Funerals

According to Quran and Sunnah

 Al-Istirjaa

When the news of death in the family reaches the relatives and friends, the first thing that they should say is the following Qur'anic verse (2:156): "Inna lil-laahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon [Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.]".  This du'aa is known in arabic as al-Istirjaa.

In the case of the husband or wife, they should add "Allaahumma ajirnee fee museebatee wakh-luf lee khayran minhaa (or minhu if it is the wife saying it) [O Allah grant me refuge in my affliction and replace her(him) with someone better]

Crying For Mercy at time of Death is Okay

The Prophet shed tears, but did not cry out in a loud voice....

Hadith - Bukhari
We went with Allah's Apostle to the blacksmith Abu Saif, and he was the husband of the wet-nurse of Ibrahim (the son of the Prophet). Allah's Apostle took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelled him and later we entered Abu Saif's house and at that time Ibrahim was in his last breaths, and the eyes of Allah's Apostle started shedding tears. 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf said, "O Allah's Apostle, even you are weeping!" He said, "O Ibn 'Auf, this is mercy." Then he wept more and said, "The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your separation."

Words at The Time of Dying

Both Aboo Sa'eed al-Khudree and Aboo Hurayrah quoted the Prophet (SAW) as saying "Prompt your dying ones (to say): laa ilaaha il-lal-laah ¹ and whoever's last words before dying are: laa ilaaha il-lal-laah, will enter Paradise one day,even if he is afflicted before that by punishment."²

      ¹Sahih Muslim,Vol.2,#1996
      ²This addition is only found in Saheeh ibn Hibbaan, authenticated in Irwaa al-Ghaleel,vol . 3,pg.150

This statement does not simply mean that we should mention shahadah, but the dying person should be instructed to say the shahadah, as is evident from the Prophet's statement, whoever's last words are: "laa ilaahha il-lal-laah."

Muslims are also encouraged to be present when non-muslims are dying in order to present Islaam to them,in the hope that they will accept Islaam prior to their deaths. For the acceptance of Islaam at this point to be of any benefit, it must be based on knowledge, it must be expressed sincerely and with certainty, and it must take place before the actual throes of death begin.

Hadith - Muslim, vol.1, p.20, #41, Narrated Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger said, "I testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. Any servant who meets Allah with those two {testimonies}, having no doubt in them, will enter Paradise."

Hadith - Muslim, vol.1, p.18, #36, Narrated 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar

The Prophet said,"Allah, Most Great and Glorious, will accept his servants repentance until the throes of death begin." [Collected by at-Tirmithee and ibn Maajah and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah,vol.2,p.418,#3430. See Riyadh-us-Saleheen,vol.1,p.12,#18 for an english translation of this hadeeth]

Good Words

People present may pray aloud for the one who is dying letting the person hear words of concern and sympathy.Negative words should be avoided this will only increase the difficulties the sick and dying are facing.Good words and positive thoughts will make the process of dying easier and recovery from illness more bearable...

Umm Salamah related that the Prophet(SAW) said, "If you are in the presence of a sick or dying person,you should say good things,for verily the angels say"Aameen" to whatever you say." When Umm Salamah asked the Prophet (SAW) what should she say, he replied: "Say: Allaahumma-ghfir lee wa lahu wa a'qibnee minhu'uqbaa hasanah [O Allah forgive him and me, and grant me a good substitute after him.]"      

[Sahih Muslim, vol.2, p.436, #2002; Sunan Abu Dawud, vol.2.p.887#3109; Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2, pp.366-7, #1447 and Mishkat Al-Masabih, vol.1, p337; Sahih Muslim, vol.2, p.436, #2002]

Surah Yaaseen

The practice of specifically reading the 36th chapter of the Qur'aan, Soorah Yaaseen, in the presence of the dying has no basis in the authentic Sunnah. Neither the Prophet  nor his companions did it, or recommended that it be done. However, it does fall under the general heading of "good things"which could be said in the presence of the one who is dying, but it carries with it no special value...

There is an inauthentic hadeeth narrated by Ma'qil and collected in Sunan Abu Dawud, vol.2, p.889#3115, Sunan Ibn-i-Majah,vol.2,p.367#1448. See Also Mishkat Al-Masabih,vol.1,p.338. It is declared inauthentic in Da'eef Sunan Abee Daawood,p316#683. This inauthentic hadeeth incorrectly specifies that Surah Yaaseen should be read for the dying; to believe that doing so has special value is considered bid'ah, a sinful innovation in the religion.

Facing the Qiblah

Turning the body of one who is dying so that he or she faces the qiblah [Makkah] has no foundation in the practice of the Prophet(SAW) and his companions. The body should be turned to face Makkah when it is placed in the grave, according to the Prophets instructions. However at the time of dying there were no instructions. Turning the body became a custom after the time of the Prophets companions, but was objected to by the scholars of that time...i.e.Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyib ibn Hazn (634-713CE), from the Madeenite tribe of Makhzoom, was one of the seven leading legal scholars of Madinah. He was known as the most knowledegeable scholar about 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab's legal principles and his rulings. He lived on what he earned from the sale of olive oil and he never accepted grants.(Al-A'laam,vol.3p.155) Collected by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf and authenticated in Ahkaamul-Janaa'iz,p.11, nt.15.

Acceptance of Fate

The dying individual is obliged to accept his lot gracefully so that it becomes a source of reward and blessing for him on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet (SAW) taught that patiently bearing the trials of this life is an act of righteousness which expiates sins.

Abdullah stated that he visited Allah's Messenger (SAW) while he was suffering from a high fever and said to him ,"O Messenger Of Allah,you have a high fever."He replied ,"yes,I have a fever equal to that of two of your men experience." I asked, "Is it because you will have double the reward?"He replied,"Yes , it is so.Any Muslim who is afflicted with the harm of a thorn prick or more will have,as a result of it ,some of his sins expiated the way a tree sheds it's leaves."

Sahih Al Bukhari,vol.7,p374,#551 and Sahih Muslim,vol.4,p1364,# 6235...

Between Fear and Hope

The dying person should be in a psychological state between fear and hope.The person should fear Allah's punishment for his or her sins and,at the same time, hope for Allah's mercy and forgiveness...

"Do not lose hope of Allah's mercy, for verily Allah(can)forgive all sin."

The only exception to that rule is the sin of shirk, as it negates the very purpose of creation...

The Noble Qur'an - az-Zumar39:53

Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Noble Qur'an - 4:48, see also 4:116

Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

The Death Wish

No matter how severe the pain of the sickness may become, one is not allowed to hope or wish for death.The death wish reflects a belief that Allah has burdened one beyond his or her capacity and indicates a lack of patience.The longer people live,the more opportunity they have to do good and improve their lot...

Hadith - Bukhari,vol.7,p390,#575, Muslim,vol.4,p1411,#6480 & 6485

Anas quoted the Prophet(SAW) as saying, "None of you should wish for death because of some harm which has afflicted him.But if one must do it, let him say: Allaahumma ahyinee maa kaanatil-hayaatu khayran lee [O Allah keep me alive as long as living is best for me] wa tawaffanee ithaa kaanatil-wafaatu khayran lee[and take my life if death is better for me]."

Debts

Dying individuals may have in their possession certain items belonging to others. If that is the case,they should return them as soon as they are able to do so, in order to avoid having to pay them back from their good deeds on the Day of Judgement.

The Prophet(SAW) was reported to have said, "There are two types of debt: whoever dies intending to repay it, I will be responsible for it,and whoever dies with no intention to repay it, will have it taken from his good deeds.There will not be any deenaars or dirhams on that Day. [Collected by at-Tabaranee and authenticated in Ahkaamul janaa'iz,p.5]

Waseeyah (Will)

Before dying, everyone leaving behind wealth and property should write or dictate a will in which they may give away up to one-third of their wealth to those who would not inherit from them based on Islamic inheritance laws.

This recommendation was instituted by Allah to protect the rights of non-inheriting relatives and friends. Consequently the Prophet (SAW) encouraged muslims to record and keep it with them,as soon as the need arises.

Abdullaah ibn'Umar related that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "It is not right for a muslim who has something to bequeath to pass two nights without having it in writing in his possession... Reported by ibn'Umar and recorded in all of the six major books of hadeeth...

      Sahih Al-Bhukari ,vol.4, p1#1
      Sahih Muslim,vol.3, p863#3987
      Sunan Abu Dawud,vol.2, p.805#2856

According to Islaamic law, wealth obtained by waseeyah is not considered inheritance,but a gift. Under this law muslims may leave a portion of their wealth to non-muslim relatives and a muslim may also receive a portion in a will from a non-muslim relative, because it is considered a gift. Otherwise "A muslim must not inherit from a disbeliever, nor should a disbeliever inherit from a muslim." [Sahih Al-Bukhari ,vol.8, p.498, #756/Sahih Muslim,vol.3,p.852,# 3928]

According to the system of Islaamic inheritance laws (faraa'id), non-muslims are not classified as heirs to muslims. Likewise, muslims have no right to take portions of their dead non-muslim relatives 'wealth allotted by non-Islaamic systems of inheritance. (That is, if the deceased non-muslim relative does not write a will ' waseeyah' and the non-muslim state divides up his/her wealth according to it's manmade laws,the muslim relative is prohibited by Islaamic law to accet any share allotted to him/her by this process.)

After Death

Obligatory actions on those present:

Once the person expires (passes away), the relatives and those present are obliged to perform particuliar services for him or her.

1. Closing the eyes and du'aa (supplication)

The eyes of the dead person should be closed and some prayers should be made for him,based on the following hadeeth of Umm Salamah;

Hadith - Sahih Muslim,vol.2pp.436-7 #2003

Umm Salamah said, "Allah's Messenger (SAW) came in and found Aboo Salamah's eyes staring. He closed them and said, verily when the soul is snatched, the eyes follow it." Some people from his family began to scream, so he said,"Only pray for good for yourselves, for verily the angels say 'Aameen [So-be-it]' to whatever you say,"

He then prayed, saying:

Allaahummagh-fir li Abee Salamah warfa' darajatahoo filmahdeeyeen,
[O Allaah, forgive Aboo Salamah and raise his level among the rightly guided,]

wakhlufhu fee 'aqibihee filghaabireen.
[and let his remaining offspring be like him.]

waghfir lanaa walahoo yaa Rabbal-Aalameen
[Forgive us and forgive him,O Lord of all the worlds]

wafsah lahoo fee qabrihee wa nawwir lahoo feeh.
[and expand his grave and illuminate it for him.]

2. Covering the body

A sheet of cloth large enough to cover the whole body of the deceased should be drawn over the whole body.

3. Hastening the burial

It is not permissable for muslims to delay the burial in order for the maximum number of rlatives to see the deceased, as is common practice among other communities. Once death is evident, the body should be prepared and taken out of the house for prayer and burial as soon as possible. In this way,contact with the dead body is minimized, which keeps the grief and hurt of seeing the dead down to a minimum. Abu Hurayrah related that the Prophet   said "Hasten the funeral rites" [Collected in all six major books of hadeeth. See: Sahih Al-Bukhari vol.2,p.225, #401; Sahih Muslim,vol.2,p448,#2059; Sunan Abu Dawud,vol.2,pp897-8,#.3153; Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2, p.383, #1477; Mishkat Al-Masabih,vol.1, p338]

4. Locating the burial

The dead should be buried in the same area where they died. Transporting the body to another area or another country is not permissable if it will unnecessarily delay the burial or cause financial or other hardship.

5. Paying off debts of deceased

All outstanding debts of the dead person should be repaid from the wealth that he or she left behind,even if it consumes all of the inheritance. If the dead person is without wealth or the inheritance was not sufficient to cover all of his or her debts, the Islamic state will be responsible to repay the remainder, if the dead person had made serious efforts to pay it.

Permissable Actions by Those Present

1. Uncovering the face and kissing it

Those present at the individual's death or those who come to see the dead person for the last time are allowed to uncover theface and kiss it.Kissing the face of the dead is considered a part of the Sunnah of the Prophet(SAW) and his companions. [Sunan Abu Dawud vol.2,p.898,# 3157, Sunan Ibn-i-Majah vol.2,p.371 #1456]

2. Crying

Those present and the relatives of the deceased are allowed to cry for a maximum period of three (3) days.

Abdullah ibn Ja'far narrated that the Prophet (SAW) delayed coming to visit Ja'far's family 'for three days after his death',then he came to them and said, "Do not cry for my brother after today." [Dawud,vol.3,p.1165,#4180]

3. Patience

Relatives of the deceased are obliged to be patient, practice self restraint, and gracefully accept Allah's decree,because Allah has already promised mankind that He would test them.

The Noble Qur'an 2:155

"Verily I will test you with fear and hunger,and loss of wealth, life, and the fruit (of your labor),so give glad tidings to the patient ones."

Among the glad tidings for those who are patient when loved ones are lost is that a home is prepared for them in Paradise, Aboo Moosaa al-Ash'aree quoted Allah's Messenger  as saying:

Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmithee,vol.1,pp.298-9, #814
"If a child of [Allah's] slave dies, Allah will say to His angels: You took My slaves child, they will reply: Yes, He will then say: You took the love of his life, and they will reply: Yes, He will then ask: What did My slave say? and they will reply: He praised you and said, surely, we belong to Allah and to Him we will return.' Allah will then say: Build a house in Paradise for My slave and call it the House of Praise."

However true patience for which Allah, swt, promises reward is that which is practised when calamity first strikes. The real test of patience is at the time of the calamity; being patient after the initial shock and reaction have worn off is not considered real patience.

Al-Hidaad (Mourning)

Women are required to avoid all forms of beautification as a sign of mourning for their husbands, children or relatives. This does not contradict the recommendations for patience, as long as the mourning does not exceed three days for her child or relative and four months and ten days for her husband.

Hadith - Al-Bukhari, vol.7, pp.193-4,# 254 and Sahih Muslim, vol.2, p.778, #3552
Umm 'Ateeyah said, "We were forbidden to mourn for more than three days for a dead person, except for a husband, in which case a woman should mourn for four months and ten days [during this period] we were not allowed to wear khol on our eyes, nor perfume ourselves, nor wear colored clothes, except 'asab cloth. It was permissable for us at the time of bathing at the end of menses to use a small amount of incense."

Forbidden Actions by Those Present

1. Wailing

The Prophet strictly forbade wailing, screaming and hiring of mourners. Furthermore, he identified such practices as acts of kufr (disbelief), because they indicate displeasure with what Allah has decreed. Eemaan (faith) includes the belief that Allah is the source of all good and that all of His actions are wise. Proper eemaan would never allow those who possess it to commit such acts of ignorance.

• Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said,"There are two practices found among people, both of which indicate disbelief: ridiculing the ancestry (of others) and wailing over the dead."  [Muslim, vol.1, p.44, #128]
• "Verily the dead are punished in thir graves by the wailing of their family over them." [Bukhari, vol.2, p.213, #379; Muslim, vol.2, p.439, #2015]
• The Prophet said, "The deceased who is wailed over is tortured for that wailing." [Bukhari 2.378, Narrated Al Mughira, r.a.]
• The Prophet said, "He who slaps the cheeks, tears the clothes and follows the tradition of the Days of Ignorance is not from us." [Bukhari 2.385, Narrated Abdullah, r.a.]

The dead will suffer due to the wailing of relatives in two cases: (a)When the deceased requested wailing prior to his death. (b) If the deceased knew that it was the custom of his people and he did not request that they not do so over him.

2. Striking Cheeks and Tearing of Clothes

At the time of the Prophet , the practice in Arabia for women in mourning was to slap or scratch their cheeks and to rip their clothes. These acts were strictly forbidden, as well as similar practices which involved self-punishment and the destruction of material wealth. These practices all heighten the pain and sorrow that accompany death,while Islam seeks to minimize it.

Ibn Mas'ood reported that the Prophet said, "Whoever slaps his face,tears his clothes,or invites(others)to an un-islamic slogan is not of us." [Collected by Al-Bukhari,Muslim, Ibn Maajah and al-Bayhaqee; Bukhari, vol.2, p.216, #385; Sahih Muslim,vol.1,p.59,#184]

3. Shaving the Head or Dishevelling the Hair

In Islam women are required to shun various forms of beautification in order to avoid attracting other men during their period of mourning,since contracting marriage during this time is forbidden. However,shaving the head and dishevelling the hair is prohibited,as these acts go beyond normal bounds and are associated with pre-islamic concepts. [Bukhari,vol.2,p.215,#383; Muslim,vol.1,p.59,nos.186-7]

4. Announcing someone's death

It is forbidden to make a big affair about announcing anyone's death, such as proclaiming it from the minarets of the mosques, announcing it in the market streets,etc.

If someone died, Huthayfah ibn al-Yamaan used to say, "Do not proclaim his death to anyone,for fear that it may be a death announcement and I heard Allah's Messenger  forbid death announcement with my own two ears." [at-Tirmithee and Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2,p.382,#1476,and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah, vol.1, p.248, #1203]

However,a calmly expressed general announcement is allowed,based on the Prophet's practice.

5. Gathering to give condolences

The custom of organizing gatherings in the home, at the grave or in the masjid to give condolences to the family of the deceased is against the Sunnah of the companions of the Prophet .

Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee said, "I dislike gatherings, even if there is no wailing or crying. For it only renews the [family's feelings of] sorrow and puts burdens on their food supplies." [Al-Umm,vol.1,p.248, quoted in Ahkaamu;-Janaa'iz,p.167 Al-Majmoo', vol.5, p.306, quoted in Ahkaamul-Janaa'iz, p.167]

6. Preparing food by the family of the deceased

The obligation placed on the family of the dead person to prepare food for gatherings is incorrect, based on the previously mentioned statement of the Prophets (SAW) companion, al-Bajalee. Furthermore, it contradicts theProphet's (SAW) explicit instructions to relatives, friends and neighbors is to send food to the bereaved family. [Bukhari, vol.7, p.401, #593; Muslim,vol.4,p.1202,#5491. Collected by at-Tirmithee,Aboo Daawood and ibn Maajah(Sunan Ibn Majah, vol.2, p.455, #1610) and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah,vol.1,p.268,#1306]

Recommended Actions by Those Present

Preparing food for the family of the deceased

It was the practice of the Prophet to have his family prepare food for the relatives of the dead.

People later elaborated on this practice until it became an exaggerated ritual with much pomp and show. Later scholars considered its distorted form an innovation and abandoned it. [Sunan Ibn-i-Majah,vol.2,p.455,#1610]

Testifying Good of the Dead

It is recommended that righteous muslims who knew the deceased well and were among his or her neighbors should testify to others about the good qualities of the deceased.

Anas quote the Prophet(SAW) as saying, "For any muslim who dies and four of his close neighbors testify that they have known him to be good, Allah-the Blessed, the Highest-will say, 'I have accepted your testimony and forgiven him for what you do not know about.' [Collected by Ahmad and authenticated in Ahkaamul-Janaa'iz, pp.45-6]