In Islam, death is not an end to our existence; it is a passage, which takes us from this world to the hereafter – the actual purpose for our creation and the result of our work in this life. Whether we fear death or not depends on how much we have prepared for the reckoning of the Day of Judgement.
Preparing for death is a lifetime’s job. It begins on the day you reach the age of bulugh and are held accountable for your deeds in the eyes of Almighty Allah. Imam ‘Ali bin Abu Talib (a.s.) has beautifully described the preparation for death as follows: “Fulfilling the obligations, refraining from forbidden [things, and acquiring noble character.”
In this article, I have attempted to present some of the things which all believers are either required or strongly urged to do just before death by the shari’ah.
In Preparation for Death
Before death, try your best to fulfil the obligations, which are upon you in regard to the creatures as well as the CreatorReturn to the owners whatever has been given to you as a trust or write it down in your will so that the executor of your will shall return the trust to its rightful owner.
In Islam, you are allowed to dispose up to one-third of your estate for whomsoever or whatever cause you like. As for the two thirds, it must be distributed among your heirs according to the shares allocated for them in the shari’ah.
Make a will in writing or verbally about those religious obligations which you could not fulfil by yourself and which cannot be done on your behalf by others except after your death: the qadha prayers, fasting and pilgrimage (hajj), etc. You should specify the amount from the one-third of your estate to be used to hire people to do such deeds. If you cannot afford this, then you may request your heirs to do unfulfilled rituals on your behalf voluntarily or pay someone else to do so.
It is also recommended, if your financial circumstances allow you, to include your deserving relations in the one-third of your estate.
It is recommended to forgive your brethren in iman for whatever wrong they may have done to you. On the other hand, you should ask your brethren in iman to forgive you for the intentional and unintentional wrong you may have done to them.
At The Time of Death
When death approaches you, it is wajib on you to lie down on your back in such a way that the soles of your feet face the qiblah (direction of Mecca). Or you may turn your bed in such a way that your soles will face the qiblah. If you cannot do so yourself, then it is wajib on those who are with you to help you.It is recommended to say by yourself or repeat after someone else the declaration of faith and statement of faraj.
The declaration of faith: It is a declaration in which you reconfirm your belief in Allah, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), the twelve Imams (a.s.), the Qu’ran, and the Day of Judgement.
This may be done as follows:
Radhitbu bil-lahi Rabban;
Wa bi Muhammadin (sal-lal-lahu ‘alayhi wa alihi) nabiyyan;
Wa bil Islami dinan;
Wa bil Qur’ani kitaban;
Wa bil Ka’bati qiblatan;
Wa bi’ Aliyyan waliyyan wa imaman;
Wa bil Hasan, wal Husayn, wa ‘Aliy-yib nil Husayn;
Wa Muhammad bin ‘Aliyyan,
Wa Jafar ibn Muhammadin;
Wa Musa ibn Ja’farin, wa ‘Ali yibn Musa;
Wa Muhammad ibn Aliyyin; wa Ali yibn Muhammadin;
Wal Hasan ibn ‘Aliyyin; wal Hujjat ibnil Hasan
(salawatul-lahi ‘alayhim) aimmatan wa sadatan wa qadatan;
Bi him atawalla, wa min a’da’ihim ata-barra
Wa an-nas sa’ata atiyatun la rayba fiha;
Wa annal-laha yab’athu man fil qubur;
Wa annal hisaba haqqun; wa annal jannata haqqun;
Wa annan nar haqqun
I have accepted Allah as the Lord, Muhammad (s.a.w.) as the Prophet, Islam as the religion, the Qur’an as the Book [of God, the Ka’bah as the qiblah.
And [I accept ‘Ali as the waliy [of Allah and [my Imam; and Hassan, Hussein, ‘Ali ibn Hussein, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, Ja’far ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Ja’far, ‘Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, ‘Ali ibn Muhammad, Hassan ibn ‘Ali, and al-Hujat ibn al-Hassan (a.s.) as Imams, leaders and guides – I declare my love for them and declare my disassociation with their enemies.
And [I believe that surely the Hour [of Doom will come in which there is no doubt; and that Allah will resurrect all those who are in their graves. And [I believe that the reckoning [of our deeds is the truth; the Paradise is the truth and that the Hell is the truth.
B. The statement of faraj is to be recited as follows:
La ilahah il-lal lahu Halimul Karim;
La ilaha il-lal lahu ‘Aliyyul ‘Azim;
Subhana ‘l-laha Rabbus samawatis sab’i
Wa Rabbul ardhinas sab’i;
Wa ma fee hinna wa ma bayna hunna
Wa ma fawqa hunna wa ma tahta hunna;
Wa Rabbul ‘arshil ‘azim;
Wal hamdu lil-lahi Rabbis ‘alameen.
There is no god but Allah, the Gentle, the Kind;
There is no god but Allah, the High, the Great;
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the seven heavens and the lord of the seven earth’s, and whatever is in them and whatever is between them, and whatever is above them and whatever is below them; and [He is the Lord of the Great Throne.
And all praise be to Allah, the lord of the Universe.
It is recommended to move the dying person to his/her usual place of prayer in the home. This is recommended only if it does not cause pain or inconvenience to the dying person.
It is recommended to recite two surahs, Yasin (no. 36) and as-Saffat (no. 37), near the dying person. According to the traditions, this will relive the pangs of death.
After The Death
• Soon after a person dies, it is recommended to do the following things:• Close the eye-lids of the dead person
• Close the mouth of the dead person
• Tie the two jaws so that the mouth does not open
• Straighten his/her arms and place them on the two sides of his body
• Straighten his/her legs
• Cover the dead body
• Switch on the light in the room where the dead body is kept
• Arrange the funeral as soon as possible
• Inform the mu’mineen to attend the funeral.
After Death Rituals
They cover Ghusl/Kafan/Dafan i.e., washing, shrouding, and burying. Basically, these are Wajib (obligatory) acts for all of us but Kifai - Wajibe Kifai, which means if one or more persons undertake to do, others are absolved. Else it is wajib on everyone.Therefore, it is essential for all of us to know the basics of burial rituals in case we are called upon to perform them when it becomes obligatory for us to do so according to the Shar’ia.
First Obligatory Wajib Act Ghusl-e-Mayyit (Ritual Wash of the Dead Body)
It is wajib to give three Ghusls to a Muslim dead body.• First Ghusl with water mixed with Sidr (berry or lotus) leaves.
• Second Ghusl with water mixed with camphor.
• Third Ghusl with pure water.
Note: The quantity of “Sidr” leaves or camphor should neither be so much that the water becomes mixed (Mudhaf), nor so little that it may be said that “Sidr” leaves or camphor has not been added in it.
Q) When Ghusl Mayyit is performed with water mixed with SIDR and with water mixed with CAMPHOR, care should be taken in each case that the water does not become muzaf.
When SIDR and especially CAMPHOR is mixed in water for Ghusl Mayyit, even in small quantity, certainly a change in SMELL AND TASTE will occur. Would not that constitute to water that has been mixed with SIDR or CAMPHOR having become Muzaf?
In the case of Ghusl Mayyit using water mixed with Sidr and with water mixed with Camphor, what is one required to do to ensure that while there is presence of Sidr or Camphor in the water, it has not become MUZAF?
A) Mutlaq water remains Mutlaq even with change in color, smell or taste.
The Katheer (big quantity) water becomes Najis if it's color or smell or taste changes becoming like the Najis item's color, smell or taste.
Water mixed with Sidr or Camphor remains Mutlaq in spite of the change of smell or taste of it, as far as the quantity of the Sidr or Camphor is not too much. (M.M.)
Q) If I am giving Ghusle Mayyit and wearing hand gloves. Do I have to perform Ghusle Mase Mayyit?
A) As long as you have not touched the Meyyit with your bare hand and no part of your body touched the Meyyit, then you do not need to perform Ghusl of Maseh Meyyit.
Q) If a foetus of 4 months or more is still-born it is obligatory to give it Ghusl, and even if it has not completed four months, but it has formed features of a human child, it must be given Ghusl, as a precaution. In the event of both of these circumstances being absent, the foetus will be wrapped up in a cloth and buried without Ghusl.
Am I correct to understand that besides Ghusl, it will also be wajib to give Tahnit and Kafan?
A) Whenever Ghusl is Wajib then Hunut and Kafan are also required. (H.K.)
Q) When giving Tayammum to a Meyyit, is it necessary that the palms of the person doing Tayammum to a Meyyit must be placed on the forehead of the Meyyit in such a way that his right palm is on the right side of the forehead of a Mayyit and his left palm is placed on the left side of the forehead of a Mayyit.
Similarly, is it also necessary that he should be stroking the right hand of the Meyyit (from the wrist-joint to the end of the fingers) with his left palm followed by passing his right palm over the back of the Meyyit's left hand.
A) That is not obligatory.
A person giving tayammum to the dead body should strike his own palms on earth and then wipe them on the face and back of the hands of the dead body. And the recommended precaution is that he should, if possible, use the hands of the dead for its tayammum. (L.O.)
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