Funerals

Arabic Calendar Circumcision Education Funerals No Ruz Persian Calendar Perfumes Public Baths Weddings

Islamic Funerals

Islamic belief of life after death has its roots in Jewish, ancient Persian and Babylonian traditions. After a person dies, their soul remains in Barzakh (the interworld) until Restakhiz (resurrection. At that time, the person is given a book which contains all that they have accomplished in the world of the living. The person (or soul) must read aloud all of their deeds. If the book is handed to them in the right hand, then they go to heaven. The soul then crosses the Sarat bridge to heaven. If the book is handed to them in their left hand, then they are sent to Hell. The Sarat bridge becomes narrow and sharp and the soul falls into Hell. ⁽¹⁾

Thomas Herbert, a European traveler to Persia in 1628, describes a different view of the Sarat bridge. Herbert stated that:

"he [Mohammed] appoints them to pass over a bridge (he calls it the bridge of judgment), each man carrying his own sins in a bag behind him; but, in passing over, with such as have heavy loads, the bridge breaks, and they fall into Hell; such as have less weight into Purgatory,etc." ⁽²⁾

The Islamic view of God, differs greatly from the Christian view. Allah (God) is the creator of all things, even evil. Shayton (satin) who rules Hell, was also created by Allah. Allah. As a result, a Muslim attains Heaven by his devotion to Allah. Gonahan-i kabireh (Major Sin) are things like not completing namaz (prayers) or not roozah (fasting). ⁽³⁾ Kai Ka'us ibn Iskandar ibn Qabus ibn Washmgir, Prince of Gurgin in the 11th century, stated that the two primary religious duties of a man of wealth are to complete the pilgramage to Mecca and the giving of alms to the poor. ⁽⁴⁾

The body should be washed within 24 hours after death. The body is washed with kafoor and wrapped in a white cloth. ⁽⁵⁾ Thomas Herbet adds that they did embalm the bodies. The brains and intestines were removed. The abdomen was then washed with wine and stuffed with cassia and myrrh (both are spices). Those who could not afford cassia and myrrh, used bitumen or “the juice of cedars” to embalm the body. ⁽⁶⁾

The relatives recite the namaz-I meyet (prayer of death) and ask for forgiveness for the deceased. A mullah (priest) is hired perform “all the prayers that the deceased might have missed and fast for them.” The estate of the deceased must pay off all religious taxes to guarantee access into Heaven. ⁽⁷⁾

Herbert stated that until the deceased is buried, the family carries the body to the church yard, placing the head towards Medina.

“…for seven days the next of kin keep watch, to keep if possible the evil angel from his grave, incessantly warbling out elegiac threnodies, as the last expression of love they can show.” ⁽⁸⁾
The khatm (memorial service) is held on the third day. ⁽⁹⁾ The family and friends then process the body to the grave. Thomas Herbert described the procession:
“…In the first place go those of his blood; next them his varlets naked to the waist, the rest in troozes [pants]; who to express their zeal burn or scratch their arms and breast, and cut and print circles in their flesh so that blood oft trickles down in many places. Next them are ranked youths whose shoulders bear some texts of the Alcoran [Q’uran], mixing with them eulogies of the defunct, which they ingeminate. Next these follow many persons of best rank, each putting his hand to the cord that draws the hearse; and on every side throng the multitude, some bearing in their hands laurel or cypress, others garlands of flowers, fruits, and what best befits the season. Some semi-naked horseman play along and oft-times, to demonstrate their love, spare not to wound their carcasses. In the last place go the Praeficae, or women hired to weep and howl, who tear their false hair, probably smell to onions, and use such impostures as did the antique Romans noted in Livy,who made it an art to mourn, and by their counterfeit tears and shrieks to provoke others to passion and like lamentation. In which decorum they march slowly and with a commendable silences; but at his dormitory [grave] ululate Lala-Hillulla i.e. Let us praise God [this statement is probably la ila illahu-I, There is no God but Him].” ⁽¹⁰⁾

The self-mutilation described above comes out of the Shiite belief (the primary sect of Islam practiced in Persia) of Martyrdom. Martyrs are “supreme heroes who vanquish enemies of the faith with their lives.” The Safavid Shah’s in the 16th century copied Roman Catholic Church rituals for martyrs The ritual of martyrdom is meant to highlight the sacrifices made by Imam Hussein and Ali. Both were martyred defending the Islamic faith. Self mutilation is to remind the believer of the ”pain and horrors the martyrs went through.” The martyrdom of Hussein and Ali are celebrated in the Persian month of Moharram. ⁽¹¹⁾

The deceased were then buried in an unmarked grave. According to Herbert, men were buried face up, with his head toward Mecca while women were buried face down. ⁽¹²⁾ Modern Muslims believe only Allah is “worthy of such respect” as having his grave marked. ⁽¹³⁾ However Thomas Herbert remarked that

“Upon the grave they fix two stones, at his head and feet, which in Arabic characters engraved and coloured note his name, quality and time of burial.” ⁽¹⁵⁾
Thomas Herbert described the graves as “deep pits or vaults, or in places bored in the sides of mountains.” ⁽¹⁵⁾ After burial, the family visit the grave twice a day to “sing his requiem, beseeching Mahomet [Mohammed] to succour him against his bad angels…” ⁽¹⁶⁾

Zoriastrian Funerals
Zoriastrianism was the main religion from the 2nd century B.C. until the conquest of Persia by the Arabs. It is still practice in Persia today. The Zoriasters introduced the concept of your actions as a living person affected your status in the afterlife. ⁽¹⁷⁾ Therefore you attain Heaven by doing good deeds. Anyone can go to Heaven who has completed enough good deeds.

Zoriastrians believe that Ahura Mazda (the Lord of Wisdom) created humans to help overcome evil and “restore the world to its original perfect state.” ⁽¹⁸⁾ Upon death, the soul crosses the Chivat Bridge, where they are escorted to judgement by two dogs. Judgment court is run by Mithra, along with Soroush or Sraosha and Rashnu. Rashnu holds the scales of judgment. The soul is weighed upon the scale, if the scale is heavy, “the soul is lead by a beautiful maiden” to Heaven. If the scale is light, the soul is grabbed by a “horrid hag” and condemned to Hell. ⁽¹⁹⁾

According to the ethnology department at the Saadaba Palace Museum, the concepts of Heaven, Hell and “individual judgement” that exist in both Judo-Christian and Islamic religions were developed from the Zoriastrian religion ⁽²⁰⁾

Zoriastrians believe it takes three days for the soul to reach the Chirvan Bridge. During this time the family would perform rites to protect the soul. Candles and oil lamps are lit next to the body. The family and other mourners, eat special foods and do not eat meat during this period. Rather than burying the body, the body was left exposed for scavengers and the elements until the flesh was gone. The bones were then buried. ⁽²¹⁾

Funeral rites today are much the same as they were in medieval Persia. The attendees dress in white and recite prayers from the Avesta (the Holy Book of the Zoriastrians) ⁽²²⁾

“to pay homage to Soroush. The corpse is considered unclean and is not touched. Those who touch the bier must undergo purification after the funeral. Once the attendees enter the darkma (grave) all prayers are recited in Avesta to ward off evil spirits. The attendees do not weep or show other expressions of sorrow. They believe this behavior “belongs to the world of Ahriman [Hell] and should be avoided.” ⁽²¹⁾

Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, B.A., Ph.D., C.I.E. provides a more detailed description of these rites:
"A short time before death, the dying person is sometimes made to drink a few drops of the consecrated Haoma water. Haoma being a plant emblematic of immortality, a few drops of the water prepared with its juice by the priests performing the Haoma ceremony in the Fire-temples, are gently thrown into the mouth of the dying person. Sometimes the juice of a few grains of pomegranate, which is considered essential in some of the Parsi ceremonies, is dropped into the mouth of the dying person. A short time after death, the body of the deceased is washed whole throughout with water, and a white clean suit of cotton clothes is put over him.

This suit of clothes is not washed by the washerman, but is, as we said above, generally, washed beforehand at home by some members of the family, when it is seen that death is imminent, It is afterwards destroyed and never used again for any other purpose. The "Kusti" or sacred thread is then girded round the body by some relative reciting the "Ahura-Mazda Khodāi" prayer. The deceased is then placed on a white clean sheet of cotton cloth spread over the ground. Then two persons keeping themselves in touch with him sit by his side and somebody recites an Ashem Vohu very close to his ear. The relations of the deceased now meet him for the last time.

After this time, nobody is allowed to touch or come into contact with the body, which, it is supposed, now begins to fall under the influence of the "Druj-i Nasu," i.e., the evil influence of decomposition. It is considered unsafe to touch the body which now begins to be decomposed, lest the touch may spread contagion and disease among the living. Only those who put on the clothes over the body and the corpse-bearers are allowed to come into contact with the body. If somebody happens to touch by mistake the dead body, he is, lest he spread contagion; prohibited from touching other person; before he purifies himself by the process of "Rimani," which consists in washing himself by a particular method." ⁽²⁵⁾
One month after the death, the family completes the ritual known as ‘siroza’. ⁽²³⁾ The siroza is a prayer which honors a yazad (term meaning "a created spiritual being, worthy of being honored or praised)." ⁽²⁴⁾ One year after that, they complete the ‘sal’ ritual. ⁽²⁵⁾

Bibliography

1.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm
2.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 256

3.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

4.The Qabus Nama (A Mirror for Princes), Kai Ka'us ibn Iskandar, translated by Reuben Levy, E.P Dutton & Co. Inc.,Pg. 13

5.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

6.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 253

7.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

8.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 254

9.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

10. Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pgs. 254-255

11.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

12.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 255

13.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

14.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 255

15.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 253-254

16.Thomas Herbert’s Travels in Persia 1627-1629, Thomas Herbert, translated by Sir Robert McBride, originally published by the Robert McBride Company in 1929, Reprinted as part of the Argonaut Series, Pg. 255

17.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

18.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

19.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

20.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

21.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

22.http://sangha.net/messengers/zoroaster.htm#Old%20Iranian

23.http://www.saadabadpalace.org/ethnology/rit.htm

24.http://www.avesta.org/zglos.html#yazad

25.http://www.avesta.org/ritual/funeral.htm