Death and Burial of A Muslim

by WATERVAL ISLAMIC INSTITUTE

GHUSL REQUIREMENTS

  1. Clean luke-warm water.
  2. A broad bench, stand or platform.
  3. Two large buckets for warm water, one small bucket or utensil, this is for the water to be mixed with a little camphor for use at the end of the Ghusl.
  4. Two jugs or mugs for pouring water over corpse.
  5. Leaves of Ber tree (Zizyphus Jujuba) if easily available, to be mixed with the luke-warm water, and a cake of soap.
  6. 250g cotton wool.
  7. Two Teh’bands and two bag-like mittens with strips.
  8. A scissor for removing the dead person’s clothing.
  9. Lobaan (Frankincense - Aromatic gum resin obtained from trees) or any other Paak incense for smoking the bench, stand or platform.

One clean bed sheet for covering the body after Ghusl. k. One clean towel or piece of material for drying corpse.

WHO SHOULD PERFORM THE GHUSL

The Ghusl is the bath for the body of the dead person. An adult male should be bathed by his father, son or brother. An adult female by her mother, daughter or sister. If none of these persons are present then any near relative could carry out this duty. (male for male, and female for female) If any of these are not in a position to perform the Ghusl, the most pious person present should be requested to carry out this rite. The person giving Ghusl should be assisted by others. The person performing the Ghusl must himself or herself be Paak and be in a state of Wudhu. It is Makrooh for a woman who is menstruating or in a state of Nifaas (period after the birth ()la child) to perform the Ghusl. If a male passes away and there are no males to bathe him, then besides his wife no other woman is permitted to carry out the Ghusl. In the case of a woman, if there are no ladies to perform the Ghusl, the husband cannot perform Ghusl of his wife. In both instances Tayammum should be performed. The Tayammum for Ghusl is the same as that for Namaaz. A child who has not reached the age of puberty (male or female) may be given Ghusl by any adult male or female, if a member of the same sex is not available.

THE GHUSL

(Masnoon sequence)

  1. A bench, stand or platform on which the Ghusl will be carried out must be washed cleaned and fumigated with Lobaan or any other Paak aromatic, three, five or seven times.
  2. If possible it is desirable that the body should be made to face th Qiblah during Ghusl.
  3. No hair of the Head, beard or any other part of the body must be cut, shaved, trimmed or combed. The nails too should not be cut. Circumcision is also not permissible. All Rings, jewellery, wigs etc. should be removed. Where the false teeth of the dead person can easily be removed, these should preferably be taken out.
  4. Thereafter the body must be put on the stand, the Satre Awrat covered (for males from the navel to below the knees, and for females from above the breast to the ankles).
  5. The stomach must gently be massaged, then both the Istinja places must be washed with mittens on, without looking at the private parts.
  6. The nostrils, ears, and mouth should be closed with cot­ton wool to prevent water entering the body during the Ghusl.
  7. If the deceased has reached the age of puberty, and was one on whom Namaaz was Fardh, he must be given This Wudhu is similar to that of Namaaz, with the exception of gargling and putting water into the nostrils. The proper sequence should be to wash: (1) Theface (2) arms to the elbows (3) Masah of the head and (4) feet up to the ankles.
    1. If the dead person is in a state of Janaabat, Haiz, Nifaas where Ghusl is Waajib on him/her the mouth has to be gargled and nostrils be wetted. This can be done with a little wet cotton wool with which the mouth and nostrils be wetted and cleaned.
    2. After the Wudhu the head and beard should first be washed with soap, or any other cleansing agent. If these are not readily available pure clean water will suffice. The temperature of the water must be that which a living person normally uses when bathing.
    3. Thereafter the body should be tilted onto its left side to allow the right side to be washed first Warm water must now be poured over the body from head to toes once, and the body must be washed with soap until the water has reached the bottom (left side). The body must now be washed again twice by pouring water from head to toe. Now the body must be turned onto its right side and the left side bathed similarly.
    4. Thereafter the body must be lifted slighly to a sitting position, and the stomach be gently massaged with a downward stroke. Whatever comes out of the body by this must be washed away. The Wudhu and Ghusl need not be repeated in case any impurity does come out.
    5. The body must once again be turned onto its left side and camphor water poured over it from head to toe three
    6. Now all the cotton wool should be removed from the mouth, ears and nose.
    7. With this, the Ghusl is complete and the body could be wiped with a towel or piece of material. The Satre Awrat must be kept covered. The first Teh’band will be wet due to the Ghusl so it must be changed for a second one. Care should be taken that while doing this the Satre-Awrat is not exposed.
    8. The body must then be wrapped in a sheet, and carried carefully onto the Kafn.

    HOW THE KAFN SHOULD BE PUT ON (Masnoon sequence)

    MALE:-

    1. First spread the Lifafah out on the floor, then on it the Izaar and on it that portion of the Qamees that will be un­der the body. The portion that will cover the top of the body must be folded and put at the head side.
    2. Lower the body gently on to the Kafn and cover the top of the body up to the calfs with the folded portion of the
    3. Remove Teh’band and sheet used for covering the Satr.
    4. Rub Itr or Hunoot on the head and beard.
    5. Then rub camphor mixture paste, on the places of Sajdah (Those parts of the body that touch the ground in Namaaz - forehead, nose, both palms, knees and fore ‘feet).
    6. First fold the left flap and on it the right flap of the Izaar over Qamees.
    7. Thereafter fold the Lifafah in the same manner. Remember that the right flap must always be on the top.
    8. Lastly fasten the ends of the Lifafah at the head side, feet end and around the middle with strips of cloth.

    FEMALE:-

    1. First spread the Lifafah out on the ground, then the Sina’­band, on it the Izaar then the Qamees in the same manner stated for the male. The sina’band may also be placed between the Izaar and Qamees or lastly over the Lifafah.
    2. Lower the body gently onto the Kafn, and cover the top part of the body up to the calfs with folded portion of
    3. ttemove the Teh’band and sheet used for covering the
    4. Do NOT use Itr, Surmah or any other make-up.
    5. Rub camphor mixture on places of Sajdah (forehead, nose, both palms, knees and fore feet).
    6. The hair should be divided into two parts, and put onto the right and left breast over the Qamees.
    7. Cover the head and hair with Orni. Do not fasten or fold
    8. Fold the Izaar, the left flap first then the right over the Qamees and Orni.
    9. Now close the Sina’band (breast cover) over these in the same manner.
    10. Close the Lifafah, the left flap first then the right.
    11. Lastly fasten the ends of the Lifafah at the headside, feet and around the middle with strips of cloth, to keep the complete Kafn in place.

    PROHIBITED ARTICLES IN THE KAFN

    1. It is prohibited to enclose any charter or any Duaa in the
    2. It is forbidden to write the Kalimah, or any other Duaa on the Kafn or chest of the dead person with camphor, ink

    It is however allowed to enclose the Ghilaaf of the Kaa’bah for Tabarruk.

    WHAT TO DO AFTER THE KAFN

    With the completion of the Ghusl and the Kafn the Mayyit (deceased person) is ready for the Dafn (burial). No time should be wasted and the Namaaz of Janaazah should be arranged without delay. Rasulullah has said, ‘If a person passes away, hasten him to his grave and do not keep him away’. The Janaazah Namaaz must be arranged quickly and the Mayyit should be buried in the nearest Muslim Kabrastan (cemetery). To transport the body over long distances is un­desirable. It is also Makrooh to delay the Janaazah Namaaz and wait for latecomers to increase the Jamaat.

    IMPORTANT: It is only permissible for the Mahram woman folk of the deceased male to see his face. They are his wife, mother, grand mothers (Dadi and Nani), sisters, Aunts (Foil and Khalas), daughters and grand daughters. Besides these the Shariat does not allow any other woman to view the face of the deceased male. Similarly only the Mahram males should view the face of the deceased female.

    In both cases of a male and female Mayyit the face of the dead person should not be kept open after the Kafn is put on. The Quraan may be recited next to the body before the Janaazah is carried away.

  8. HOW THE JANAAZAH SHOULD BE CARRIED
    1. If the deceased is an adult it should be put on a Janaazah (bier) and carried on the shoulders by four men. It is Makrooh to transport the corpse by hearse over short dis­tances unnecessarily.
    2. If the deceased is an infant or small child, it should be carried in the arms individually by different persons.
    3. All those who lift or carry the Janaazah should recite
    4. When carrying the Janaazah the Mayyits’ head should be towards the front.
    5. The Mustahab manner of carrying the Janaazah is that every bearer has to carry the Janaazah forty steps. To do this observe the following procedure:

    (1) Carry Janaazah left front for ten steps (Mayyit’s right shoulder) (2) Carry Janaazah left rear for ten steps (Mayyit’s right foot) (3) Carry Janaazah right front for ten steps (Mayyit’s left shoulder) (4) Carry Janaazah right rear for ten steps (Mayyit’s left foot).

    This method should only be adopted if it does not cause in­convenience to others.

    1. Those accompanying the Janaazah should not sit before the Janaazah is lowered to the ground. The sick and infirm are excused.
    2. It is Masnoon to carry the Janaazah hastily, but not in a manner that the body is jolted or shaken about.
    3. It is Mustahab to follow the Janaazah, and not go ahead of

    It is Makrooh for those accompanying the Janaazah to recite any Duaa or Aayat of the Quraan loudly. They may however read LA ILAHA ILLALLAH softly. One should abstain from speaking of worldly affairs, or laughing and joking.

0 Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *