FUNERAL CUSTOMS

SOME EVIL AND BID’AH AND INCORRECT PRACTICES AT THE TIME OF FUNERALS

- When a death occurs, men and women of the neighbourhood gather at the deceased’s home. Hijab (Purdah) is totally disregarded and inter-mingling of males and females take place. This practice is haraam. The deceased does not gain any benefit from such gatherings. These gatherings are not part of the Janaazah service, It is not permissible for women to emerge from their homes to attend such un-Islamic gatherings.

- It is a practice among many people to put out the body on display. Even if the viewers are ghair mahrahms, they file into the room to view the mayyit. It is not permissible for women to look at the face of the mayyit if he (the mayyit) is ghair mahram. Similarly, it is not possible for a man to take a look at a female mayyit’s face if he is not mahram, to her.

- It is not permissible for the females of the neighbourhood to gather at the mayyit’s house for any dua or khatam. In some places there is this custom while the body awaits burial. This type of gathering is bid’ah.

- There is no ceremony to perform at the home of the mayyit before or after the burial. All customs and practices in vogue in this regard are founded innovations (bid’ah), hence sinful.

- The practice of feasting at the mayyit’s home after the burial is bid’ah and not permissible.

- The customs of seven-day, forty day etc. Khatam are bid’ah. Inviting friends and relatives to congregrate for Qur’an recital on specific days, eg. the seventh day and then feeding them after the recital, is not permissible.

- The dua which is made after the Janaazah Salaat has been performed is bid’ah. The Janaazah Salaat itself is the Dua for the mayyit.

- Before the burial, after burial and even while burial takes place people indulge in futile conversation. It is sinful to indulge in such nonsensical talks on such a sombre occasion as Maut. Instead, recite some verses of the Qur’an silently and ask Allah Ta’ala to bestow the Thawaab thereof to the mayyit.

- Celebration of death anniversaries is not permissible.

- The belief that the rooh (soul) of the mayyit remains in the house or visits the house for forty days is baseless. While it is possible for the rooh to visit any place with the permission of Allah Ta’ala, the belief that it does in fact visit the home on specific days is not correct.

- Kissing the grave is not permissible.

- A bad practice which has recently developed is the unnecessary delay in performing the Janaazah Salaat on account of some persons proceeding for wudhu precisely at the time when Jama’t is standing ready in the Saffs for the Salaat. The jama’t is kept waiting for up to 30 minutes. While a couple of people engage in wudhu, the entire congregation waits, standing in the Saffs. People should ensure that they are with wudhu by the time the Salaat is to be performed. Where this is bad practice has developed, the Imam should commence to Salaat. He should not delay the Salaat, waiting for the few who are negligent and without wudhu.