As soon as a Muslim person dies, it's customary to close the eyes, bind the jaw and cover the body with a clean sheet. -thinks across disciplinary boundaries; and On your leisure before you are busily occupied, means that by night one is at leisure but by day is busily occupied, therefore one ought to say prayers at night during the period of his leisure and fast by day. Women have two additional pieces of cloth: a sinah-band or breast-band, that extends from the armpits to just above the ankle joints; the other a damini which encircles the head once and has two ends dangling on each side. Spread for him a bed (firash) from the Garden. A firm belief in life after death is a foundational truth in Islam. There is segregation in Egyptian funeral rites. 5. We went out with the Apostle of Allah [to join] the funeral procession on a man from the Ansar. Make supplication to Allah for me that he let me be again as I was (among the living)., As for dying, he said, For a true believer the distress and anxiety of dying are equivalent to that from three hundred strokes.. In-depth semi structured interviews were conducted and analysed with ten selected Lebanese Facebook users . Death and dying are universal realities for all creations in every country and cultural area. If invited for lunch, guests usually stay past 4pm. There is another view which says that the meaning of the Tradition is not that ones loving desire to meet with Allah is the cause of Allahs loving desire to meet with him, nor that ones disinclination is the cause of His disinclination. The right hand is then placed on top of the left. First, there is usually a vigil service, which may also be referred to as a wake or a rosary service. Again, such a belief resembles the Muslim beliefs, i.e., white is the symbol of purity and blackness is the symbol of sin. This also has symbolic meaningfor comfort of the soul of the deceased, wherever he may be. Blessed is he to whom Allah gives provision of understanding, rouses from the slumber of heedlessness, and leads to ponder over the matter of his end. If the mother of the deceased is present, she says, The milk with which I suckled thee I freely bestow on thee; but this is primarily a custom in India. They ask him, Who is your Lord? and he replies, Alas, I know not., They ask him, And what is your religion? to which he again replies, Alas! Verily, those who have said, Our Lord is Allah, and then have kept the straight course, on them will the angels descend [saying]: Fear not! Provo, UT 84602 They do not eat until someone else comes in and pressures them to eat. Women go into the house. When the faqih pauses in his recitations, one group moves on and as he resumes, another group comes in. To add an RSC website shortcut to your home screen, open the website in the Safari browser. There are no automobiles with headlights on and no police officers to accompany the march as is done in the United States. Black faces, black dresses, and black coffee are signs of mourning in Egypt. For Muslims, burial is very simple, the same from Nasser to Sadat to the man in the street. Then the soul comes out, issuing like water from a bag, and the Angel of Death takes it; and when he takes it, the angels do not allow it to remain in his hands for the twinkling of an eye. However, it is preferable that this dowry be remitted while the person is still alive. What do you want? In Judaism, life is valued above almost all else.The Talmud notes that, since all mankind is descended from a single person, taking a life is like destroying an entire world while saving a life is like saving an entire world.. Death, however, is not viewed as a tragedy, even when it occurs early in . A If they slow down, they are urged by relatives of the dead to pick up the tempo. Religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism believe a body should be cremated to free the soul. When I first came to Utah and attended the funeral I discussed earlier, I asked myself, What do these people do? The body of the dead is uncovered, the casket is half open, the person is embalmed and powdered to look natural. Sometimes, however, the relatives do it themselves. Here are 10+ of the oldest, funniest, and most confusing Lebanese traditions. Each issue focuses on a specific topic. It depicts both spiritual and material life. But when he was eight years old, his father . The corpse must be carefully brought from the place it was bathed and laid on the shrouds. Muhammed). The washers cover it with a cloth that reaches, for a man, from the navel to the calves of the legs, or for a woman, from the chest to the feet. Then the different shrouds are put on properly, one after another as they lay. Syrian culture is greatly influenced by its high population of Sunni Muslims. When the women scream and slap their faces, you will probably hear one word yagamili "Oh, my camel.". Another interesting custom in the Middle East is that radios cannot be played in homes surrounding the deceaseds home. Food and food baskets are appropriate gifts, especially during the three day mourning period. Nothing beats trying to navigate the strange social . [29] Unless death occurred at night. There are male and female washers [10] who are hired to wash and shroud the corpse. A camel symbolizes wealth among the villagers and when a camel dies naturally or disappears, its a great loss. After the funeral or after the fortieth day, this cloth is given to the faqir [15] who resides in the burying-ground or to any other person deserving of charity. Female relatives of the deceased return home where other women come to deliver their condolences. For the Lebanese, the cake symbolizes fertility and is said to manifest sweetness for the couple's life together as newlyweds. The Tradition is intended to describe clearly those people who desire to meet with Allah when Allah desires to meet with them. In Muslim funerals, giving flowers to the family may vary depending on Muslim sects. With one's hand over the other's, they slice into the cake with a ceremonial sword. I have touched upon the attitudes and customs of various Middle Eastern cultures toward the inevitable mystery of death. During these funeral rites men wear black ties. The family of the deceased only prints 30 death notices instead of 200 for 200,000 Lebanese pounds," he said. [Go on] to the mercy and favor of Allahexalted be He.. Heaven and hell are there for good and bad people. Every dead person was identified with Osiris and bore his name (the famous papyrus of Ani often mentions the dead scribe as Osiris-Ani). In Islam, the deceased are to be buried within 24 hours. In this case, the funeral rites are administered next day as early as possible. The wake is a death ritual commonly practiced in many cultures. Many problems in understanding the dances stem from the way that the evidence is preserved. Here, it is important for . The funeral ()consists of prayers for the rest of the dead person's soul. Penitents receive the message: Fear not about your sins, for they have been forgiven you, and grieve not that you may miss the reward because of anything you may have done subsequent to your repentance.. Death is a universal reality, and a prime concern for the living. This was highlighted in media reports of the death of Osama bin Laden. Such a belief caused me to ponder and to ask myself why we receive death completely differently in the Middle East than in the West? The ceremonies attending the death of a Muslim are described by Jafir Sharif in Herklots Qanun-i-Islam, Islamic Law page 80. Grieve not lest you miss the reward, but rejoice in good tidings of the Garden, that you will assuredly go to Paradise. Based on the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad and originated in the 7th century A.D., Islam is a monotheistic faith based on the act of submission to the will of Allah. July 9-11, 1860. When we go as Americans or Europeans, we focus our attention on movements, tourist attractions, etc., but we seldom care to see or investigate how the Middle Eastern people respond to death and dying. Then the angels carry it upwards, and they do not pass by any concourse of angels who say, What is this pure soul and who is the owner of it?. We have now covered Islamic concepts of death and dying; let us briefly present other rites of minority groups in the Middle East. Light a candle, this represents a sacred held space or the start of the ritual/ceremony. [12] A white sheet of cloth to cover the lower parts of the body. Symbolically, a person is buried wearing his suit and tie (if he worked in one of the professions), with a new haircut, everything prepared as if he is alive. So if you attend a death ceremony of a practicing Hindu, it is likely the body will be cremated. Source: The Internet. This is . Religion of Syria. It's the first dance performed at the Nine-Night celebration, the ninth night preceding the funeral service. When Muhammed made the statement above, people responded, But, O Apostle of Allah, we are all disinclined to die. He answered: That is not disinclination. I know not., They ask, Well, what do you say about this man who was sent [on a mission] among you? But again he replies, Alas! Much of the Egyptian religious beliefs would show up in either culture in modified form but with a common theme as their basis. Other basic sources are Hughes Dictionary of Islam, the Encyclopedia of Islam, and my own personal experiences and observations. Dying is widely connected with religious and philosophical beliefs, and with elaborate rituals. They mount up with it, and there is not a single angel group whom they pass but asks, What impure spirit is this?, They reply, This is the spirit of So-and-so, using the least worthy name for him. [10] This has reference to washing the body of the deceased. You have a 40 day long visiting frenzy instead of a maternity leave. The shrouds consist of three pieces of cloth for a man and five for a woman. From the New Orleans jazz funeral and South Korean burial beads to sky burial in Mongolia and Tibet and Balinese cremation ceremonies, these rituals and ceremonies are often associated with religion as communities follow the traditionally prescribed movements in the wake of a loss of life. This became an elaborate ritual when Queen . If you are well pleased with what Allah has done you will receive your reward, but if you are displeased or sore afflicted [by it], you are committing sin and being rebellious. Before the burial, the deceased person's body is washed. 8 Doll-Bride Marriage In Japan. They must go on that day, carrying with them palm branches and palm leaves. The Coptic or Christian cemetery is really amazing. When the women scream and slap their faces, you will probably hear one wordyagamiliOh, my camel. The woman who cries this is the wife of the dead man. Photo credit: japantimes.co.jp. The Dinki-Mini Jamaican dance has an African origin and the name originates from the Congolese word "nidingi" that means funeral song. Lebanon will triple the tariffs it charges on imports in local currency, according to copies of government decisions seen by Reuters on Tuesday, as the state seeks to boost its revenues amid a worsening economic crisis. There is another interesting sign of death and dying in the Middle East. The Christian's body is considered sacred because it was the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Christians visit the tomb only on occasions like Christmas and Easter. It is an expression in Egypt similar to the American idea of visiting the dead with flowers. Then his soul is replaced in his body, and two angels [Munkar and Nakir] come to him and set him up, and say, And they say to him, What is the condition of the man who is sent down to you?, Then a voice comes from above saying, He lieth; therefore spread a bed of fire for him and open a door for him towards hell., Then the heat and hot winds of hell come to him, and his grave is made tight upon him, so as to squeeze his ribs. I have had personal experience with many of these. Ever since European archaeologists began excavating in Egypt in the 18th and 19th centuries CE, the ancient culture has been largely associated with death.Even into the mid-20th century CE reputable scholars were still writing on the death-obsessed Egyptians whose lives were lacking in play and without joy. [30] Peasants, especially in Egypt, instead of a suit wear a garment which is called galabiyya or quftan. Some brides in Baalbek stick a piece of dough on the doors of their new houses. Druze, also spelled Druse, Arabic plural Durz, singular Darazi, small Middle Eastern religious sect characterized by an eclectic system of doctrines and by a cohesion and loyalty among its members (at times politically significant) that have enabled them to maintain for centuries their close-knit identity and distinctive faith. The traditional mourning period to honor and remember a deceased Muslim is three days. A Jewish friend recited the Mourners' Kaddish. This is all he says, and its purport obviously is that loving desire is an attribute of Allah, and a humans loving desire for his Lord springs from it and is a reflection, like the reflection of water on a wall. [21] Sakrat al-mawt is another of the many expressions for the agony of death, or the last moments before death. When I entered and approached the family, I was utterly shocked. Some barriers, such as modesty, gender preference in healthcare providers, and illness causation misconceptions . But that was not the case. Call us at (858) 263-7716. Some people in rural areas get black mascara and put it on their faces, forehead, and hands so that everyone will immediately see that they are in mourning. Then they pour plenty of water on the corpse and wash off all the dirt and filth with soap, using flocks of cotton or cloth. Beirut and Damascus, Syria. We have not come before his time. And there was a stick in the Prophets hand with which he kept striking the ground. The sheets are brought over the body one at a time. Allah here makes it clear that the one who speaks truth desires death, but the false speaker flees from death because of the evil of his works. The late Ayatollah Fadlallah, a . Unfortunately the Embassy has no funds to assist in the payment of burial costs or the cost of returning remains to the U.S. The dead have a home, or a semi-home at least. It is related that there is no soul, innocent or wicked, to which death is not a good thing. The closer you are to a person, the more acceptable it is to decline their offers of tea, coffee, food, etc. Let us go back to the days of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Black - sombre mourning. The author describes health beliefs and practices of the Arab Muslim population in the United States. But such a procession lets everyone know that a funeral is taking place. People are allowed to openly express their remorse. [32] The Christians and Jews follow the same procedures, with some variations from one denomination to another. Funerals tend to be elaborate. To be honest, I expected to see the family of the deceased crying and screaming as in the Middle Eastern culture. Here we can see cultural interplay. We know something about the people of the Middle East, but we are not well acquainted with certain important cultural patterns of that area. Thy face is hideous and brings wickedness., Then the dead person says, O Lord, delay the resurrection on my account!. He may wear it for years, depending how dear or how close the dead person was to him. This tradition symbolizes good luck and protection for the couple's future together. The culture of Lebanon is mostly middle eastern with a touch of European modernity. [32] The women lock the room where the body is kept, stay in the living room, and begin to wail so that everybody in the neighborhood will know that somebody in this house died and a funeral is pending. These customs and habits are always followed during times of mourning, whether you are poor or rich, whether you live in a village or in a city. Jean Bouchebel. # # #_ #_ . #4558 | 04:58. The body is cleaned well so that no offensive smell remains. First, a smoking ceremony is held in the loved one's living area to drive away their spirit. The woman brings a group with their drums, and they begin to eulogize the beautiful characteristics of the deceased. In the Catholic funeral tradition, there are multiple ceremonies in honor of the deceased. 185 Heber J. However, the writer is planning to conduct such research in the near future. Another feature of Middle Eastern funerals is that they do not end when the person is buried. After the body is washed, it is wrapped in a white sheet. They have television in Egypt now, and I dont know how the young people manage to miss The Six-Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. Funeral DancesLong Tradition.The tradition of a funeral dance in Egypt probably began in the Nagada II Period, as early as 3500 b.c.e. [31] It is like entering a village. Hopefully this will serve to give you a better understanding of ways in which the traditions of the Middle East differ from those practiced in the United States, particularly among the Mormon people. Invite those present (it may be you and the dying person) to enter into silence with you and allow any feelings to rise and to be spoken. There must be no waiting. Usually when a person is on the point of death, someone pours sharbat, [5] made of sugar and water, down his throat to facilitate the exit of the vital spark, and someone procures the holy water of the Zamzam well at Mecca. One or two ropes are tied around the middle . Then they perform wuduk [11] for the person; they wash his mouth, and arms to the elbows; they make masah on his head and they throw water on his feetthese actions constituting the four parts of the ceremony. [29] We dont know why, but the body is immediately placed in a casket. Islamic mourning traditions provide ritual and structure for Muslims going through the process of grieving the loss of a loved one. When his spirit has been drawn forth and placed in the musk and sweet basil, the silk cloth is folded and sent with it to cIllyun. Unlike birth rituals, however, although death rituals have also largely been replaced by Western conventions, some traditions remain strong. 1. Born in 1942 in the mountain town of Bikfaiya, Bouchebel shared a home with his five siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. So a youth in the period of his youthfulness ought to become accustomed to doing good deeds and then doing good deeds will be easy for him when he becomes old. 63, we find that: If God were to punish men for their wrongdoing, He would not leave on the earth a single living creature; but he respites them until a stated time; and when their time comes they cannot delay it an hour, nor can they hasten it. Since this area is predominantly Muslim, our attention is focused on the attitudes and beliefs of the people of this faith. The corpse is placed on a bed, a country cot, a plank, or on straw then stripped and laid on its back with its head to the east and feet to the west. 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