased is said goodbye. The Izor fabric is wrapped around the body in the following sequence: first the left side, then the right. The Lifof cloth is first wrapped on the left side, after which knots are tied at the legs, head and waist. These knots will be untied when the body begins to be lowered into the cab.
3. The procedure for wrapping women is similar to that for men, the only difference is that before wrapping in kamis, the chest of the deceased woman is covered with another cloth, khirka, which should cover the chest from the level of the armpits to the abdomen. And a scarf, a himor, is placed on the woman’s face, tucked under her head. After the woman is covered with the kamis, her hair is placed on it.

Prayer at a funeral

Islam attaches great importance to prayer during funerals according to Muslim traditions. great importance. Funeral stretcher with extendable top part, called tobut, are installed perpendicular to the location of Mecca.

The prayer is read by the imam or a person replacing him, while he is located closest to the tobut, and everyone else gathered is located behind him.

Unlike daily prayers, in this case there are no bows, either from the waist or from the ground. Janazah, as the funeral prayer is called, is an appeal to the Almighty with a request to forgive the deceased and have mercy. The imam asks the relatives of the deceased whether he owes anyone, and whether there is anyone who quarreled with him and has not forgiven him. He asks all these people not to hold a grudge against the buried person and to forgive him.

If a prayer is not read over the body of the deceased, the funeral will not be recognized as valid. Janazah should also be read over a child or newborn who has had time to cry. If the newborn is already stillborn, then it is not recommended to read a prayer over him. Janazah is read over all the dead who professed Islam, even over small children, with the only exception being martyrs.

Burial procedure

According to Islamic law, it is required very quickly, preferably on the same day, at the nearest cemetery. Moreover, the body should be lowered downwards, and then you need to lay it on the right side so that its face looks in the direction of Mecca. When they throw earth into the grave, they pronounce words in Arabic, the translation of which is: “we all belong to the Almighty and we return to the Almighty.”

The grave, covered with earth, should rise above ground level by about 4 fingers. Water is poured onto the formed grave and handfuls of earth are thrown 7 times, and then a prayer is read in Arabic, the meaning of which is: “We created you from the earth, we will return you to the earth, and we will bring you out of it next time.” After this, only one person remains at the grave, who reads the tasbit or taskin, containing words about faith. They should make it easier for the deceased to meet the angels.

Kabr (grave)

Qabr, as a Muslim burial is called, can be excavated in different ways depending on the region, the topography of the cemetery and the composition of the soil in it. But you must comply with 2 requirements:

1. The deceased must be well protected from wild animals.
2. The burial must prevent the penetration and spread of odor.

Therefore, a hole must be dug to such a depth that animals and birds cannot dig it out, from 60 to 80 cm wide, and as long as the height of the deceased with an outstretched arm. The minimum depth of the hole is 150 cm, and the maximum (sunnah) is 225 cm. In general, a kabr is a depression in the ground, in which a special side niche is allocated for the body. It is dug on the side on which Mecca is located, and is made so high and wide that one can fit in it while sitting. Since it is prescribed in the sunnah (as written by Bushra al-Karim) that a niche in the kabra allows the deceased to be laid in a position approximately similar to the one in which he was during the bow during life, some people have the belief that Muslims are buried sitting.

The body is placed in a niche prepared and reinforced with bricks, facing Mecca, the ceiling is covered with slabs and the cabr is covered with earth.

If a believer dies while traveling on a ship, Sharia law requires that the funeral be postponed so that the deceased, brought to land, can undergo the ritual of burial on land. However, if the land is too far away, a complete Muslim ritual is performed over the deceased on the spot, with ablution, wrapping and prayer. After which something heavy is tied to his feet, and the body is given over to the water.

The burial place of Muslim believers differs from other cemeteries in that everything there is arranged in accordance with the words and commandments of the Prophet Muhammad, who advised visiting cemeteries so as not to forget about the end of the world:

1. The tombstones and qabras are oriented in the direction of Mecca.
2. All the deceased lie facing towards Mecca.
3. Anyone coming to the cemetery should not light or place candles, bring wreaths, bouquets, or drink alcohol.
4. A Muslim's grave should be modest, without excesses, so as not to humiliate the poor and not cause envy.
5. The gravestone indicates the name of the person buried, the date of death, general information there should be quotes from the Koran about him, but there should be no photographs or other images of him.
6. Every Muslim cemetery has special places for washing the dead.
7. Sitting on the graves of Muslim believers is prohibited.
8. It is not recommended to install monuments on graves, but it is allowed to put a slab so that everyone understands that this is a grave and you cannot walk on it.
9. The use of kabra as a place of prayer is discouraged.
10. It is not permitted to bury infidels in a Muslim cemetery, even if all their relatives profess Islam.
11. A Muslim believer passing by a cemetery, as a rule, recites a sura from the Koran, and the way the graves are located tells him where to turn his face.

Mourning the deceased

Muslim funerals should not be accompanied by loud sobs and hysterical lamentations; in addition, one should not mourn the deceased already on the fourth day after his death. As such, the Shariah does not prohibit mourning the deceased, but doing it too loudly is strictly prohibited. It is unacceptable for relatives of the deceased to scratch their faces and bodies, pull out hair, tear clothes, or inflict any kind of injury on themselves. Muhammad said that the deceased was feeling bad and was suffering while they were mourning him.

Islamic law requires that crying men, especially the young or middle-aged, those around them reproached them, and if children or old people burst into tears, they were affectionately consoled.

Sharia law prohibits the profession of mourners, but in some Islamic countries there are still professional mourners who are characterized by subtle, touching voices. These women are hired by people who do not observe the laws of their religion for the duration of funeral rituals and wakes.

Memorial days

Tazia, that is, condolences to the relatives of the deceased, is usually expressed during the first 3 days after death, after which it is no longer desirable. It is strictly forbidden to stay overnight in the house of the deceased if tazia is being held there. Condolences are not expressed twice. Mandatory reading of the Koran and distribution of sadaqa are provided.

Muslims hold funerals:

• on the day of the funeral;
• on the third day;
• on the seventh day;
• on the fortieth day;
• on the anniversary of death.

A wake is then held each year on the day of death. All relatives are invited to them, even if they live very far away, and one can refuse the invitation only in exceptional situations. As a rule, everyone invited comes.

In the house of the deceased, a table is set for those who come to say goodbye. The relatives and friends of the deceased themselves do not take part in preparing the funeral meal. Friends and neighbors bring and prepare everything necessary, since the relatives of the deceased are too depressed by the grief that has befallen them.

There is no alcohol at the Muslim funeral meal; tea and sweets are served on the table, and then pilaf is served. No special dishes are prepared for the funeral; everything is laid out on the table the same as every day. Sweets are a must because they symbolize sweetness. afterlife for Muslims.

The funeral meal takes place in complete silence.

Men and women participate in the funeral meal only separately, and they must be in different rooms. When there is only one room, and it is impossible to divide it, then only men participate in the funeral meal. After it, everyone silently gets up and goes to the cemetery to the grave of the deceased.