# Notes on Muhammadanism/Chapter 41

XLI.—JANA′ZA, OR BURIAL.
Jana′za is the term used both for the bier and for the Muhammadan funeral service. The burial service is founded upon the practice of Muhammad, and varies but little in different countries, although the ceremonies connected with the funeral procession are diversified. In Egypt, for instance, the male relations and friends of the deceased precede the corpse, whilst the female mourners follow behind. In North India and Central Asia, women do not usually attend funerals, and the friends and relatives of the deceased walk behind the bier. There is a tradition amongst some Muhammadans that no one should precede the corpse, as the angels go before. Funeral processions in Central Asia are usually very simple in their arrangements, and are said to be more in accordance with the practice of the "Prophet," than those of Egypt and Turkey. It is con​sidered a very meritorious act to carry the bier, and four from among the near relations, every now and then relieved by an equal number, carry it on their shoulders. Unlike our Christian custom of walking slowly to the grave, Muhammadans carry their dead quickly to the place of interment; for Muhammad is related to have said, that it is good to carry the dead quickly to the grave to cause the righteous person to arrive soon at happiness, and if he be a bad man it is well to put wickedness away from one's shoulders. Funerals should always be attended on foot; for it is said, that Muhammad on one occasion rebuked his people for following a bier on horseback. "Have you no shame?" said he, "since God's angels go on foot, and you go upon the backs of quadrupeds?" It is a highly meritorious act to attend a funeral, whether it be that of a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian. There are, however, two traditions given by Bokhárí, which appear to mark a change of feeling on the part of the time-serving Prophet of Arabia towards the Jews and Christians. "A bier passed by the Prophet, and he stood up; and it was said to the Prophet, this is the bier of ​Jew. 'It is the holder of a soul,' he replied, 'from which we should take warning and fear.'" This rule is said to have been abrogated, for, "on one occasion the Prophet sitting on the road when a bier passed, and the Prophet disliked that the bier of a Jew should be higher than his head, and he therefore stood up." Notwithstanding these contradictory traditions, we believe that in all countries Muhammadans are wont to pay great respect to the funerals of both Jews and Christians. Not long ago, about sixty Muhammadans attended the funeral of an Armenian Christian lady at Peshawur, when the funeral service was read by the Native clergyman. In the procession the Muhammadans took their turn with the Native Christian converts in carrying the bier, and assisting in lowering the coffin into the grave. During the reading of the service, some few seated themselves on the grass, but the majority listened attentively to the funeral office, which was impressively read by the Native pastor, himself a Christian convert from Muhammadanism.
The Muhammadan funeral service is not recited in the graveyard, it being too polluted a ​place for so sacred an office; but either in a mosque, or in some open space near the dwelling of the deceased person, or the graveyard. The owner of the corpse, i. e. the nearest relative, is the proper person to recite the service; but it is usually said by the family Imám, or the village Qází.
The following is the order of the service:—
Some one present calls out,—
"Here begin the prayers for the dead."
Then those present arrange themselves in three, five, or seven rows opposite the corpse, with their faces Qiblawards (i. e. towards Mecca). The Imám stands in front of the ranks opposite the head of the corpse, if it be that of a male, or the waist, if it be that of a female.
The whole company having taken up the Qíám, or standing position, the Imám recites the Niyat.
"I purpose to perform prayers to God, for this dead person, consisting of four Takbírs."
Then placing his hands to the lobes of his ears, he says the first Takbír.
"God is great!"
Then folding his hands, the right hand placed upon the left, below the navel, he recites the Subhán:—
"Holiness to Thee, O God," "And to Thee be praise." ​"Great is Thy Name." "Great is Thy Greatness." "Great is Thy Praise." "There is no deity but Thee."
Then follows the second Takbír:—
"God is great!"
Then the Darúd:—
"O God, have mercy on Muhammad and upon his descendants, as Thou didst bestow mercy, and peace, and blessing, and compassion, and great kindness upon Abraham and upon his descendants."
"Thou art praised, and Thou art great!"
"O God, bless Muhammad and his descendants, as Thou didst bless and didst have compassion and great kindness upon Abraham and upon his descendants."
Then follows the third Takbír:—
"God is great!"
After which the following prayer (Duaʾ) is recited:—
"O God, forgive our living and our dead, and those of us who are present, and those who are absent, and our children, and our full ​grown persons, our men and our women. O God, those whom Thou dost keep alive amongst us, keep alive in Islám, and those whom thou causest to die, let them die in the Faith."
Then follows the fourth Takbír:—
"God is great!"
Turning the head round to the right, he says:—
"Peace and mercy be to Thee."
Turning the head round to the left, he says:—
"Peace and mercy be to Thee."
The Takbír is recited by the Imám aloud, but the Subhán, the Salám, the Darúd, and the Duaʾ, are recited by the Imám and the people in a low voice.
The people then seat themselves on the ground, and raise their hands in silent prayer in behalf of the deceased’s soul, and afterwards addressing the relatives they say, "It is the decree of God." To which the chief mourner replies, "I am pleased with the will of God." He then gives permission to the people to retire by saying, "There is permission to depart."
Those who wish to return to their houses do so at this time, and the rest proceed to the ​grave. The corpse is then placed on its back in the grave, with the head to the north and feet to the south, the face being turned towards Mecea. The persons who place the corpse in the grave repeat the following sentence: "We commit thee to earth in the name of God and in the religion of the Prophet."
The bands of the shroud having been loosed, the recess, which is called the láhd, is closed in with unburnt bricks and the grave filled in with earth. In some countries it is usual to recite the Súrat i Twá Háh as the clods: of earth are thrown into the grave; but this practice is objected to by the Wahhábís, and by many learned divines. This chapter is as follows:—
"From it (the earth) have We (God) created you, and unto it will We return you, and out of it will We bring you forth the second time."
After the burial, the people offer a fátihah (i.e., the first chapter of the Qurán) in the name of the deceased, and again when they have proceeded about forty paces from the grave they offer another fátihah; for at this juncture, it is said, the two angels Munkar and ​Nakír examine the deceased as to his faith. After this, food is distributed to beggars and religious mendicants as a propitiatory offering to God, in the name of the deceased person.
If the grave be for the body of a woman, it should be to the height of a man's chest, if for a man, to the height of the waist. At the bottom of the grave the recess is made on the side to receive the corpse, which is called the láhad. The dead are seldom interred in coffins, although they are not prohibited.
To build tombs with stones or burnt bricks, or to write a verse of the Qurán upon them, is forbidden in the Hadís; but largest one and brick tombs are common to all Muhammadan countries, and very frequently they bear inscriptions.
On the third day after the burial of the dead, it is usual for the relatives to visit the grave, and to recite selections from the Qurán. Those who can afford to pay Maulavís, employ these learned men to recite the whole of the Qurán at the graves of their deceased relatives; and, ​as we have already remarked, in a former article, the Qurán is divided into sections to admit of its being recited by the several Maulavís at once. During the days of mourning the relatives abstain from wearing any article of dress of a bright colour, and their soiled garments remain unchanged.
* ↑ The Shíaʾhs stand opposite the loins of a man.
* ↑ This sentence is not generally recited in the Subhán of the daily prayer.
* ↑ Vide article on Angels.