Book 4: Funeral Ceremonies (Jenaza) | Minhaj al-Talibin of Nawawi
Title of book: Minhaj al-Talibin wa Umdat al-Muftin (منهاج الطالبين وعمدة المفتين في الفقه)
Author: Imam Nawawi
Full name: Imam Muhyiddin Abi Zakariyya Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi (أبو زكريا يحيى بن شرف بن مُرِّيِّ بن حسن بن حسين بن محمد جمعة بن حِزام الحزامي النووي الشافعي)
Born: Muharram 631 AH/ October 1233 Nawa, Ayyubid Sultanate
Died: 24 Rajab 676 AH [9]/ 21 December 1277 (age 45) Nawa, Mamluk Sultanate
Resting place: Nawa, present Syria
Translated into English by: E. C. HOWARD
Field of study: sharia, Islamic law, fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence of Shafi'i's school of thought
Type of literature dan reference: classical Arabic books
Contents
- Book 4: Funeral Ceremonies (Jenaza)
- Section 1: Wrapping the Corpse
- Section 2: Prayer for the corpse
- Section 3: The more competent to be imam in the prayer for the corpse
- Section 4: Burying the corpse
- Return to: Minhaj al-Talibin of Imam Nawawi
كتاب الْجَنَائِزِ
BOOK .— FUNERAL CEREMONIES
لِيُكْثِرْ ذِكْرَ الْمَوْتِ وَيَسْتَعِدّ بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَرَدِّ
الْمَظَالِمِ وَالْمَرِيضُ آكَدُ.
وَيُضْجَعُ الْمُحْتَضَرُ
لِجَنْبِهِ الْأَيْمَنِ إلَى الْقِبْلَةِ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ فَإِنْ تَعَذَّرَ
لِضِيقِ مَكَان وَنَحْوِهِ أُلْقِيَ عَلَى قَفَاهُ وَوَجْهُهُ وَأُخْمُصَاهُ
لِلْقِبْلَةِ، وَيُلَقَّنُ الشَّهَادَةَ بِلَا إلْحَاحٍ، وَيُقْرَأُ عَنْهُ يس،
وَلْيُحْسِنْ ظَنَّهُ بِرَبِّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
فَإِذَا
مَاتَ غُمِّضَ، وَشُدَّ لَحْيَاهُ بِعِصَابَةٍ، وَلُيِّنَتْ مَفَاصِلُهُ،
وَسُتِرَ جَمِيعُ بَدَنِهِ بِثَوْبٍ خَفِيفٍ، وَوُضِعَ عَلَى بَطْنِهِ شَيْءٌ
ثَقِيلٌ، وَوُضِعَ عَلَى سَرِيرٍ وَنَحْوِهِ، وَنُزِعَتْ ثِيَابُهُ وَوُجِّهَ
لِلْقِبْلَةِ كَمُحْتَضَرٍ، وَيَتَوَلَّى ذَلِكَ أَرْفَقُ مَحَارِمِهِ.
وَيُبَادَرُ
بِغُسْلِهِ إذَا تُيُقِّنَ مَوْتُهُ.
وَغُسْلُهُ وَتَكْفِينُهُ
وَالصَّلَاةُ عَلَيْهِ وَدَفْنُهُ فُرُوضُ كِفَايَةٍ، وَأَقَلُّ الْغُسْلِ
تَعْمِيمُ بَدَنِهِ بَعْدَ إزَالَةِ النَّجَسِ، وَلَا تَجِبُ نِيَّةُ الْغَاسِلِ
فِي الْأَصَحِّ، فَيَكْفِي غَرَقُهُ أَوْ غَسْلُ كَافِرٍ، قُلْتُ: الصَّحِيحُ
الْمَنْصُوصُ: وُجُوبُ غُسْلِ الْغَرِيقِ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ وَالْأَكْمَلُ
وَضْعُهُ بِمَوْضِعٍ خَالٍ مَسْتُورٍ عَلَى لَوْحٍ وَيُغَسَّلُ فِي قَمِيصٍ
بِمَاءٍ بَارِدٍ، وَيُجْلِسُهُ الْغَاسِلُ عَلَى الْمُغْتَسَلِ مَائِلاً إلَى
وَرَائِهِ، وَيَضَعُ يَمِينَهُ عَلَى كَتِفِهِ، وَإِبْهَامَهُ فِي نُقْرَةِ
قَفَاهُ، وَيُسْنِدُ ظَهْرَهُ إلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَيُمِرُّ يَسَارَهُ
عَلَى بَطْنِهِ إمْرَارًا بَلِيغًا لِيُخْرِجَ مَا فِيهِ ثُمَّ يُضْجِعُهُ
لِقَفَاهُ وَيَغْسِلُ بِيَسَارِهِ وَعَلَيْهَا خِرْقَةٌ سَوْأَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ
يَلُفُّ أُخْرَى، وَيُدْخِلُ أُصْبُعَهُ فَمَهُ وَيُمِرُّهَا عَلَى أَسْنَانِهِ،
وَيُزِيلُ مَا فِي مَنْخَرَيْهِ مِنْ أَذًى، وَيُوَضِّئُهُ كَالْحَيِّ، ثُمَّ
يَغْسِلُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ لِحْيَتَهُ بِسِدْرٍ وَنَحْوِهِ وَيُسَرِّحُهُمَا
بِمُشْطٍ وَاسِعِ الْأَسْنَانِ بِرِفْقٍ وَيَرُدُّ الْمُنْتَتَفَ إلَيْهِ
وَيَغْسِلُ شِقَّهُ الْأَيْمَنَ ثُمَّ الْأَيْسَرَ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُهُ إلَى
شِقِّهِ الْأَيْسَرِ فَيَغْسِلُ شِقَّهُ الْأَيْمَنَ مِمَّا يَلِي الْقَفَا
وَالظَّهْرَ إلَى الْقَدَمِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُهُ إلَى شِقِّهِ الْأَيْمَنِ
فَيَغْسِلُ الْأَيْسَرَ كَذَلِكَ فَهَذِهِ غَسْلَةٌ، وَيُسْتَحَبُّ ثَانِيَةً
وَثَالِثَةً، وَأَنْ يُسْتَعَانَ فِي الْأُولَى بِسِدْرٍ أَوْ خِطْمِيٍّ ثُمَّ
يَصُبُّ مَاءً قَرَاحًا مِنْ فَرْقِهِ إلَى قَدَمِهِ بَعْدَ زَوَالِ السِّدْرِ،
وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَ فِي كُلِّ غَسْلَةٍ قَلِيلَ كَافُورٍ، وَلَوْ خَرَجَ بَعْدَهُ
نَجَسٌ وَجَبَ إزَالَتُهُ فَقَطْ، وَقِيلَ مَعَ الْغُسْلِ إنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ
الْفَرْجِ، وَقِيلَ الْوُضُوءِ، وَيُغَسِّلُ الرَّجُلَ الرَّجُلُ وَالْمَرْأَةَ
الْمَرْأَةُ، وَيُغَسِّلُ أَمَتَهُ وَزَوْجَتَهُ وَهِيَ زَوْجَهَا، وَيَلُفَّانِ
خِرْقَةً وَلَا مَسَّ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَحْضُرْ إلَّا أَجْنَبِيٌّ أَوْ
أَجْنَبِيَّةٌ يُمِّمَ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَأَوْلَى الرِّجَالِ بِهِ أَوْلَاهُمْ
بِالصَّلَاةِ، وَبِهَا قَرَابَاتُهَا، وَيُقَدَّمْنَ عَلَى زَوْجٍ فِي
الْأَصَحِّ، وَأَوْلَاهُنَّ ذَاتُ مَحْرَمِيَّةٍ، ثُمَّ الْأَجْنَبِيَّةُ، ثُمَّ
رِجَالُ الْقَرَابَةِ كَتَرْتِيبِ صَلَاتِهِمْ.
قُلْتُ: إلَّا
ابْنَ الْعَمِّ وَنَحْوَهُ فَكَالْأَجْنَبِيِّ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، وَيُقَدَّمُ
عَلَيْهِمْ الزَّوْجُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَلَا يَقْرَبُ الْمُحْرِمُ طِيبًا، وَلَا
يُؤْخَذُ شَعْرُهُ وَظُفْرُهُ، وَتُطَيَّبُ الْمُعْتَدَّةُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ،
وَالْجَدِيدُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُكْرَهُ فِي غَيْرِ الْمُحْرِمِ أَخْذُ ظُفْرِهِ
وَشَعْرِ إبْطِهِ وَعَانَتِهِ وَشَارِبِهِ.
قُلْتُ: الْأَظْهَرُ
كَرَاهَتُهُ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
BOOK .— FUNERAL CEREMONIES
Section
One should think often upon
death, and prepare oneself for it by
repentance, and by refraining from
injustice, especially if one is ill.
ff A person about to die is
laid upon the right side, with the
bodj’
turned towards the hibla. If
the bed is not large enough the
dying
person is laid on the back,
the face and the soles of the
feet turned
towards the hibla. The
confession of faith is said so that
the sick person
may hear it, but
without inconveniencing him ; the th chapter
of the Koran is recited, and
everything done to fix his attention upon
his Lord. After death the eyelids
are closed, and a bandage placed
under
the cheeks ; the joints are rendered
as supple as possible ; the
whole
body is covered with a piece of
light cloth ; and some heavy object
is placed on the stomach. Lastly
the corpse is placed on a bier or
some-
thing of the sort, and after
the clothes have been taken off is
turned
towards the hibla as before
death. This duty is incumbent upon the
most suitable relative.
As soon
as death is ascertained one hastens
to wash the body. This
ablution, the
wrapping of the body in a shroud,
the prayer for the
repose of the
soul of the deceased, and the
burial, are obligations for
which the
survivors are collectively responsible. The
washing of a
corpse must always
extend to all parts of the body.
The person
accomplishing it removes the
impurity, fbut he need not formulate the
intention. The corpse of a person
drowned, if the body has been com-
pletely wetted, need not be washed
again. An infidel can, if necessary,
perform the ablution. [According to
Shafii’s personal opinion the body
of a
drowned person should be washed.]
The best way of performing the
ablution is as follows. The corpse
is taken to some place isolated
and concealed, where it is placed on
a
table. Ablution is then practised
with cold water, while the corpse
remains covered with a shirt upon
the table, inclined backwards. The
spine
of the corpse is supported on the
right hand, the thumb being in
the
hollow of the neck, and the back
of the deceased resting on the
right
knee. The left hand is then pressed
down hard upon the abdomen
of the
corpse, in order to expel the
excreta. The body is laid upon the
back ; and the shameful parts washed
with the left hand, covered with
a
rag. The left hand is then covered
with another rag, and the fingers
introduced into the mouth of the
deceased. The teeth are rubbed and
the nostrils cleansed. After this
one proceeds to ritual ablution as in
the case of a living man ; and
when it is terminated the head and
beard
are washed with a decoction of
lotus leaves or some analogous plant,
and the hair and beard are
softly combed with a comb of which the
teeth are not too close together.
Any hairs that may come out should
be put back again. Then one
proceeds to the ablution of the
front of
the body, first the right
side then the left. Then the corpse
is laid upon
the left side in
order to wash the right side and
the back, from the neck
to the
heels ; and on the right side in
order to wash the left side and
the back in the same way. Such
is the first ablution of the body.
It is commendable : —
. To
repeat the ablution once or twice,
and to employ for the
first ablution
a decoction of lotus or marsh-mallow.
. To pour clear water on
the body, from above to below, after
the
liquid containing the lotus or
marsh-mallow has flowed away.
. To
put a little camphor in the water
used at each of the threo
ablutions.
If after the ablution some
impurity still comes from the body, one
should simply remove it ; though some
authors consider that one
should proceed
to a fourth ablution, if the impurity
comes from the
shameful parts ; while
others think a new ritual ablution to
be obligatory
in such a case.
A
man’s corpse is washed by a man, and
a woman’s by a woman ;
though the
master can wash the body of a woman
who was his slave,
and the husband
that of his wife. Similarly the wife
may wash the
body of her husband ;
but in all cases where the ablution
is performed
by a person of the
other sex, the hands should be
wrapped in rags so as
not to
touch the body. fWhen at the place
of decease persons of the
same sex
as the deceased cannot be found, nor
persons of the other sex
allied by
kinship or marriage, the ablution cannot
take place, and recourse
must bo had
to lustration with sand. The ablution
of the corpse of a
deceased person
is obligatory for those who have to
pray for the soul ;
but in the
case of a woman this duty is
incumbent on the relatives,
and firstly
those within the prohibited degrees. fThey
even have priority
over the husband.
In default of relatives a woman not
of the family
may be called upon
for this duty, and it is only
in the last resource that
recourse
is had to the male relatives, in
the order in which they are
called
to pray for the deceased. [With the
exception of a cousin on
the father’s
side and the other relatives with
whom marriage is not
forbidden, for
they are considered for this purpose
as not being of the
family.] f A
husband has priority over all other
male relatives.
It is forbidden to
perfume the corpse of a person deceased
during
Ihram, and to cut off a hair
or a nail as a memento ; f but it is
permissible
to perfume the body of a
woman deceased during a period of legal
retirement, though the use of scent
was legally forbidden her when
alive.
According to the opinions maintained by
Shafii in Egypt, in
the case of a
person not deceased during Ihram one
may lawfully cut
the nails and the
hair, even of the armpit, the pubis
and the moustache.
[*Such a proceeding is
always blamable.]
فصل [في تكفين الميت]
Section 1: Wrapping the Corpse
يُكَفَّنُ بِمَا لَهُ لُبْسُهُ حَيًّا.
وَأَقَلُّهُ ثَوْبٌ،
وَلَا تُنَفَّذُ وَصِيَّتُهُ بِإِسْقَاطِهِ، وَالْأَفْضَلُ لِلرَّجُلِ ثَلَاثَةٌ،
وَيَجُوزُ رَابِعٌ وَخَامِسٌ وَلَهَا خَمْسَةٌ، وَمَنْ كُفِّنَ مِنْهُمَا
بِثَلَاثَةٍ فَهِيَ لَفَائِفُ، وَإِنْ كُفِّنَ فِي خَمْسَةٍ زِيدَ قَمِيصٌ،
وَعِمَامَةٌ تَحْتَهُنَّ، وَإِنْ كُفِّنَتْ فِي خَمْسَةٍ: فَإِزَارٌ،
وَخِمَارٌ، وَقَمِيصٌ، وَلِفَافَتَانِ، وَفِي قَوْلٍ ثَلَاثُ لَفَائِفَ وَإِزَارٌ
وَخِمَارٌ، وَيُسَنُّ الْأَبْيَضُ، وَمَحَلُّهُ أَصْلُ التَّرِكَةِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ
يَكُنْ مَنْ عَلَيْهِ نَفَقَتُهُ، مِنْ قَرِيبٍ وَسَيِّدٍ: وَكَذَا الزَّوْجُ
فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَيُبْسَطُ أَحْسَنُ اللَّفَائِفِ، وَأَوْسَعُهَا،
وَالثَّانِيَةُ فَوْقَهَا وَكَذَا الثَّالِثَةُ، وَيُذَرُّ عَلَى كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ
حَنُوطٌ وَكَافُورٌ، وَيُوضَعُ الْمَيِّتُ فَوْقَهَا مُسْتَلْقِيًا وَعَلَيْهِ
حَنُوطٌ وَكَافُورٌ، وَيُشَدُّ أَلْيَاهُ، وَيُجْعَلُ عَلَى مَنَافِذِ بَدَنِهِ
قُطْنٌ، وَيُلَفُّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّفَائِفُ وَتُشَدُّ، فَإِذَا وُضِعَ فِي قَبْرِهِ
نُزِعَ الشِّدَادُ، وَلَا يُلْبَسُ الْمُحْرِمُ الذَّكَرُ مَخِيطًا وَلَا
يُسْتَرُ رَأْسُهُ وَلَا وَجْهُ الْمُحْرِمَةِ.
وَحَمْلُ
الْجِنَازَةِ بَيْنَ الْعَمُودَيْنِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ التَّرْبِيعِ فِي الْأَصَحِّ،
وَهُوَ أَنْ يَضَعَ الْخَشَبَتَيْنِ الْمُقَدَّمَتَيْنِ عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ
وَرَأْسَهُ بَيْنَهُمَا، وَيَحْمِلُ الْمُؤَخَّرَتَيْنِ رَجُلَانِ،
وَالتَّرْبِيعُ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ رَجُلَانِ وَيَتَأَخَّرَ آخَرَانِ، وَالْمَشْيُ
أَمَامَهَا بِقُرْبِهَا أَفْضَلُ، وَيُسْرَعُ بِهَا إنْ لَمْ يُخَفْ
تَغَيُّرُهُ.
Section 1: Wrapping the Corpse
After the
ablutions are finished the corpse should
be wrapped in a
shroud, which is
subject to the same rules as the
clothes which the
dead person might
wear during life, in such a manner
as to cover at
least the shameful
parts. Any testamentary disposition tending to
nullify this precept is without
legal effect. It is preferable to wrap
a man’s corpse in three shrouds,
though four or five may be used ;
but
as to women five shrouds are
recommended by law. If using three
shrouds, the corpse is simply
enveloped three times ; but if five are
employed, one begins by dressing the
body in a shirt and turban and
then
wraps it round three times, in the
case of a man ; while a woman
is
first dressed in a cloak, a veil and a
shirt, and then enveloped twice.
According
to one jurist, however, the body of
a woman should first be
dressed in a
mantle and veil, and then mapped
round thrice. The
Sonna has prescribed
that the shroud should be of white
material ;
and that the expense is a
first charge upon the succession ; while,
if
the deceased person has left
nothing the expense must be borne by
those liable for the maintenance of
the deceased, i.e. the relatives, the
master for the husband. One spreads
first the finest and largest shroud,
the second above it, and the
simplest last, not forgetting to scatter
aromatic spices upon each. One lays
the body on the back upon these
three shrouds, and places with it
camphor and spices. The thighs are
pressed close together, and each
opening of the body stopped with
cotton. The shrouds are then wrapped
round and pressed tightly
together. The
bands on the thighs and other parts
of the body are not
detached until
the corpse is just about to be
lowered into the grave.
The body
of a person deceased during Ihram is
not wrapped in sewn
shrouds ; neither
is the head covered. In the case
of a woman deceased
during Ihram , the
face only should remain uncovered.
fit
is bettor to have the bier supported
between the two poles than
to have
it carried by four persons. In the
former case a man places
the two
front poles on his shoulders with
his head in the middle, while
two
men bear the poles behind, one on
the right and one on the left.
If four persons are employed two
bearers are placed in front of the
bier and two behind. It is
commendable that those who form part of
the funeral procession should walk
immediately in front of the bier,
which should be carried rapidly to
the cemetery, unless it is feared some
lesion may thereby be caused to
the body.
فصل [في الصلاة على الميت]
Section 2: Prayer for the repose of
the dead
لِصَلَاتِهِ أَرْكَانٌ أَحَدُهَا النِّيَّةُ، وَوَقْتُهَا كَغَيْرِهَا،
وَتَكْفِي نِيَّةُ الْفَرْضِ، وَقِيلَ تُشْتَرَطُ نِيَّةُ فَرْضِ كِفَايَةٍ،
وَلَا يَجِبُ تَعْيِينُ الْمَيِّتِ، فَإِنْ عَيَّنَ وَأَخْطَأَ بَطَلَتْ، وَإِنْ
حَضَرَ مَوْتَى نَوَاهُمْ.
الثَّانِي: أَرْبَعُ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ،
فَإِنْ خَمَّسَ لَمْ تَبْطُلْ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَلَوْ خَمَّسَ إمَامُهُ لَمْ
يُتَابِعْهُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، بَلْ يُسَلِّمُ أَوْ يَنْتَظِرُهُ لِيُسَلِّمَ
مَعَهُ، الثَّالِثُ: السَّلَامُ كَغَيْرِهَا.
الرَّابِعُ:
قِرَاءَةُ الْفَاتِحَةِ بَعْدَ الْأُولَى.
قُلْتُ: تُجْزِئُ
الْفَاتِحَةُ بَعْدَ غَيْرِ الْأُولَى، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، الْخَامِسُ:
الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَ
الثَّانِيَةِ، وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى الْآلِ لَا تَجِبُ،
السَّادِسُ: الدُّعَاءُ لِلْمَيِّتِ بَعْدَ الثَّالِثَةِ.
السَّابِعُ:
الْقِيَامُ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ إنْ قَدَرَ، وَيُسَنُّ رَفْعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي
التَّكْبِيرَاتِ وَإِسْرَارُ الْقِرَاءَةِ، وَقِيلَ يَجْهَرُ لَيْلاً،
وَالْأَصَحُّ نَدْبُ التَّعَوُّذِ دُونَ الِافْتِتَاحِ، وَيَقُولُ فِي
الثَّالِثَةِ: اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ إلَى آخِرِهِ،
وَيُقَدِّمُ عَلَيْهِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا
وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا: اللَّهُمَّ
مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ
مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ، وَيَقُولُ فِي الطِّفْلِ مَعَ هَذَا
الثَّانِي: اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ فَرَطًا لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَسَلَفًا وَذُخْرًا
وَعِظَةً وَاعْتِبَارًا وَشَفِيعًا، وَثَقِّلْ بِهِ مَوَازِينَهُمَا، وَأَفْرِغْ
الصَّبْرَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمَا، وَيَقُولُ فِي الرَّابِعَةُ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا
تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ، وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُ، وَلَوْ تَخَلَّفَ الْمُقْتَدِي
بِلَا عُذْرٍ فَلَمْ يُكَبِّرْ حَتَّى كَبَّرَ إمَامُهُ أُخْرَى بَطَلَتْ
صَلَاتُهُ، وَيُكَبِّرُ الْمَسْبُوقُ وَيَقْرَأُ الْفَاتِحَةَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ
الْإِمَامُ فِي غَيْرِهَا، وَلَوْ كَبَّرَ الْإِمَامُ أُخْرَى قَبْلَ شُرُوعِهِ
فِي الْفَاتِحَةِ كَبَّرَ مَعَهُ وَسَقَطَتْ الْقِرَاءَةُ، وَإِنْ كَبَّرَهَا
وَهُوَ فِي الْفَاتِحَةِ تَرَكَهَا وَتَابَعَهُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَإِذَا سَلَّمَ
الْإِمَامُ تَدَارَكَ الْمَسْبُوقُ بَاقِي التَّكْبِيرَاتِ بِأَذْكَارِهَا وَفِي
قَوْلٍ لَا تُشْتَرَطُ الْأَذْكَارُ.
وَيُشْتَرَطُ شُرُوطُ
الصَّلَاةِ لَا الْجَمَاعَةِ، وَيَسْقُطُ فَرْضُهَا بِوَاحِدٍ، وَقِيلَ يَجِبُ
اثْنَانِ، وَقِيلَ ثَلَاثَةٌ وَقِيلَ أَرْبَعَةٌ، وَلَا يَسْقُطُ بِالنِّسَاءِ
وَهُنَاكَ رِجَالٌ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَيُصَلَّى عَلَى الْغَائِبِ عَنْ الْبَلَدِ،
وَيَجِبُ تَقْدِيمُهَا عَلَى الدَّفْنِ، وَتَصِحُّ بَعْدَهُ، وَالْأَصَحُّ
تَخْصِيصُ الصِّحَّةِ بِمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ فَرْضِهَا وَقْتَ الْمَوْتِ،
وَلَا يُصَلَّى عَلَى قَبْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
بِحَالٍ.
Section 2: Prayer for the repose of
the dead
Prayer for the repose
of the dead consists of seven
essential elements :
. The
intention, which is formulated like that
in other prayers.
It is enough to
have the intention of performing one’s
duty to God ;
though some
authorities consider necessary an intention
of accomplishing
an obligation for which
Moslems are collectively responsible. The
intention need not refer to a
particular deceased person ; but if one
does
so and afterwards discovers one
has made a mistake, the prayer is
void. If one is present at two
or more simultaneous funerals, one may
formulate an intention for all at
once.
. Four takbir s ; f though the
prayer is not void if five are said.
However, if the imam begins a fifth,
fit is better that those present-
should cease to pray under his
direction, and either pronounce at once
the final salutation or wait quietly
till they can do so with him.
. The ordinary final salutation.
. The recitation of the first
chapter of the Koran, after the first
talcbir. [This chapter can be
recited just as well after one of
the three
other takbirs .]
. The
prayer for the Prophet, which is
performed after the second
takbir. ffThe
prayer for the family of the Prophet
is not obligatory.
. A special
invocation for the repose of the
soul of the deceased,
after the
third takbir .
. The Kiyam, at
least according to our school, if it
is possible.
The Sonna requires also
that the hands should be raised when
performing the takbir , and that the
first chapter should bo said in a
low tone, though some consider that
it should be recited aloud if the
ceremony takes place at night, fit
is commendable to pronounce the
tawuz,
without the introductory invocation.
At
the third takbir one pronounces the
formula : — “ God, this is
Thy
servant, and the child of parents
who are Thy servants,” etc. These
words are preceded by the following
: — “ God, pardon our living and
our
dead, absent and present, old and
young, women and men. God,
cause
him amongst us to whom Thou
accordest life to live in the
observance of religion, and to die
in the faith him whom Thou wiliest
to die.” To this last formula
is added in the case of a little
child : —
“ God, may this child
be the forerunner of his parents in
Paradise,
may his loss be reckoned
to them as a sacrifice to Thee, may
it be to
them a warning and an
example, and may this child be their
inter-
cessor with Thee. May the weight
of this loss be placed in the
heavenly
balance to their profit at
the day of judgment, and patience be
poured
upon their hearts.” And lastly
at the fourth takbir one says these
words : — “ God, deny us not
the recompense due to him ; lead us
not into temptation after his death ;
and pardon both us and him.
The prayer is void if, without
valid excuse, one has lagged so much
behind the imam as to be still
engaged upon one takbir when the imam
lias already got to the next. A
person who arrives after the ceremony
has begun should pronounce a takbir , and
then say the first chapter of
tho
Koran, even though the imam may have
finished it ; but if the
imam has
already got to the next takbir
before such person has begun
the
recitation he should omit it, and
join the imam in saying the takbir.
f If the imam is finishing the
next takbir while one is still
reciting the
first chapter, one should
stop doing so and follow the imam
for the
remainder of the prayer. If
the imam has reached the final salutation
when one arrives, one should
accomplish all the takbirs and glorifications
of God, though according to one
jurist the latter are not rigorously
necessary under the circumstances.
The conditions essential for the
validity of a prayer for the repose
of tho dead are the same as
in the case of ordinary prayer,
except that
it need not be
accomplished in public, the prayer of
one man being
sufficient. According to
some authors, however, there must be
at least
two persons to accomplish
this prayer ; others say three, others
four,
f A funeral prayer may validly be
performed by women, if there are no
men in the place. Funeral prayer
is said for one who dies far
from his
own people. It should take
place before burial, but it can be
repeated
afterwards, f especially if at
tho moment of death one is among
those
responsible for its due execution.
Funeral prayers should never be
performed on the tomb of the
Prophet.
فَرْعٌ [في بيان الأولى بالصلاة]
Section 3: The more competent to be imam in the prayer for the repose
الْجَدِيدُ أَنَّ الْوَلِيَّ أَوْلَى بِإِمَامَتِهَا مِنْ الْوَالِي،
فَيُقَدَّمُ الْأَبُ، ثُمَّ الْجَدُّ وَإِنْ عَلَا، ثُمَّ الِابْنُ، ثُمَّ
ابْنُهُ وَإِنْ سَفَلَ، ثُمَّ الْأَخُ، وَالْأَظْهَرُ، تَقْدِيمُ الْأَخِ
لِأَبَوَيْنِ عَلَى الْأَخِ لِأَبٍ، ثُمَّ ابْنُ الْأَخِ لِأَبَوَيْنِ، ثُمَّ
لِأَبٍ، ثُمَّ الْعَصَبَةُ عَلَى تَرْتِيبِ الْإِرْثِ، ثُمَّ ذَوُو الْأَرْحَامِ،
وَلَوْ اجْتَمَعَا فِي دَرَجَةٍ فَالْأَسَنُّ الْعَدْلُ أَوْلَى عَلَى النَّصِّ،
وَيُقَدَّمُ الْحُرُّ الْبَعِيدُ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ الْقَرِيبِ، وَيَقِفُ عِنْدَ
رَأْسِ الرَّجُلِ وَعَجُزِهَا وَتَجُوزُ عَلَى الْجَنَائِزِ صَلَاةٌ.
وَتَحْرُمُ
عَلَى الْكَافِرِ، وَلَا يَجِبُ غُسْلُهُ، وَالْأَصَحُّ وُجُوبُ تَكْفِينِ
الذِّمِّيِّ وَدَفْنِهِ وَلَوْ وُجِدَ عُضْوُ مُسْلِمٍ عُلِمَ مَوْتُهُ صُلِّيَ
عَلَيْهِ وَالسِّقْطُ إنْ اسْتَهَلَّ أَوْ بَكَى كَكَبِيرٍ، وَإِلَّا فَإِنْ
ظَهَرَتْ أَمَارَةُ الْحَيَاةِ كَاخْتِلَاجٍ صُلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ فِي الْأَظْهَرِ،
وَإِنْ لَمْ تَظْهَرْ وَلَمْ يَبْلُغْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ لَمْ يُصَلَّ
عَلَيْهِ، وَكَذَا إنْ بَلَغَهَا فِي الْأَظْهَرِ.
وَلَا يُغَسَّلُ
الشَّهِيدُ وَلَا يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ مَنْ مَاتَ فِي قِتَالِ الْكُفَّارِ
بِسَبَبِهِ، فَإِنْ مَاتَ بَعْدَ انْقِضَائِهِ أَوْ فِي قِتَالِ الْبُغَاةِ
فَغَيْرُ شَهِيدٍ فِي الْأَظْهَرِ، وَكَذَا فِي الْقِتَالِ لَا بِسَبَبِهِ عَلَى
الْمَذْهَبِ، وَلَوْ اُسْتُشْهِدَ جُنُبٌ فَالْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ لَا يُغَسَّلُ،
وَأَنَّهُ تُزَالُ نَجَاسَتُهُ غَيْرَ الدَّمِ.
وَيُكَفَّنُ فِي
ثِيَابِهِ الْمُلَطَّخَةِ بِالدَّمِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ ثَوْبُهُ سَابِغًا
تُمِّمَ.
Section 3: The more competent to be imam
in the prayer for the repose
Shafii, in his second period,
adopted tho doctrine that the wali of
the deceased is more competent to
be imam in the prayer for the repose
of his soul than the chief of
the state or of the town. In
this connection
is understood by wali
any male relative of the deceased,
whether entitled
to succession or not,
i.e. () father, () grandfather or
other agnate
ancestor, () son, ()
grandson, () brother — ■♦whole brother having
priority over half-brother on the
father’s side ; ( b ) son of whole brother,
() son of half-brother on father’s
side, () other agnates in order of
succession, () cognates. If two
persons are equally related to the
deceased, priority should, according to
the personal opinion of Shafii,
be
accorded to the elder, if of
irreproachable character. But a free man
always has priority over a slave,
even though the latter may be more
nearly related to the deceased.
The person presiding as imam
at a burial service should place himself
near the head of the corpse if
a man, but in the case of a woman ho
should place himself behind the
body. A single service will suffice
for
several deceased persons at once. It
is forbidden to pray for the
rest
of the soul of an infidel ; it is
not necessary even to wash his corpse,
though the body of an infidel
subject of a Moslem prince should bo
wrapped in a shroud and buried. In
the case of a Musulman known
to be
dead, prayer for the repose of his
soul is obligatory, even if only
a
part of the body has been found.
An abortion that has uttered a cry
or wept at birth is buried
like an ordinary person. *If, uttering
no cry,
it has given some sign
of life, as palpitation of the heart
or movement
of a limb, prayer is
obligatory ; but if there are no
such signs it is
unnecessary, even
if four months be passed.
It
is unnecessary to wash the body of a
martyr, or to pray for the
repose
of his soul. By martyr is understood
any one who dies in war
against
the infidels. *Thus a soldier wrho dies
after the end of the war,
or
fighting against rebels, or, according to
our school, in consequenco
of an
accident, is not considered as a martjT. f
A martyr dying in a
state of grave
impurity need not be washed. The
impurity should be
removed, but not
the blood from his wounds. His
blood-stained
garments are the shroud of
the martyr. If these are an insufficient
covering, they should be supplemented
with a shroud of some kind.
فصل [في دفن الميت]
Section 4: Burying the Repose
أَقَلُّ الْقَبْرِ حُفْرَةٌ تَمْنَعُ الرَّائِحَةَ وَالسَّبُعَ.
وَيُنْدَبُ
أَنْ يُوَسَّعَ وَيُعَمَّقَ، قَدْرَ قَامَةٍ وَبَسْطَةٍ، وَاللَّحْدُ أَفْضَلُ
مِنْ الشَّقِّ إنْ صَلُبَتْ الْأَرْضُ، وَيُوضَعُ رَأْسُهُ عِنْدَ رِجْلِ
الْقَبْرِ، وَيُسَلُّ مِنْ قِبَلِ رَأْسِهِ بِرِفْقٍ وَيُدْخِلُهُ الْقَبْرَ
الرِّجَالُ، وَأَوْلَاهُمْ الْأَحَقُّ بِالصَّلَاةِ.
قُلْتُ:
إلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ امْرَأَةً مُزَوَّجَةً فَأَوْلَاهُمْ الزَّوْجُ، وَاَللَّهُ
أَعْلَمُ.
وَيَكُونُونَ وِتْرًا، وَيُوضَعُ فِي اللَّحْدِ عَلَى
يَمِينِهِ لِلْقِبْلَةِ وَيُسْنَدُ وَجْهُهُ إلَى جِدَارِهِ وَظَهْرُهُ
بِلَبِنَةٍ وَنَحْوِهَا، وَيُسَدُّ فَتْحُ اللَّحْدِ بِلَبِنٍ، وَيَحْثُو مَنْ
دَنَا ثَلَاثَ حَثَيَاتِ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ يُهَالُ بِالْمَسَاحِي، وَيُرْفَعُ
الْقَبْرُ شِبْرًا فَقَطْ، وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ تَسْطِيحَهُ أَوْلَى مِنْ
تَسْنِيمِهِ، وَلَا يُدْفَنُ اثْنَانِ فِي قَبْرٍ إلَّا لِضَرُورَةٍ فَيُقَدَّمُ
أَفْضَلُهُمَا، وَلَا يُجْلَسُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ، وَلَا يُوطَأُ، وَيَقْرُبُ
زَائِرُهُ كَقُرْبِهِ مِنْهُ حَيًّا.
وَالتَّعْزِيَةُ سُنَّةٌ
قَبْلَ دَفْنِهِ وَبَعْدَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، وَيُعَزَّى الْمُسْلِمُ
بِالْمُسْلِمِ: أَعْظَمَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ وَأَحْسَنَ عَزَاءَكَ وَغَفَرَ
لِمَيِّتِكَ، وَبِالْكَافِرِ أَعْظَمَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ وَصَبَّرَكَ،
وَالْكَافِرُ بِالْمُسْلِمِ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لِمَيِّتِكَ وَأَحْسَنَ
عَزَاءَكَ.
وَيَجُوزُ الْبُكَاءُ عَلَيْهِ قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ
وَبَعْدَهُ، وَيَحْرُمُ النَّدْبُ بِتَعْدِيدِ شَمَائِلِهِ وَالنَّوْحِ
وَالْجَزَعِ بِضَرْبِ صَدْرِهِ وَنَحْوِهِ.
قُلْتُ: هَذِهِ
مَسَائِلُ مَنْثُورَةٌ: يُبَادِرُ بِقَضَاءِ دَيْنِ الْمَيِّتِ
وَوَصِيَّتِهِ.
وَيُكْرَهُ تَمَنِّي الْمَوْتِ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ
لَا لِفِتْنَةِ دِينٍ.
وَيُسَنُّ التَّدَاوِي، وَيُكْرَهُ
إكْرَاهُهُ عَلَيْهِ.
وَيَجُوزُ لِأَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ وَنَحْوِهِمْ
تَقْبِيلُ وَجْهِهِ.
وَلَا بَأْسَ بِالْإِعْلَامِ بِمَوْتِهِ
لِلصَّلَاةِ وَغَيْرِهَا بِخِلَافِ نَعْيِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ.
وَلَا
يَنْظُرُ الْغَاسِلُ مِنْ بَدَنِهِ إلَّا قَدْرَ الْحَاجَةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ
الْعَوْرَةِ.
وَمَنْ تَعَذَّرَ غُسْلُهُ يُمِّمَ.
وَيُغَسَّلُ
الْجُنُبُ وَالْحَائِضُ وَالْمَيِّتُ بِلَا كَرَاهَةٍ، وَإِذَا مَاتَا غُسِّلَا
غُسْلاً وَاحِدًا فَقَطْ.
وَلْيَكُنْ الْغَاسِلُ أَمِينًا، فَإِنْ
رَأَى خَيْرًا ذَكَرَهُ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ حَرُمَ ذِكْرُهُ إلَّا لِمَصْلَحَةٍ.
وَلَوْ
تَنَازَعَ أَخَوَانِ أَوْ زَوْجَتَانِ أُقْرِعَ.
وَالْكَافِرُ
أَحَقُّ بِقَرِيبِهِ الْكَافِرِ.
وَيُكْرَهُ الْكَفَنُ
الْمُعَصْفَرُ.
وَالْمُغَالَاةُ فِيهِ، وَالْمَغْسُولُ أَوْلَى مِنْ
الْجَدِيدِ.
وَالصَّبِيُّ كَبَالِغٍ فِي تَكْفِينِهِ
بِأَثْوَابٍ.
وَالْحَنُوطُ مُسْتَحَبٌّ، وَقِيلَ وَاجِبٌ.
وَلَا
يَحْمِلُ الْجِنَازَةَ إلَّا الرِّجَالُ وَإِنْ كَانَ أُنْثَى، وَيَحْرُمُ
حَمْلُهَا عَلَى هَيْئَةٍ مُزْرِيَةٍ وَهَيْئَةٍ يُخَافُ مِنْهَا سُقُوطُهَا
وَيُنْدَبُ لِلْمَرْأَةِ مَا يَسْتُرُهَا كَتَابُوتٍ، وَلَا يُكْرَهُ الرُّكُوبُ
فِي الرُّجُوعِ مِنْهَا.
وَلَا بَأْسَ بِاتِّبَاعِ الْمُسْلِمِ
جِنَازَةَ قَرِيبِهِ الْكَافِرِ.
وَيُكْرَهُ اللَّغَطُ فِي
الْجِنَازَةِ وَإِتْبَاعُهَا بِنَارٍ.
وَلَوْ اخْتَلَطَ مُسْلِمُونَ
بِكَفَّارٍ وَجَبَ غُسْلُ الْجَمِيعِ وَالصَّلَاةُ، فَإِنْ شَاءَ صَلَّى عَلَى
الْجَمِيع بِقَصْدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَهُوَ الْأَفْضَلُ وَالْمَنْصُوصُ، أَوْ
عَلَى وَاحِدٍ فَوَاحِدٍ نَاوِيًا الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِ إنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا،
وَيَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ إنْ كَانَ مُسْلِمًا.
وَيُشْتَرَطُ
لِصِحَّةِ الصَّلَاةِ تَقَدُّمُ غُسْلِهِ، وَتُكْرَهُ قَبْلَ تَكْفِينِهِ، فَلَوْ
مَاتَ بِهَدْمٍ وَنَحْوِهِ وَتَعَذَّرَ إخْرَاجُهُ وَغُسْلُهُ لَمْ يُصَلَّ
عَلَيْهِ، وَيُشْتَرَطُ أَنْ لَا يَتَقَدَّمَ عَلَى الْجِنَازَةِ الْحَاضِرَةِ
وَلَا الْقَبْرِ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ فِيهِمَا.
وَتَجُوزُ الصَّلَاةُ
عَلَيْهِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، وَيُسَنُّ جَعْلُ صُفُوفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَةً
فَأَكْثَرَ.
وَإِذَا صُلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ فَحَضَرَ مَنْ لَمْ يُصَلِّ
صَلَّى.
وَمَنْ صَلَّى لَا يُعِيدُ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ، وَلَا
تُؤَخَّرُ لِزِيَادَةِ مُصَلِّينَ، وَقَاتِلُ نَفْسِهِ كَغَيْرِهِ فِي الْغُسْلِ
وَالصَّلَاةِ وَلَوْ نَوَى الْإِمَامُ صَلَاةَ غَائِبٍ، وَالْمَأْمُومُ صَلَاةَ
حَاضِرٍ، أَوْ عَكَسَ جَازَ.
وَالدَّفْنُ فِي الْمَقْبَرَةِ
أَفْضَلُ.
وَيُكْرَهُ الْمَبِيتُ بِهَا.
وَيُنْدَبُ
سَتْرُ الْقَبْرِ بِثَوْبٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ رَجُلاً، وَأَنْ يَقُولَ: بِسْمِ
اللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
وَلَا يُفْرَشُ تَحْتَهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَا مِخَدَّةٌ.
وَيُكْرَهُ
دَفْنُهُ فِي تَابُوتٍ إلَّا فِي أَرْضٍ نَدْيَةٍ أَوْ رِخْوَةٍ.
وَيَجُوزُ
الدَّفْنُ لَيْلاً، وَوَقْتَ كَرَاهَةِ الصَّلَاةِ مَا لَمْ يَتَحَرَّهُ،
وَغَيْرُهُمَا أَفْضَلُ.
وَيُكْرَهُ تَجْصِيصُ الْقَبْرِ
وَالْبِنَاءُ وَالْكِتَابَةُ عَلَيْهِ.
وَلَوْ بُنِيَ فِي
مَقْبَرَةٍ مُسَبَّلَةٍ هُدِمَ.
وَيُنْدَبُ أَنْ يُرَشَّ الْقَبْرُ
بِمَاءٍ، وَيُوضَعُ عَلَيْهِ حَصًى، وَعِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ حَجَرٌ أَوْ
خَشَبَةٌ.
وَجَمْعُ الْأَقَارِبِ فِي مَوْضِعٍ.
وَزِيَارَةُ
الْقُبُورِ لِلرِّجَالِ، وَتُكْرَهُ لِلنِّسَاءِ، وَقِيلَ تَحْرُمُ، وَقِيلَ
تُبَاحُ، وَيُسَلِّمُ الزَّائِرُ وَيَقْرَأُ وَيَدْعُو.
وَيَحْرُمُ
نَقْلُ الْمَيِّتِ إلَى بَلَدٍ آخَرَ، وَقِيلَ يُكْرَهُ إلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ
بِقُرْبِ مَكَّةَ أَوْ الْمَدِينَةِ أَوْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، نَصَّ
عَلَيْهِ.
وَنَبْشُهُ بَعْدَ دَفْنِهِ لِلنَّقْلِ وَغَيْرِهِ
حَرَامٌ إلَّا لِضَرُورَةٍ: بِأَنْ دُفِنَ بِلَا غُسْلٍ أَوْ فِي أَرْضٍ، أَوْ
ثَوْبٍ مَغْصُوبَيْنِ، أَوْ وَقَعَ فِيهِ مَالٌ، أَوْ دُفِنَ، لِغَيْرِ
الْقِبْلَةِ لَا لِلتَّكْفِينِ فِي الْأَصَحِّ.
وَيُسَنُّ أَنْ
يَقِفَ جَمَاعَةٌ بَعْدَ دَفْنِهِ عِنْدَ قَبْرِهِ سَاعَةً يَسْأَلُونَ لَهُ
التَّثْبِيتَ وَلِجِيرَانِ أَهْلِهِ تَهْيِئَةُ طَعَامٍ يُشْبِعُهُمْ يَوْمَهُمْ
وَلَيْلَتَهُمْ، وَيُلَحُّ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْأَكْلِ.
وَيَحْرُمُ
تَهْيِئَتُهُ لِلنَّائِحَاتِ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Section 4: Burying the Repose
The grave
should always be deep enough to
retain the odour of the
body and
protect it from wild beasts. It is
commendable that it should
be so
deep and wide that the deceased
could stand up in it and lie down
in it with his whole length.
It is better, if the earth is
hard enough,
that the grave should
be hollowed out laterally rather than a
simple
trench. The corpse is introduced
head first, drawn softly by that part
of the body, preferably by men,
i.e. in the first instance by those
who
have the precedence in the
burial service. [In the case of a married
woman, the husband has the better
right to carry out the deposition,
though not to lead in the
prayer.] The people who place the corpse
in the grave should be of
uneven number. The corpse should be laid
on the right side, facing the
kibla and leaning against the wall, with
the back supported by a brick or
something similar. The entrance of
the
grave should also be walled with
bricks. Those present then throw
in
three handfuls of sand, and the
grave is filled up by means of the
shovel. The earth forming the tomb
may rise above the level of the
ground to the height of a span ;
ffand it is better that the surface
should be plane rather than convex.
Two persons are not buried in
the
same grave except in case of
necessity, when the one having most
merit must be placed on the
side of the kibla. Sitting or
walking on a
tomb is forbidden, and
any one wishing to visit it should
approach in
the same manner as to
the living person.
The Sonna has
introduced the practice of making visits
of condolence
before the burial and
three days after. A Musulman performs this
duty
to a fellow-believer by saying : — “
God grant you large compensation
for
the loss you have suffered ; may He
pour resignation upon your
heart ; may He
pardon the sins of the dead.” If
it be an infidel whom
the Musulman
is consoling, he says : — “ God grant
you large compensa-
tion for the loss
you have suffered ; may He give you
the necessary
patience ” ; while an
infidel says to a Musulman : — “ God
pardon the
sins of the dead, and
pour resignation upon your heart.” It
is per-
missible to deplore the loss
of any one before and after death ;
but it
is forbidden to compose for
this purpose an elegy or a funeral oration
containing nothing but an enumeration
of the good qualities of the
deceased. It is also forbidden to
utter lamentable cries, or to manifest
extravagant signs of sorrow, as e.g.
by striking the breast.
[Some
special rules are here added : —
. One should make haste to
pay the deceased’s debts and execute
his testamentary depositions.
. It
is blamable to wish for death in
order to avoid some misfortune,
hut
not to avoid something incompatible with
religion.
. The Sonna recommends a
sick person to take care of himself
and to take medicine ; but it
is blamable to force any one to
do so.
. Parents and friends
of the deceased may kiss his face.
. There is no objection to
making an announcement of the death,
in order to call people to the
burial service, etc., provided this be not
done in the manner practised in
the time of paganism.
G. The
person performing the funeral ablution
should see no more
of the body
than is strictly necessary for the
proper performing of his
duty, and
should never look at tho shameful
parts. Ablution with sand
is enough,
if circumstances prevent washing the body
with water.
. A person who has
incurred a grave impurity, and even a woman
during menstruation, can attend to
tho washing of a corpse ; and such
persons themselves require after death
no greater ablution than any
one else.
. The person entrusted with
tho ablution of a dead body should
be a reliable person. Should he
perceive that the deceased had some good
quality of body he may mention
the fact ; but he must not mention
any bodily defects, unless for some
useful purpose.
. If two brothers,
or two wives, both claim precedence
at a funeral,
the matter must be
decided by lot.
. An infidel
is more competent than a Musulman to
preside at
the funeral of an infidel
relative.
. It is blamable to
use a shroud dyed with red carthamine,
or one
of an exorbitant price. A
piece of material that has been
washed is
better for this purpose
than one which is quite new. A minor
is subject
to the same rules as
an adult, so far as regards the
shrouds and cloths
to be used at
the interment.
. It is meritorious
to use spices for the embalming of
the dead ;
some authorities even
regard it as obligatory.
. A bier
should be borne by men only ; even
if the body be that
of a woman.
. It is forbidden to carry
the bier carelessly ; or so as to cause
apprehension lest the body fall to
the ground.
. It is recommended
to carry the body of a woman so
as to be
concealed from the public
gaze, e.g. in a coffin.
. One
may not ride, except when returning
from the burial.
. There is no
objection to a Musulman attending the
funeral of
an infidel relative.
.
It is blamable to make a noise, or
to light fires, during a
funeral.
. If the dead bodies of
Moslems are so mixed with those of
infidels
that it is impossible to
distinguish them all must be washed
and prayed
for. In this case one
may either : (a) perform a burial for
all at once
declaring one’s intention
of applying it only to the repose
of the souls
of those who were
Moslems ; this is considered the better
course and
was recommended by Shafii
himself ; or (i b ) pray for each body
separately,
on the understanding that the
prayer is valid only in the case
of a
Musulman ; in this case the
formula used is “ God, pardon him,
if
he was a Musulman.”
. It is
requisite for the efficacy of a funeral
prayer that the corpse
should first
bo washed ; and it is oven blarnable
to pray before the corpse
has been
wrapped in a shroud. Consequently no
prayer is said for
the repose of
the soul of a person crushed to
death by the fall of a house,
whose
body cannot be recovered from under
the debris .
. When performing a
burial service it is not lawful to
stand in front
of the bier or
of the grave. These two precepts are
admitted by our
school. The prayer
may, however, bo said in a mosque.
The Sonna
insists upon those present
being placed in at least three lines.
. Every person attending a burial
service, who has not already
prayed
for the repose of the soul of
the deceased should join the others
in doing so ; but he need not
repeat it if he has already done it.
. A burial service may not be
deferred in order to allow more
people to attend.
. The body
of the suicide is Avashed, and
prayer said for the repose
of his
soul, just as in other cases.
. When the imam has the
intention of accomplishing a prayer for
the repose of the soul of a
deceased person avIio is absent, and a
person
praying under his direction has
the intention of praying for the repose
of the soul of another whose
body is present, or vice versa , the
prayer
of the latter is valid all
the same.
. It is recommended
that corpses be interred in some
recognised
cemetery. It is blarnable to
pass the night there.
. It is
also commendable to cover the grave
Avith a piece of cloth
of some sort
during an interment, even in the
case of a man, and to
say during
the deposition : — “ In the name of
God, and in accordance
Avith the
precepts of the religion of His
apostle. God grant him His
grace and
His blessing.
. A dead body may
not be laid on a carpet ; nor may
the head
be placed on a pilloAv.
. It is blarnable to place a
corpse in a coffin, unless the earth bo
damp or soft.
. It is
permissible to proceed to a burial at
night, and even at an
hour in
the daytime Avhen it is blarnable to
pray, provided it be not
intentionally
chosen, for any other time is better.
. It is considered blarnable
to plaster a tomb, to adorn it Avith
a
monument, or place inscriptions upon
it. Monuments erected in a public
cemetery
should bo demolished.
. It is
recommended : — (a) to Avater the grave, (
b ) to place pebbles
as a pavement, (c)
to mark the position of the head
Avith a stone or a
piece of Avood,
(d) to have the graves of relatives
together in one spot
(e) to visit
graves. Visiting graves, hoAvever, is
commendable in men
only ; in Avomen
it is blarnable, some authorities even
forbidding it
altogether in their case.
Others allow women this visit as a right
but not as a merit.
. A person
visiting a tomb should pronounce a salutation,
recite
some portion of the Koran,
and invoke tho grace of Cod upon tho
deceased.
. It is forbidden to
carry a corpse to another town — though somo
authorities consider it merely blainable —
unless the death occurred in
tho
neighbourhood of Mecca or Medina — or,
according to a decision
of Sliafii, Jerusalem —
for then it may always be carried
into one of theso
holy cities. All,
however, agree that it is forbidden
to disinter a body,
whether in order
to carry it elsewhere or for any
other reason, except
in case of
necessity, e.g. if tho body has been
buried without being
washed, or if
buried in a misappropriated shroud or
piece of ground, or
if a valuable
object has accidentally fallen into the
gravo, or if tho
face of the
deceased was not turned towards tho hibla
, etc. fOn tho
other hand, a corpse
may not be legally disinterred under
the pretext
of wrapping it again in
a shroud.
. The Sonna prescribes to
those taking part in funerals not to
hasten away from the gravo as
soon as the body is buried, but
to wish
the deceased person a happy abode.
. Tho neighbours should prepare
food for the family of the deceased
for the fust day and night
after the interment ; one should even per-
suade the survivors to take something.
But it is forbidden to prepare a
meal for the hired mourners.