Death and Burial

• Death


  A natural part of all life, and it is the gateway to the next world where the soul continues its journey through the stages of the Akhirah (Hereafter)
• Allah says, "Every soul shall taste death" (3:185)
• For a believer who loves and yearns to meet Allah, death is a special occasion


  The Prophet said: "Whoever loves [the thought of] meeting Allah, Allāh loves to meet them..."
• What to do when a person passes away


  1. Straighten the limbs

  2. Close eyes and mouth if open

  3. Remove jewellery and other objects

  4. Bathing (ghusl)

  5. Shrouding

  6. Performing Salat Al-Janazah

  7. Burial
• Washing the deceased


  The body of a person is sacred after death just as it is when alive, so they should be washed with care and gentleness
• Process of washing the deceased


  1. Perform wuḍu' without putting water into nose and mouth

  2. Use fragranced soap and shampoo

  3. Tilt body to right and left to wash back

  4. Lightly press stomach to remove impurities

  5. Dry body with cloth after ghusl
• Who performs ghusl


  Males should wash males and females should wash females. The ghusl is done (or supervised) by someone who knows about the process and rulings of washing the deceased.
• Shrouding the deceased


  1. Use three sheets of white cloth: outer sheet (lifafah), tunic (qamis), lower wrap (izār)

  2. For women, add scarf (khimär) and chest wrap (khirqah)
• Tying the shroud


  1. Start with izār on lower half

  2. Put qamis on top part

  3. Wrap lifafah around full body and tie ends
• If a person dies without saying the shahädah, it does not mean they die as a non-Muslim. As long as a person dies with the shahādah in their heart, we always hope that Allah will grant them Jannah.
• Performing Şalāt al-Janazah


  1. Farḍ kifāyah - if no one performs it, every Muslim in the local community will be sinful

  2. More people participating, the better

  3. If small congregation, split into three rows
• Fard


  Fard 'ayn - obligatory for each individual Muslim

  Fard kifāyah - collective obligation upon the Muslim community
• Janāzah


  Funeral prayer for the deceased
• The janazah of a child


  Salāh will be performed, and the congregation will make du'a' for the child's parents

  Children go straight to Jannah and remain in the company of Prophet Ibrāhīm
• Burial


  Bury in same city they died in, unless necessary

  Men should carry the coffin

  Avoid stepping on graves

  Recite when placing body in grave: "In the name of Allah, with Allah's [help] and according to the way of Allah's Messenger."
• Attending a Muslim's burial carries great reward
• When you perform the Janazah prayer for the deceased


  Make sincere du'a' for them
• After filling the grave with soil


  Those present should make du'a' for the wellbeing of the deceased
• Helping the deceased and their family


  Recommended to make a donation (as sadaqah) on behalf of the deceased

  Permitted du'a', Hajj, fasts and uḍhiyyah (sacrificing an animal) to be performed on behalf of the deceased
• Ta'ziyah


  Consoling the deceased's family and reassuring them
• Bequeath


  To leave property and wealth to someone after one's death
• Compassion


  Concern for the suffering or loss of others
• Deceased


  A person who has recently passed away
• Grief


  Sadness and sorrow, especially when caused by someone's death
• Mourning


  Expressing sorrow at someone's death
• Muslim's burial carries great reward
• The Prophet: '"When you perform the Janazah prayer for the deceased, make sincere du'a' for them."'
• After filling the grave with soil


  1. Those present should make du'a' for the wellbeing of the deceased

  2. The Prophet said: "Ask [Allāh to grant] them stability. For, they will now be questioned."
• It is recommended to make a donation (as sadaqah) on behalf of the deceased
• Actions permitted to be performed on behalf of the deceased


  • Du'a'
  • Hajj
  • Fasts
  • Uḍhiyyah (sacrificing an animal)
• Scholars have also extended this further and allow a person to gift the reward of other actions to the deceased
• Such actions include nafl prayers, recitation of the Qur'an and all other types of nafl worship
• A person should also support the deceased's family in whatever way they can to lessen their burden
• People who are visiting the deceased's family should not expect to receive food, nor should this be made into a custom
• Ta'ziyah


  Visiting the deceased's family to console and reassure them
• It is sunnah to visit the graveyard, and one should visit regularly
• The purpose of visiting the graveyard should be to reflect upon one's life and actions and to think deeply about the preparations a person has made for death
• Three things follow the deceased [to their grave]. Two [of them] return, and one will remain with them. Their family, wealth and actions will follow them; their family and wealth will return, and their actions will remain
• When a human dies, their deeds cease [to be recorded and thus cannot benefit them] apart from three: [leaving behind] a continuous charity, knowledge from which benefit is gained, or a righteous child who makes du'a' for them
• Grief affects people in different ways. They can express this emotion through sadness, anger or by shutting themselves off from others