Muslim burial rites explained
I have been asked by a few of my Christian brethren about Muslim burial rites, more so with the demise of our elder Mzee Yusuf Haji.
Firstly, we rarely transport a body. You get buried where you passed away. You must be wondering that Garissa would have been ideal burial place for him being a public figure. For us, your burial is where maut or death will find you.
Our burials timing is mainly dictated by prayers times, remember we pray 5 times a day. Fajr. 5 am or so; Dhuhur 1 pm; Asr 4 pm or so; Maghrib 6.30 pm or so and Isha 8 pm.
Most of the burial prayers would coincide with the 1pm or 4pm prayers for various reasons for instance to allow immediate family to arrive etc. We try and avoid evening or nighttime burial unless it is case of accident and the departed ought to be laid to rest as quickly as possible.
The body is prepared either at home or even at some mosque. Ghusl is the full body ritual purification mandatory before the performance of ritual and janaza prayer. We don’t use a coffin, we have a common built contraption that is used for everyone (returnable)
Our mosque in South C does that very well and a few masjids in Mombasa. It is a new trend across many towns in Kenya since a Muslim passing away in your town it becomes your responsibility as fellow muslims to give the departed brother or sister a good send off and burial. Growing up in Marsabit we used to lay to rest many muslims who die in road accidents as they head to Moyale and Ethiopia.
Once the body is ready (the departed is wrapped in a simple plain cloth, kafan, and that’s it. It costs less than Ksh 500.
The body is then carried away in a Janaza, the common contraption and is placed at the back of the mosque awaiting the regular prayers to happen. Once the prayers have happened then announcement is made that we have a body of a departed person and if we could remain behind to join. It is considered a blessing to take part in such even if you were not known to the departed. We then bring the body to the front of the congregation.
Typically, the eldest son elder will confer with the Imam (Priest) and announce if there is anyone who owed the departed anything and if the departed owed anyone anything. Then the son or immediate family male member will announce that they will take responsibility.
We then all stand behind the Janaza and final prayers are led by the imam. Sometimes we have more than one body so they are all laid out in a line.
It takes less than 10 minutes and swiftly the body is picked up and young men who most likely are not even known to the deceased jostle to be the ones carrying the departed.
Once at the graveyard, immediate family members preferably sons and brothers to the deceased will go inside the grave which is always ready. We prepare a pillow out of mud to lay the head.
Once the body has been removed from the Janaza the departed is laid inside the grave lying on their right side facing Kibla (Mecca). Remember we Muslims face Mecca to say our prayers.
Wooden planks are placed as an enclosure inside the grave and if you can’t find wood then concrete slabs is allowed.
Once done the family members step out and the grave is filled with soil. Again, total strangers mainly young men would do it and get soiled yet they may not even be known to the departed.
Once the grave is fully covered, a quick sermon is given hardly 5 to 10 minutes and we are done.
We make no speeches and there are NO protocols at the mosque or at the burial site based on your worldly position. At the mosque and burial site, we are all equal.
Women are not allowed at the cemetery and if they go then they can only watch from a distance. Men carry out the entire ritual once done then family members can be left behind to say extra prayers etc.
The whole burial will last no more than 30 minutes and it’s done.
If I have skipped anything Aalahu A’alam. Allah knows best.
I hope this quick write up helps you to understand our faith.
Mohammed Hersi in Mombasa.
