OF THE DEAD BODY  

Q 1: What are the signs of death?  

1. The signs of death are that one's legs slacken rendering him unable to stand, nose becomes  inclined to one side, temples sink, skin of the face stiffens etc.  

Q 2: What should be done at the time of death?  

1. When the death of one is nigh and the signs of death appear his face should, according to  Sunnah, be turned on his right facing the Qiblah if possible otherwise not. At this critical  juncture of his life, "Kalimah Taie-yib" or "Kalimah Shahaadat" must be recited before him  aloud in a suggestive way but he should not be stressed to do so. If he recites once, give up the  suggestion and if after that he utters some thing then repeat "Kalimah(s)" so that his last word be  "Laa Ilaaha Illal Laahu Muhammad ur Rasoolul Laah".  

Fragrance be placed there. For example, incense or aloe stick may be burnt. If there is any dog or  picture in the house remove that immediately as the Angels of mercy do not enter such house. It  is better that some pious and virtuous men remain beside him so that they may pray to Allah  Almighty for themselves as well as for the good of the dying man. No bad word should be  spoken before him. If there appear agonies of death on the dying man recite "Surah Yaaseen" and  "Surah Ra'ad"  

Q 3: What should be done after the dying man has died?  

1. After the soul has left the body of the dying man i.e. death is confirmed, the head and the chin  should be fastened together with a wide strip of cloth thereby to close the month, eyes be closed  gently and fingers, hands and legs be straightened. While closing the eyes recite this Du'aa:  "Bismil Laahi wa 'Alaa Millati Rasoolil Laah. Allaa Humma Yassir 'Alaiehi Amrahu wa Sahhil  'Alaiehi Maa Ba'dahu wa As'idhu Biliqaa-ika waj-al Maa Kharaja Ilaiehi Khaieram Mimmaa  Kharaja 'Anhum" (Allah, in the name of, and in accordance with the community (religion) of the  Messenger of Allah. O'Allah! Make his task easy for him and make light for him what follows,  grace him with Your Sight and make the hereafter (the place where he has gone) better for him  than the world he left). Then cloths be taken off and thereafter the whole body be covered with a  sheet of cloth. A weighty thing but not too weighty like iron or wet-clay may be put on the  stomach so that it does not bulge out. It should be placed on a "Charpai" (four-poster) or any  other raised thing but not be left on the ground.  

His debt, if any, must be cleared immediately. All relatives and friends of the deceased be  informed in order that more and more people may participate in funeral prayer. Washing,  shrouding and burying the dead must be hastened, for, Ahaadees lay emphasis on it.  

Q 4: Can the Holy Quran be recited near the dead?  

1. Yes, the Holy Quran can be recited near the dead provided that the body is fully covered with  sheet or any other cloth, otherwise, other "Tasbih" and "Zikr" (remembrance of Allah) be done.  

Q 5: How is that for washing the dead?  

1. Washing the dead is "Fard-e-Kifaayah" (an obligation which is fulfilled if performed by a few  men). All will be relieved of the obligation if "Ghusl" is done to the dead by some, otherwise all  will be sinner if do not wash it despite knowledge. 

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Q 6: What is the method of washing a dead?  

1. The method of washing a dead is that the plank on which corpse is to be bathed should be  fumigated three or five or seven times i.e. censer or aloe stick should be moved round the plank  and then have the dead laid on it and take off cloths causing least inconvenience to the dead and  then cover it with a piece of cloth from the navel upto the knees.  

It is "Mustahab" to cover the place where the dead is to be washed so that others could not see it  than those involved in the washing process. The one who gives bath to the dead should be in the  state of purity (not sexually or otherwise polluted). First he should do "Istinjah "(abstersion) to  the dead wearing gloves or wrapping his hands in cloth and then administer "Wudu" i.e. washing  of the face, hands upto (inclusive of) elbows, "Masah" of the head (rubbing of the head with wet  hands) and washing of feet leaving out washing of hands upto wrists, gargles and pouring of  water into nostrils. However, wet cotton or cloth should be passed over the teeth, gums, lips and  into the nostrils. The head and beard should be washed with gilly flowers or gram flour or pure  soap manufactured by an Islamic soap factory or any other cleansing substance if available  otherwise the simple water is enough to serve the purpose.  

Thereafter, he should lay the dead left side-ways and pour luke-warm water boiled with the  leaves of Jujubes' tree (buck-thorn family tree) from the head to the feet so that it reaches the  plank and then lay it right wide-ways and pour the water similarly. Simple boiled water (luke warm) will also do the job. Then have the dead seated with support and hand be pressed on its  belly slowly downwards. If any impurity comes out remove and wash it. Do not repeat the  procedure as "Wudu" and "Ghusl" are not affected by such emission.  

In the end of washing, camphoric water should be poured over the whole body from the head to  the feet and dry it up gently with a piece of clean cloth. Pouring water over entire body once is  "Fard" and thrice is "Sunnat".  

Q 7: Who should wash the dead?  

1. It is better that any close relative may wash the dead otherwise any pious and reliable man  should wash it well. If he notices any good thing, tell people about it but abstain from disclosing  any bad thing if noticed during washing process. However, if any unbeliever or a Muslim who  had erroneous beliefs died and any bad thing appeared on his body then let the people know it so  that they may learn a lesson from such horrible incidents. Man should wash man and woman  should give bath to woman. However, woman can wash minor boy and man can bathe minor  girl.  

Q 8: Should a new spouted-jug/ large earthen jar be utilised to wash the dead or the used ones?  A. It is not necessary to buy new spouted-jug or large earthen jar to wash the dead. The used i.e.  which are in use of family can be utilised for the purpose. After use they should not be broken or  discarded as it is forbidden and unlawful. They may at most be washed for re-use in family or be  placed in mosque not with the idea that their retention at home is bad omen because such  thinking is nothing but folly, but instead with the intention that worshippers will use them which  will benefit the dead.  

Q 9: How is that for shrouding the dead?  

1. Shrouding the dead is "Fard-e-Kifaayah". If only one man provides "shroud" to the dead all  will be relieved of the obligation otherwise all people will be sinner. 

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Q10: What the shroud of a man should, according to Sunnah, be composed of?  A. A man's shroud, according to Sunnah, consists of (1). "Lifaafah" (outer covering) which  should be long enough to be easily tied on the head and foot ends, (2). "Izaar" (inner covering)  from the head to the feet, smaller than "Lifaafah" in length i.e. without extra cloth for knots at  both ends unlike "Lifaafah" and (3). "Qameez" or "Kafnee" (shirt-like garment without front opening and sleeves) from the neck(shoulders) upto, inclusive of, knees and its front and back  should also be equal in length.  

Q11: What the shroud of a woman should, according to Sunnah, be composed of?  A. Five pieces of cloths are Sunnat for woman's shroud i.e. three are the same as those of a man  and two others are: "Orhnee"(sheet) 1 1/2 yards in length and "Seena Band"(chest covering)  from the chest to the thighs or at least to the navel. Man's shirt-like garment (Kafnee) should be  slit on the shoulder and woman's on the chest.  

Q12: How much shroud will serve the purpose if not available according to Sunnah?  A. Two pieces of cloth i.e. "Lifaafah" and "Izaar" will suffice for man's shroud and three i.e.  "Lifaafah", "Izaar" and sheet or "Lifaafah", "Qameez, Kafnee" and sheet for woman. If even  these are not available then at least a piece of cloth which could cover the whole body should be  arranged.  

Q13: Which cloth should the shroud be made of?  

1. Shroud should be of good cloth i.e. carry the price of what cloths the male dead used to put-on  on Eids' days and Friday and female dead used to wear on visiting her parents.  A Hadees says: shroud your dead in good cloths as they meet one another and rejoice at it. The  best shroud is that of white cloth. Saffron or dark-saffron coloured or silk shroud is forbidden for  man but lawful for woman. One can be shrouded in the cloth (quality-wise) which he/she wears  in life.  

Q14: What is the method of shrouding the dead?  

1. The method of shrouding the dead is that after having washed the dead and dried it up gently  with a piece of clean cloth lay on the fumigated shroud. First, outer-covering (Lifaafah) should  be spread, on it inner-covering (Izaar) and .shirt-like garment (Kafnee) thereon. And then the  dead should be laid on these cloths and "Kafnee" be put on it: Perfume should be applied on the  beard and body and camphor be applied to the marks of prostration, forehead, nose, hands, knees  and feet and then the left side of the inner-covering be turned on the body and similarly the right  side thereupon followed by folding of the outer-covering in the same manner so that the right  side of the wrapping is on the left. Shroud should be tied with bands of cloth on the head and  below the feet.  

As for female dead, after putting "Kafnee" on it divide her hair into two parts and put them on  the breast over the "Kafnee". Sheet should be spread under her upper-half of the back and folding  the remaining portion of it from the head-side put on the face spreading upto the chest like a veil  and then fold the "Izaar" and "Lifaafah" as is done in the case of man. On all these "Seena  Band"(chest covering) should be placed from the breast upto the thighs and then tied.  

Q15: What is the accepted way of carrying bier to graveyard?  

1. The Sunnat way of carrying "Janaazah"(bier) to graveyard is that four persons should carry  the four-poster shouldering one of its legs and change his shoulder after walking ten steps on  each of the four legs in succession. And "accepted way" according to Sunnah is that one should 

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shoulder the front right-leg of the four-poster and then the back right-leg and thereafter the front  left-leg and then the back left-leg walking ten steps on shouldering each leg. Thus the distance  covered will be forty paces. A Hadees to this effect says: the one who carries "Janaazah" forty  paces, will have his forty major sins erased.  

The bier should be carried with the head of the four-poster forward and swiftly but taking care  that the swiftness does not cause shaking to the dead body. An infant or a minor boy or girl may  either be carried on the hands by people one after another or on a cot, little four-poster.  

Q16: How should people accompany, follow "Janaazah"?  

1. It is better for the people who accompany Janaazah to walk behind the bier instead of the right  side or the left and if one wants to walk ahead of it then he should walk at a considerable  distance so as not to be included in the funeral procession. Besides, they should neither talk with  one another nor laugh but instead observe silence keeping in view death and grave and do "Zikr"  (remembrance of Allah, recitation of the Holy Quran) in the heart. However, religious scholars  have permitted to do "Zikr" loudly in the present age.  

Q17: Can one who accompanies "Janaazah" go back before burial or not?  A. The one who accompanied, followed bier should not go back without offering funeral prayer.  After funeral prayer he can go seeking permission from the guardians of the dead. However,  after burial he need not seek permission.  

Q18: Is funeral prayer "Fard" or "Waajib"?  

1. "Salaatul Janaazah" (funeral prayer) is "Fard-e-Kifaayah" i.e. if it is offered by only one all  will be absolved of the obligation, otherwise all those who had come to know of it and did not  offer, will be sinner. The denier of the "obligatory nature" of Salaatul Janaazah is an infidel.  Jama'at is not essential for it. Even if a single person offered it, "Fard" would be accomplished.  

Q19: What are "Mufsidaat", "Arkaan", Waajibaat" and "Sunan" of funeral prayer?  A. There are two "Rukn,Arkaan" (obligatory acts) in Salaatul Janaazah i.e. to say "Allah-o Akbar" four times and to offer it standing and three are Sunnat-e-Muakkadah i.e. to glorify  Allah, invoke Allah's blessings on the Holy Prophet and make "Du'aa" for the dead. Some  religious scholars consider these three acts as "Waajib".  

All those things, acts which nullify prayer also nullify Salaatul Janaazah.  

Q20: What are the conditions for Salaatul Janaazah?  

1. There are two kinds of conditions, requisites for holding funeral prayer i.e. (1).Concerning  "Musallaa"(prayer, worship) and (2). Concerning the dead body.  

Requisites for "Musallaa" are exactly the same as those of other prayers and as for the dead body  there are certain conditions i.e. (1). The dead must be Muslim,(2). body and shroud should be  clean,(3). dead body should be present. Hence, there is no Salaatul Janaazah for an absentee  dead. The funeral prayer of Najashi (Negus) the king of Abyssinia offered by the Holy Prophet  without the bier being in front was one of his (Prophet's) exclusive privileges. Doing so is not  lawful for others,(4). the dead body should either be on the land or in hands but be near to the  Imaam, (5). bier should be placed in front of the prayer-carpet,cloth facing the Qiblah,(6) all  those parts of the body which are necessary to be covered must be covered and (7) dead body  should be in front of the Imaam. 

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Q21: Which are those people whose funeral prayer is not held?  

1. Funeral prayer of the following people is not held: (1). A rebel who is killed during  rebellion,(2). a bandit killed while committing banditry,(3). those who fight unjustly and killed in  it, (4). he who strangled several persons,(5). armed desperadoes who pillage during night and  killed in it, (6). he who murdered one or both of his parents and (7). he who was robbing  somebody of his valuables and killed in it.  

Salaatul Janaazah of all Muslims except for the above stated people will be held irrespective of  however sinful he is, even of the one who committed suicide notwithstanding the fact that  committing suicide is a great sin. Likewise, funeral prayer of the Muslim who deliberately  omitted all of his prayers will also be held.  

Q22: What is the method of offering Salaatul Janaazah?  

1. The Imaam should stand opposite to the chest of the dead followed by Muqtadis in three rows  or more but in odd number. Now the Imaam and Muqtadis should form intention (i.e. I intend to  offer Salaatul Janaazah with four "Takbeeraat" for Allah, Du'aa for the dead with my face  towards the Qiblah. The Imaam should intend to lead the prayer and Muqtadis to follow the  Imaam) and then lift their hands upto the ears and fold them below their navel while saying  "Takbeer-e-Tahreemah" i.e. Allah-o-Akbar. Recite "Sana" (in which add "Wajalla Sana-o-ka"  after "wa Ta'alaa Jadduka"); say "Allah-o-Akbar" and recite Durood Shareef preferably that one  which is recited in prayer i.e. Durood-e-Ibraaheemi and say "Allah-o-Akbar" and make Du'aa  (supplication) for oneself, the dead and all male and female Muslims. Three "Takbeeraat" out of  four are complete. Now say the fourth Takbeer letting go of the hands, without reciting any  Du'aa and then say Salaam.  

The Imaam should say Takbeeraat and Salaam aloud while Muqtadis in low voice. All other  supplications will be made in soft voice. The hands will be raised only on the first Takbeer  without doing so in the remaining ones.  

Q23: Which Du'aa is made in funeral prayer?  

1. The following Du'aa is made for an adult (male or female):  

Allaa Hummagh-firli Haie-yinaa wa Maie-yitinaa wa Shaahidinaa wa Ghaa-ibinaa wa  Sagheeranaa wa Kabeeranaa wa Zakarinaa wa Unsaanaa. Allaa Humma Man Ah-yaitahu Minna  Fa-ah-ihee 'Alal Islaami wa Man Tawaf-faietahu Minnaa Fata-waffahu'Alal Eimaan.  O'Allah! Forgive our every living and every dead; our every present and every absent; our every  young and every old; our every man and every woman. O'Allah! whoever among us is kept alive  by You, may be blessed with the life of Islaam and to whom You cause to die, let him/her die in  the state of Islamic faith.  

DU'AA FOR A MINOR BOY  

Allaa-hummaj 'alhu Lanaa Faratan Waj'alhu Lanaa Ajran wa Zukhran Waj'alhu Lanaa Shaafi-an  wa Mushaffa'aa.  

O'Allah! let him forerun us to make arrangement for us and make him a reward for us and let  him be our sympathiser to help us in need and make him such an intercessor for us whose  intercession is sure to be accepted.  

In case of a minor girl "Aj'alhaa" be recited in place of "Aj'alhu" and "Shaafi'atan wa  Mushaffa'ah" in lieu of "Shaafi-an wa Mushaffa'aa". If one can not recite these supplications  correctly, he may recite any other Du'aa but that should concern the world hereafter. 

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Q24: Can funeral prayer of some dead be offered jointly or not?  

1. If there are some biers, their Salaatul Janaazah can be offered jointly i.e. to form intention for  all the dead present there in a single funeral prayer. But it is better to offer Salaatul Janaazah of  each of them separately starting with the one who is the most pious among them and then the  next/remaining ones in descending order.  

In case of joint Salaatul Janaazah it is optional to either place the biers abreast of one another or  after one another i.e. the chests of all the dead persons are opposite to the Imaam.  

Q25: Can funeral prayer be offered on the grave after burial or not?  

1. Salaatul Janaazah of the dead who was buried without it will be offered on his grave provided  that there is no likelihood of decomposition of the body and in case the dead has been buried but  the earth is yet to be spread over the grave then it should be taken out of it and buried after  having offered Salaatul Janaazah. There is no timelimit for offering funeral prayer on the grave.  It all depends on season, soil and health of the dead person. For instance, the body is  decomposed in the summer sooner than the winter, healthy body sooner than the lean and it is  decomposed in wet or saline soil sooner than the dry or unsaline soil.  

Q26: How is that for offering Salaatul Janaazah in mosque?  

1. It is quite "Makrooh Tahreemi" to offer Salaatul Janaazah in mosque irrespective of whether  the bier is placed inside or outside the mosque or all or a few worshippers are inside the mosque,  for a Prophetic saying forbids offering of funeral prayer in mosque.  

Q27: How to place a dead in grave?  

1. The dead body should be lowered in grave from the Qiblah-side and laid on its right side  facing the Qiblah. A woman should be lowered in grave by her "Mahram"(those relatives whom  a woman can not be married to). If there is none then by other relatives and if there is no such  one even, then by any pious man. A screen should be put about the grave from the very moment  of lowering the body upto the placing of last (wooden) plank on the grave. While lowering the  body into the grave, following Du'aa should be recited:  

"Bismillaahi wa Billaahi wa 'Alaa Millati Rasoolillaah (Sallal Laahu 'Alaiehi wa Sallam)"  (Allah, in whose name I begin and following the religion of the Messenger of Allah). The knots  tying the shroud should be untied after having laid the body in the grave and then the grave  should be closed with unbaked bricks. Wooden planks can also be used in case the soil is soft. If  there is any chink in plank or any opening left between the planks, it should be filled with  clods,earth etc. The same rules are also applicable to the box-like graves (which are common  now).  

Q28: What is the method of putting the earth over grave?  

1. It is "Mustahab" to put the earth over grave from the head-side with both hands three times.  One should recite: "Minhaa Khalaqnaa Kum" (We[Allah] have created you from it i.e.the earth)  while throwing the earth first time, recite: "Wa Feehaa Nu'eedo Kum" (and We [Allah] will  return you to it) the second time and recite: "Wa Minhaa Nukhri-jokum Taaratan Ukhraa"(and  We[Allah] will bring you forth out of it again) the third time. The remaining earth may either be  put on the grave with the hands or spade. It is Makrooh to put more earth on the grave than what  was collected by digging it. The earth stuck to the hands should either be shaken off or washed.  

The grave should not be made square but slope like camel's hump. It should be raised as high as  or a little higher than a span. There is no harm in sprinkling water on the grave but it is better. 

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Q29: How long should people stay on the grave after burial?  

1. Staying on the grave after burial for some time, enough to sacrifice a camel and distribute its  meat, is Mustahab because it will comfort the dead and he will feel no fear in answering the  questions of Munkar and Nakeer (Questioning Angels). During the while recitation from the  Holy Quran be done and Du'aa made for the forgiveness of the departed soul and his  steadfastness in answering the questions of the Questioning Angels. It is Mustahab to recite  Surah Baqarah's verses from one to five (from "Alif Laaam Meeem" to "Muflehoon") at the head  of the grave and verses from 285 to 286 (Aamanar Rasool to the last) at its foot.  

Q30: How is that for detailing an "Haafiz" to recite the Holy Quran on grave?  A. It is lawful to detail an Haafiz for the recitation of the Holy Quran on grave provided that he  demands no compensation otherwise not. To recite the Holy Quran on payment or to get it  recited against payment is forbidden.  

In case free Haafiz is not available and one wants to get the Holy Quran recited against payment  then he should engage an Haafiz as servant (at home or business concern) on payment and get  the Quran recited.  

Q31: Is it permitted to keep "Shajarah" or "Ehd Naamah" in grave or not?  A. It is permitted to keep "Shajarah'(the list of saintly line of one's spiritual guide) and "Ehd  Naamah" (an immensely beneficial Du'aa transmitted by Saieyyidinaa Abu Bakr Siddique,may  Allah be pleased with him) in grave which may better be kept in a niche to the Qiblah side in  front of the face of the dead person. Absolution of the deceased is expected.  

Q32: What injunction is there in regard to placing flowers on bier or grave?  A. There is no harm in placing a large inter-woven garland or wreath on bier. Similarly, it is  better to place flowers on grave as they will praise and glorify Allah Almighty so long as they  remain wet which will comfort the dead. Therefore, it is impermissible to remove grass etc: from  the grave because its remembrance of Allah causes descent of mercy which provides comfort and  succour to the dead and its removal deprives him of Allah's mercy.  

Q33: What good does utterance of Azaan on grave do the dead?  

1. It is related in "Ahaadees" that when the dead is placed in grave he is questioned as to who is  his "Rabb"(Creator,Sovereign Lord). At that moment Satan appears there to inveigle the dead  into saying, pointing towards himself, that "I am your Rabb". It has, therefore, been emphasised  upon to pray for the steadfastness of the dead in answering questions of the Questioning Angels.  

The Holy Prophet himself used to pray, while burying the dead, saying: 'O'Allah! save this  (dead) from Satan".  

It is proved by authentic "Ahaadees" that when "Mu'azzin" calls Azaan, Satan takes to his heels.  The ostensible good the Azaan does the dead is that it is, by the grace of Allah Almighty, saved  from the deception of Satan, the outcast. The second benefit of the Azaan on grave is that it helps  the dead remember the answers to the questions of Munkar and Nakeer. Besides, Azaan is the  remembrance of Allah which automatically causes the descent of Allah's mercy. The gates of the  heavens are opened and torment is lifted (removed). The remembrance of Allah obviates horror  and grants peace to the hearts. It is, therefore, potently hoped that the Azaan on grave rids the  dead of torment and horror of the grave. The Azaan is, indeed, a highly beneficial gift to the dead  from the living ones. 

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Q34: Which things, acts are forbidden and unlawful in graveyard?  

1. To sleep, walk, urinate and defecate on any grave is "Haraam" (unlawful). It is also forbidden  to walk the new pathway made through the graveyard. If one wants to visit the gave of his  relative he will have to walk over graves (to reach thereto) then he should not go there but should  make Du'aa for the dead from distance. It is also impermissible to visit graveyard with the shoes  on. Likewise, all those things,acts which make one oblivious to the inevitability of death like  eating, drinking, sleep, laughing, worldly talks etc: are also forbidden.  

Q35: What is condolence and what injunction is there to this effect?  

1. Advising a bereaved brother-in-faith to have patience on the death of his Muslim relative is  condolence. It is established from the Prophet's Sunnah and is rewarding one. Condolence is  done within three days after death. However, there is no harm if death is condoled after three  days due to any problem, reason.  

Condolence be done thus: "May Allah Almighty forgive the departed soul and keep him/her in  eternal peace and grant you patience and reward on this misfortune.  

Q36: Is it lawful or not to lament for the dead loudly?  

1. It is "Haraam" (unlawful) to cry and weep loudly speaking of the dead. Similarly, to tear one's  breast of garment, claw the face, unruffle the hair, put dust on the head, beat the breast, bang the  hands on the thighs etc: are the acts of ignorance and thus are unlawful. Wearing of black cloths  by men and to wear badges, that is a symbol of Christianity, are also unlawful. However,  weeping without sound and noice is not impermissible.