ISLAMIC CENTER OF CORVALLIS
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    G) AL-DAFIN ( BURIAL )

    Islam has a unique style of building graves and cemeteries that is characterized by humility, simplicity and economy in costs and that avoids glorifying the dead with elaborate monuments.

    It is of great importance that a special cemetery be devoted exclusively for the use of Muslims. Muslims may not be buried in the cemeteries of non-Muslims, nor can non-Muslims be buried in a Muslim cemetery.

    The deceased should be buried in the locality in which he lived. It is undesirable to take the body to the person’s own country or to another city.

    In Muslim cemeteries, there are two types of graves:

    1. Al-Shaqq : is to make a deep vertical hole in the ground.
    2. Al-Lahed : is to make a deep vertical hole in the ground, then in the bottom make a side horizontal hole big enough to cover the whole body.

      Both types are used, but it is preferable to use Al-Lahed if the land is solid ( Figure (6) ).

      Figure (6)

      The burial should be done as soon as possible after death, but the following times should be avoided:

        1. At night.
        2. From sunrise until the sun is fully risen.
        3. At the zenith of the sun (The sun at the meridian), until it passes the meridian.
        4. When the sun pales before sunset until it has set.

      During these times burying is prohibited unless there is an urgent necessity, according to the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) that was narrated by (Muslim).

       

      STEPS OF BURIAL:

      1. A grave is dug deep enough to totally hide the body of the deceased.
      2. The grave should be always perpendicular (Horizontal) to the direction of Qiblah.
      3. Only men are allowed to attend the burial.
      4. All Muslims who are present should remember death, the hereafter, and that one-day he too will be buried.
      5. They should keep quiet ( No talking unless it is necessary ).
      6. The deceased’s male relatives are expected to put the body in the grave, putting the body in the grave should be carried out only by Muslim men..
      7. A female is placed in her grave either by her husband, her sons, her father, her brothers, or her uncle.
      8. The deceased’s body should be entered to the grave from the direction where his feet will be (From the rear of the grave) (Figure (7)).

        9. How to enter the body into the grave

        Rear Front

        Figure ( 7)

      9. Those who enter the body of the deceased in the grave should say : (Bismil llah wa ala millati rasulil llah), which means : " In the name of Allah and in the faith of the Messenger of Allah ".
      10. The deceased’s body should rest on his right side, and should be close to the wall and supported so that the body will not fall back, the deceased’s face should be towards the Qiblah.( Figure (6),(8) ).

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        Figure ( 8)
      11. Those who put the deceased in the grave should not have had sexual intercourse with their wives the night before.

        12. According to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). Anas Ibn Malik related that :" During the burial of the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was sitting, tears coming out from eyes, he asked us:" Who did not have sexual intercourse with his wife last night?" Abu Talha answered:" I, Prophet Muhammad ", then Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said to him:" You get down in the grave and lay her down" (Bukhari).

      12. They should undo the tie on the head and the feet.
      13. They should put above the body a layer of wood or other layer, so that earth will not be put directly on the body when they fill the grave with earth.
      14. After the body is totally covered, it is desirable to throw three handfuls of soil into the grave.
      15. Then the grave should be filled up with sand.
      16. It is allowable to put a mark on the grave or a stone to know the grave.
      17. It is also Sunnah to make the grave convex from sand, according to the Hadith that was reported by Sofyan who said : " That I saw the grave of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) is made convex " (Bukhari), convex out of sand.

      Just after the burial all Muslims, including the deceased’s relatives, may stay in the cemetery for a while and make dua’ (Supplicate) for the deceased, since he is being questioned by the Angels.

      Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) in an authentic Hadith said: " Make dua’ of Istighfar ( Supplicate for forgiveness) for your brother and request steadfastness for him because he is now being questioned " (Authentic -Abu Dawood).

      NOTE:

      1. There is no Islamic teaching of transferring the deceased to another country.
      2. There is no Islamic teaching of revealing the face of the deceased after putting the body in the grave.
      3. There is no Islamic teaching of shouting with special thiker (Certain words to remember Allah) before, during, and after burial.
      4. There is no Islamic teaching of reading the Quran in the cemetery.
      5. There is no Islamic teaching of putting flowers, food, water, or money around the grave that will benefit the deceased.
      6. There is no Islamic teaching of putting anything in, on or around the grave that will benefit the deceased.
      7. There is no Islamic teaching of slaughtering an animal during or after burial.
      8. There is no Islamic teaching of staying in a state of sadness for one year .
      9. There is no Islamic teaching that the relatives of the deceased should wear black clothes.
      10. There is no Islamic teaching that planting flowers on, or around the grave will benefit the deceased.

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      IMPORTANT RULES IN THE CEMETERY
      1. It is prohibited to step over, lean, or sit on a grave.

        2. Abu Hurrairah relates that the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: " It is better for a person to sit on burning coal by which his clothes may catch fire and the heat thereof may touch his skin, rather than that he sits on a grave " (Muslim).

      2. It is prohibited to build any form of construction on the grave, or decorate the grave.

        3. From the authentic traditions, it is clear that to erect domes over graves or build mausoleums or Mosques on graves is strictly forbidden. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said: " Do not build Mosques in the graveyard " (Muslim).

        Ali ibn abi Taleb reported that: " Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) instructed him to destroy all statues, and not to leave a grave raised high without leveling it with the ground " (Muslim), which means no construction on the grave.

      3. It is prohibited to plaster the grave, whitewash the grave, or use cooked stones.

        4. Jabir relates that the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) has forbidden that a grave should be made strong (of bricks and plaster), or durable or one should sit over it or the same should have a construction over it. (Muslim).

        Jabir also reported: " Prophet Muhammad forbade the whitewashing of a grave, sitting on it, or erecting any type of structure on it " (Muslim).

      4. It is prohibited to pray facing towards the graves.

        5. Abu Martad al-Ghanawi reported that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said: " Do not pray facing towards the graves " (Muslim).

      5. Women are forbidden from attending the burial.

        6. This is according to the authentic Hadith of Um-Atiyah who reported that we were forbidden to accompany funeral processions. ( Bukhari & Muslim).

      6. It is prohibited to slaughter animals around the grave.
      7. Arranging mourning gathering on the day of death, or on the third day after death, or on the seventh, or on the twentieth day, or on the fortieth day, or on the anniversary of the death, all are abominable and heretical practices which people have introduced.

        8. These practices have no basis whatsoever in the Quran, in the Sunnah of the Prophet, or in the practices of the early Muslims, may Allah the Exalted have mercy upon them. Some Muslims do some of these practices in different countries, but that does not make it the Islamic way.

      8. It is prohibited to cremate the body of dead Muslim, even if the deceased requested it before his death.
      9. It is prohibited to put candles on the grave. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said in an authentic Hadith: " Curse those who light lamps on graves " (Authentic-Ahmed).
      10. It is also disliked (Makruh) to pray in the cemetery (Bukhari).
      11. Performing autopsy on a dead Muslim is totally prohibited, unless it is requested by court order.


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