a PRELIMINARY design of JANAZAH washING area: UPHOLDING HUMAN DIGNITY IN THE LAST RITE-DIVERSITY AMONG DIFFERENT believers

Nabilah Zainal Abidin Faculty of Built-Environment (Architecture) Universiti Technology Malaysia

Zainal Abidin Akasah

Faculty of civil and environmental engineering

Universiti tun hussein onn Malaysia

Muhammad husin

kulliyyah of architecture and environmental design

International Islamic university Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This paper will discuss on literatures and the problems that occur to Muslim community that are dealing with the activity of washing a janazah. The objectives of this study are to perform the final religious obligation of burial, which includes washing the body, shrouding, and performing janazah prayers for a deceased Muslim and to create awareness of the Muslim community and other believers towards the importance of the duty towards a deceased Muslim and respect towards the deceased. Last but not least to upholding human dignity in the last rite and diversity among different believers. This research has been written based on library search, internet retrieval, questionnaires in order to get the information regarding to the activity. Analyses of interviews are also conducted to help in organising the research. As a result it is to conclude that by implementing a new design of wash area, it would help increase the awareness towards a deceased Muslim and respect towards the deceased in the modern Islamic community.

Key Words: Religious Obligation of Burial, Washing Janazah, Muslim Community, Different Believers

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1.0INTRODUCTION

With the increasing growth of information and technology, many forget the fundamental things in life. Striving to gain more wealth and materialistic pleasures, that many of us forget that we are not going to be living on this Earth forever. Death is a very important topic as each one of us will experience it one day. Islam is the only religion that explains death in detail, from when it happens, to what a Muslim should do before, during and after a person dies.

It is the duty of every Muslim community to perform the final religious obligation of burial, which includes washing the body, shrouding, and performing janazah prayers for a deceased Muslim (Muslim Cemetery & trust, 2012). It is also considered to be something that is common knowledge to every Muslim to know, as death occurs when you least expect it.

There is no doubt that the only guaranteed event that will definitely face each and every single living being; be they male or female, rich or poor, black or white, sick or healthy, is death. Despite the uneasiness people feel in talking about or even merely thinking about this dark topic, due to it unavoidable and inevitable nature, it only makes sense to prepare for it.

1.1 RESEARCH AIM

The purpose of this study is to explain how to wash and prepare a janazah, as well as performing a survey on the awareness of the public towards the Islamic funeral rites.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH

The study has the following objectives;

To perform the final religious obligation of burial, this includes washing the body, shrouding, and performing janazah prayers for a deceased Muslim.

To upholding human dignity in the last rite and diversity among different believers.

To create awareness in the importance of the human duty towards a deceased Muslim and other believers to respect towards the deceased.

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT

During the occurrence of death, Islam has always encouraged that the funeral rites towards the dead be hasten and that it may not be delayed. The activity itself is considered an obligation towards the whole Muslim community and is Fard Kifayah, but more and more Muslims are paying and delegating that work and duty towards other people just because they think that it is a burden on oneself to carry it out. Some would rather have a stranger wash and prepare the body of their spouse or family member than to do it themselves.

The awareness of the importance of the activity is dwindling among the younger generations. It is either because of their ignorance towards the topic or just their lack of interest which may be caused by the current design of a majority of the washing areas. The designs itself may not be as interesting and may give a negative perspective towards the users.

1.4 SCOPE OF WORK

For this research, the authors will cover the basic steps of washing and preparing of a janazah. This will include the area in which the activity is done and the equipment used.

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The following methods were used to collect various types of information that is needed to achieve the mentioned objectives.

1.5.1 PRIMARY DATA

Data were collected during the field survey in the form of:

1. Observation

Observation were made at the areas where the washing area is available (eg; hospitals, mosques and musollah) for a wider review.

2. Interviews

Interview is one of the methods used to get information, and were made with the people in charge of washing a janazah and those who have had the experience.

3. Questionnaires

Distributed questionnaire forms to the people in charge at the respective departments in hospitals and mosques; the mortuary.

4. Case Study

Taking several examples of existing designs those are available in the market for the details to study the ergonomics and specifications to get a better understanding.

5. Photography

Taking pictures of the existing product in all aspects of user; wash area and the environment.

1.5.2 SECONDARY DATA

The secondary data were including literature review from books, journals, the internet and newspapers. All these will help the authors in assisting with the research and study of the current janazah washing areas.

2.1 LITERATURE REVIEWS

Death, according to the Collins Cobuild Advance Dictionary of English 2009; is the permanent end of the life of a person or animal. In Islam, death is simply a transition state from one world to another, like a birth. No one knows when or where we will die or how it will happen (Arafat, 2003) .

2.1.1 DEATH IN ISLAM

There are many verses stating death in the Quran such as;

"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the day of resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the fire and admitted to paradise, this person is indeed successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception:" (Quran 3:185),

"Every soul shall have the taste of death" (Quran 29:57)

In an authentic Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said:

"Remember the destroyer of pleasures-death, for not a day passes upon the grave except it says I am the house of remoteness; I am the house of loneliness; I am the house of soil; I am the house of worms (Authentic-Thermithi).

2.1.2 ISLAMIC FUNERAL RITES

For a Muslim, death is a form of test and trial for the human by means of which means of destiny is determined. Death is the return of the soul to its Creator, God, and the inevitability of death and the Hereafter is never far from his consciousness. When death is eminent, family members of the dying and their most pious friends should be present at their side to help direct final thoughts towards Allah (swt), recalling his or her good deeds, as well as Allahs mercy and favours

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

Let no Muslim die except expecting and hoping the best from Allah. (Muslim)

Family members and friends can advise the dying person very gently (encouragement without insistence) to say the shahada: "La Illaha illallah", which means there is no God but Allah, in a very kind and sincere manner as these may be their last words. Abu Saeed Al-Khuduri reported that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

Help Muslims who are dying to say La Illaha illallah. (Muslim)

Family members should make Dua (supplication) to Allah to make the final moments easy, and to forgive them. All efforts should be made to fulfill any requests that the person may have before dying. Immediately after death, the eyes and the mouth of the deceased should be closed, and the body covered with a clean sheet. Those present should say, Innaa lillahi wa innaa ilayhi rajiun

(Surely we are from Allah, and to Him is our return [Al-Baqarah 2:156]).

Once again, a Dua should be made seeking Allahs forgiveness for the deceased. The hospital should be informed about Islamic tradition, including not performing any autopsy or surgeries on the body unless required by law.

Below is a checklist for washing and shrouding of the dead;

1. 5 pieces of clean sheets, preferably white material cut into the required lengths

2. Approximately 15 yards of material required.

3. 5 wraps for a woman.

4. 3 wraps for a man.

5. 3 thin strips of cotton for tying the shroud. One long enough to go round the middle of the body and two shorter ones to secure the ends of the shroud.

6. 2 pieces of thicker material of any dark colour to cover the body while washing - Toweling material is recommended. Each sheet should be at least one metre squared.

7. 2 large clean towels for drying the body. These should preferably not be new, as towels that have been washed absorb moisture better.

8. 2 pairs of strong rubber gloves.

9. A box of disposable surgical gloves.

10. Cotton wool and Shampoo.

11. Soap and liquid soap in a dispenser.

12. Nail polish remover, if required.

13. 2 pairs of scissors and Masking tape.

14. Camphor and a non-alcoholic form of perfume.

15. Bin bags for disposing of rubbish and for taking soiled material and towels to be washed.

16. Jug and a large bucket.

2.1.3 AL-GHUSUL (WASHING OF A DEAD MUSLIM)

Figure 1: Position that is permissible to place the body during ghusl.

Islam states in detail what a Muslim has to do before, during and after the death of another Muslim. Here Al-Ghusul or washing of a dead Muslim, occurs after the death of the Muslim has been determined. When a Muslim dies, it is the responsibility of the deceaseds family members to wash the body. If the kin or relatives of the deceased are unable to be located, then the responsibility falls to the Muslim community to wash the body according to the Islamic rites (BH, 2012).

Two or three person may perform the washing as long as they; are a trustworthy and honest adult Muslim(s), knows the steps according to the Islamic way of washing the dead and are able to wash the dead, and they must not make any comment on the body of the deceased. The Prophet (saw) said: "He who washes a Muslim and conceals what he sees (i.e. bad odors, appearance, and anything loathsome), Allah grants him forgiveness forty times (or for forty major sins). It is important to take note that if the deceased is a male, then only a male shall be allowed to wash the body, and if the deceased is a female, then a female shall wash the body. If the deceased is married, the spouse may perform the washing, if the deceased is a child; either male or female may perform the washing.

Figure 2: Washing of janazah-1

Place of Washing

The body of the deceased should be washed in a clean, secluded and private place where clean water and soap are available. Gloves and pieces of cloth are needed. The body should be washed with water and lotus leaf if possible and camphor which will be used for the final wash. It is better to wash the body three or five times, any odd number more if it is necessary.

Figure 3: Janazah washing area

Steps of Washing

Firstly, the body of the deceased is to be laid on its back on the area of washing. The clothing should be taken off and cutting any that is hard to come off. A large towel is placed over the bodys arwa (private parts). The head and upper part of the body should be raised slightly so that the water used to wash the body flows freely down and does not run back to the body. Starting with BismillahIn the name of Allah, the washer will use a piece of cloth to wipe away any dirt from the body and when that is done, the piece is to be thrown away. The washer then applies a slight pressure on the stomach of the deceased to discharge any impurities from the body. Then, the private parts are washed and cleaned. The washer will then perform an ablution (wudu) on the body without inserting water into the nose and mouth. Afterwards, the washer is to wash the body with water and soap, starting from the head which includes the hair, face, and beard (men), followed by the upper body starting with the right side, and then the left side, continuing to the lower body also starting with the right side, and then the left side.

Figure 4: Washing of janazah-2

For a female body, the hair should be untied, loosened, washed, combed, and braided into three braids which are then place behind her back. For the last wash, camphor can be added to the water or perfume can also be added. The body is then dried off with a clean towel and then fully wrapped in a white sheet. Um Atiyah stated that: "When the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) died, he instructed us: Wash her three times, or more than that if you feel it is necessary, with water and sidr (good smelling leaves), and then after the last wash apply some camphor to the body, then loosen her hair, wash it, comb it, and make it in three braids laid behind her back " (Bukhari & Muslim). In the case of a martyr, the body should not be washed at all. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: "Do not wash them, for verily every wound will emit musk on the Day of Judgement."

For a person who bathes the body of the deceased, it is desirable (Mustahab) that he/she themselves take a bath once this process is over. According to a narration from the blessed Companion, Abu Hurayrah t The Holy Prophet r said:

"The person who bathes the deceased should himself take a bath." (Ibn Majah)

2.1.4 AL-KAFAN (SHROUDING OF A DEAD MUSLIM)

Shrouding of the body should begin after the washing is done and the body has been dried off. Inexpensive white sheets are recommended to be used during the shrouding, as extravagance is not recommended during the kafan. Aisha relates that: "When the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) died, he was shrouded in three white sheets from Yemen" (Bukhari & Muslim). The shrouding differs for both male and female.

WOMAN'S SHROUD

MEN'S SHROUD

Material 60" wide (5ft) Length Width

1. Lifafah - Outer sheet 8 ft by 5 ft

2. Sina'band (Chest wrap) 7 ft by 5 ft

3. Izar / Loin Cloth 7 ft by 5 ft

4. Qamis / Kurta or shirt 5 ft by 4/5 ft

Fold in half and from the center make a T shaped cut for the neck front

region without sleeves.

5. Orhni / Scarf 4ft by 2 ft

3 stripes of cotton material for keeping the shroud in place

(sizes same as womans)

It has a

1. Lifafah outer sheet

2. Qamis / Shirt

3. Izar / loin cloth

Figure 5: Shroud specifications

After a male body has been perfumed with incense, three white winding sheets are used that are clean and should be able to cover the whole body of the deceased. Four seven feet ropes are used to tie the sheets around the body. For a female body, the kafan should be done with five white garments which include two winding sheets, a loose long-sleeve shirt that covers the body from shoulders until the feet, a waist wrapper and also a head veil. These should be large enough that they can cover the whole body of the deceased and the sheets can also be perfumed with incense. Gatrad AR AND Sheikh A. (2001).

Figure 6: Shrouding of janazah-3

After the washing and shrouding is finished, it is recommended that the body should not be kept for too long and that it should be taken quickly, prayed for and then buried. The Salatul Janazah (the funeral) is required to be performed in a congregation and is considered a collective obligation, therefore a Muslim must not hesitate to join this prayer whether related or not to the deceased (ICBIIE, 1995).

Figure 7: Shrouding of janazah-4

Figure 8: Order of male kafan

Figure 9: Order of female kafan

Figure 10: How Qamis should be cut and folded

2.1.5 JANAZAH PRAYER

It is the right of a Muslim that when he passes away other Muslims should pray Janazah prayer for him. Janazah prayer is a supererogatory prayer. If no one from the whole of the Muslim Community offers the Janazah Prayers, then the whole community will be considered sinful in the sight of Allah. If some of the people offer the Janazah prayer then the whole community will be saved from the anger of Allah even though the reward will only be given to the participants. In many hadith, the Prophet Muhammad emphasised and encouraged the Muslims to attend funeral ceremonies. 1. Janazah prayer should be offered in congregation, as this is more rewarding. It can be prayed in more than one congregation but by different people. 2. Janazah prayer should be offered in an open place but in case of rain or bad weather or any other reason it can be prayed in a mosque or a hall, etc. 3. It is makruh to perform the Janazah salaah while the sun rises, when it passes the meridian (Zawaal) and when it sets. Besides these three times, which last for a very short period, this salaah can be performed at any time during the day or night. It can also be read after the Asr salaah.

WHILE PRAYING JANAZAH PRAYER

The Imam should stand level with the head and shoulders of the dead body of a male, and should stand level with the abdomen of a female body.

WHERE JANAZAH PRAYER DIFFERS

Janazah prayer is very different from other prayers in the sense that there are no ruku or sujud or Tashahhud in it. There is no fixed time for offering this prayer but makruh times must be avoided. It has to be offered standing up. Other conditions like purification, facing Qiblah, dress etc. have to be observed as in the usual prayers.

2.1.6 THE FUNERAL PROCESSION

After the Janazah prayer is performed the janazah should be buried as soon as possible. The Janazah should be carried and placed at the Qiblah side of the grave. The head should be on the right side of the grave if one faces the Qiblah. It is desirable that Mahram or close relatives (of a female janazah) enter the grave to lower the body. The husband should not enter the grave to bury his wife. It is Not Sunnah that there be an odd number. All those who enter the grave should face the Qiblah.

It is Mustahab to hold a sheet over the grave while lowering and burying a female. If there is fear of her Kafn opening then it is Wajib to do so. It is Mustahab for those present to recite this du`a whilst the body is being lowered. After placing the body into the recess of the grave it is sunnah to turn it onto it's Right side to face the Qiblah. The strips of cloth tied at the head side, chest and leg side should now be untied. The recess should then be covered with unbaked bricks, bamboo or timber

It is Mustahab to begin closing the recess or trench from the leg side for males and from the head side for females. All the remaining little openings should be closed with mud or grass. The use of any fabric or blankets is unnecessary and wasteful. All those present should participate to fill the kabr with at least three handfuls of soil.

2.2 DEATH IN OTHER RELIGIONS AND CULTURES

The purpose of this sub-topic is to make a comparison and see the differences and similarities that the majority of other religions and cultures have in common on the matter of death and what one will do during the funeral rites (Abdul jalil, 2003).

According to anthropologist Ernest Becker (1973), the idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else; it is the mainspring of human activity; activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny for man. There is much about death to fear: Whether by accident, disease, or intentional infliction by another human, the path to death for all but a few fortunate humans is accompanied by pain (MPGC, 1985).

Death can also be a lonely and isolating experience (Feder 1976). Humans are social beings, and it is our interactions with other humans that complete our existence and give our lives meaning. Death is thus separation from everything that gives our life form; it is the loss of everything that we hold dear. The loss of a loved one to death is often one of the most emotionally painful experiences that a human can have (Gordon 2000). Even when the death is not that of a loved one, simply being a witness to death can evoke a natural horror and revulsion (Malinowski 1948). Furthermore, because of its seeming finality, death presents one of the most formidable challenges to the idea that human life has meaning and purpose. Given these facts, it should be no surprise that fear has been one of the most commonly expressed responses of humans to death. (Bierbrauer, 2006).

2.2.1 BUDDHISM

Buddhism is a religious system founded in the 6th century B.C. by Siddattha (or Siddhartha), better known as Sakyamuni (a Sanskrit expression meaning Sage of the Sakya clan, that is, the Buddhas clan), Gautama, or the Buddha (the Enlightened One). There are a wide variety of sects grouped into three primary branches: Therevada (sole survivor of the ancient Hinayana schools) which emphasizes the importance of pure thought and deed; Mahayana, which includes Zen and Soka-Gakki, ranges from philosophical schools to belief in the saving grace of higher beings or ritual practices, and to practical meditative disciplines; and Tantrism, an unusual combination of belief in ritual magic and sophisticated philosophy.

Buddhism today falls into two divergent types: Hinayana or Southern Buddhism, and Mahayana or Northern Buddhism. The former is profoundly pessimistic, conscious above all of the weight of human suffering; it therefore stands closer to classical Buddhism. It teaches that the individual must find his own salvation and not look to others to accomplish it for him. Mahayana is more optimistic; that it is needful to try to save others. Buddhists believe that life is misery and decay, and there is no ultimate reality in it or behind it. The cycle of endless birth and re-birth continues because of desire and attachment to the unreal self. Right meditation and deed will end the cycle and achieve Nirvana, the Void, and nothingness, considered the highest order of being. Buddhism, in its purest form is less a religion and more a philosophy of life and a system of ethics. There are estimated to be over 250 million Buddhists worldwide.

Buddhists place great importance on the state of mind at the moment of death. When death is imminent a monk is called to chant from religious texts, or relatives may introduce some religious objects to generate wholesome thoughts into the persons mind, because the last thought before death will condition the first thought of the next life. One, two or three days after death, the body is either buried or cremated. At the funeral monks lead the congregation in the traditional Buddhist manner, offering respect to Buddha, the Dhamma (his teaching), and the Sangha (the community of enlightened beings). Following this, the congregation accepts the Five Precepts, which are guidelines for the leading of a moral life. If a cremation takes place, it is traditional for a nephew of the deceased to press the button that draws the curtain on the coffin and consigns it to the furnace. Sometimes the ashes are kept in an urn, which may be stored in a monument built specifically for this purpose; alternatively they may scattered. Immediately after the death, friends and relatives observe a period of mourning. This is done symbolically by observing a certain amount of austerity and frugality in the house of the dead person. Mourners may, for example, wear plain white clothes, abstain from wearing jewellery, eat simple food and not indulge in entertainment.

Relatives and friends direct their efforts above all to assisting the deceased in his or her journey through samsara. By performing good actions such as unselfish generosity, they generate merit, which can be transferred to benefit the deceased. This is the primary way of showing ones gratitude and paying respect to the dead. This act may be repeated three months later and then annually thereafter. In addition to benefiting the deceased it also brings comfort to the bereaved.

Before the end of the first week after death, a member of a monastic community may be invited to the house to talk to the surviving members of the family. They will usually remind the bereaved that everything is impermanent, that nobody can live forever and death is inevitable. Buddha, however, cautioned his followers that expressions of grief may be damaging to ones mental well being, causing pain and suffering. He said that grief does not benefit the departed one, nor does this benefit the griever (LAHCL, 2007).

2.2.2 CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is the religion of those who believe in Christ as a unique revelation of God. It arose over 2000 years ago, as a sect within Palestinian Judaism. It accepted Jewish Scriptures as its own, but was distinguished by its belief that the expected Mesiah or Christ had already appeared on earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The faith in a Messiah dying and rising again was the heart of the earliest Christian preaching. Jesus, therefore, was much more than a prophet. He had begun his Galilean mission by proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God and was looked on as its inaugurator and primal embodiment.

Further, he had promised his disciples and followers the special gift of Gods Spirit, which was bestowed upon them. This demonstration of his spiritual authority entitled him to the designation Lord. Hence from the first he was, though questionably a man, a figure to be venerated as divine. Whoever would personally accept this message as true and submit to the rite of Baptism, also in Jesus name, would receive the promised Holy Spirit for a new life under divine rule and inspiration.

The early centuries mark the great formative period of Christian belief and theology, in which the apostolic scriptures were canonized as the New Testament, and the Apostles and Nicene creeds were established. In the whole process of doctrinal development much use was made of Greek philosophical ideas and terminology. Formal definition of the faith was largely the achievement of the General (or Ecumenical) Councils of Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381), Ephesus (431), and Chalcedon (451). It was not until the reign of Theodosius I, Emperor from 379 to 395, that Christianity was established as the Imperial religion, which thereafter gained adherents in ever-growing numbers. Ethically Christianity partly accepts the world and partly denies it. The teaching of Jesus was clearly an exhortation to repentance of sins and renunciation of the things of this world in view of the imminence of the Kingdom of God, of judgments and the close of the present world-order. Christianity today has over one billion adherents.

After death the body of the dead person may be moved to the undertakers Chapel of Rest. The word chapel does not necessarily indicate a place of worship, though in the case of believers the Funeral Director often arranges candles round the coffin and displays a cross. Some Roman Catholics or High Church Anglicans transfer the corpse to their church on the evening before the funeral; following the ritual reception of the body into the church, it remains there overnight.

In some parts of the country, however, the coffin is brought to the house the evening before the funeral and transported from there to the church. The next morning a funeral service or requiem mass is celebrated during which the priest or minister wears black vestments. The final ritual in Christian burial is the graveside committal where the minister leads the mourners in prayer as the body is lowered into the grave. Instead of burial, some Christians may choose cremation. The ashes of the deceased may be scattered in a Garden of Remembrance or elsewhere. Alternatively, they may be placed in an urn and interred in a cemetery. Some families keep the ashes at home. If the ashes are to be scattered in the Garden of Remembrance, the family may choose the garden and the precise place of dispersal, and if they wish, they may return a few days later to witness the scattering of the ashes.

2.2.3 HINDHUISM

The traditional religious faith and practice of the greater part of the Indian sub-continent, Hinduism is an ancient (c. 1500 B.C.) religious and social system with belief in reincarnation, worship of several gods, and caste as basis of society. There is no concept of orthodoxy in Hinduism, which encompasses a wide variety of sects, most of them devoted to the worship of one of the many gods. There are sects who worship Vishnu as the god of space and time; there are sects who worship Shiva as a god of song and healing; there are sects who worship Durga, the Divine Mother.

The three major living traditions are those devoted to the gods Vishnu and Shiva and to the goddess Shakti; each of them divided into further sub-sects. Numerous folk beliefs and practices, often in amalgamation with the above groups, exists side-by-side with sophisticated philosophical schools and exotic cults. Whoever they choose to worship, all Hindus believe in: Brahman, the eternal Trimutri, or Three-in-One god; Brahma the Creator; Vishnu, the Preserver; Shiva, the Destroyer; submission to Fate, since man is not outside, but part of Brahman; the caste system, determined by the Laws of Manu; the Law of Karma, that from good must come good, and from evil must come evil; reincarnation, as a chain of rebirths in which each soul, through virtuous living can rise to a higher state; Nirvana, the final stage reached upon the emancipation of the soul from the chain of rebirths; Yogas, the disciplines which enable the individual to control the body and the emotions; and Dharma, the Law of Moral Order, which each individual must find and follow to reach Nirvana.

Hindus believe that there is only one divine principle; the many gods are only aspects of that unity. Life in all its forms is an aspect of the divine, but it appears as a separation from the divine, a meaningless cycle of birth and rebirth (Samsara) determined by the purity or impurity of past deeds (Karma). To improve ones karma or escape samsara by pure acts, thoughts, and or devotion is the aim of every Hindu. One of the most distinguishing elements of Hinduism is the caste system. Historically, India has four major castes or divisions of society, each created from a different part of Brahma, an Infinite Being who pervades all reality. Far beneath the four castes are the pariahs or untouchables. Mahatma Ghandi renamed the pariahs Children of God. The Hindu faithful are believed to number in excess of 460 million.

When death is imminent, the person is lifted from the bed to the floor so that the souls free passage into the next life is not obstructed. Water from the holy River Ganges is given to the dying person and a tulsi (basil) leaf is placed in the deceased persons mouth. The tulsi leaf has a dual significance one of is believed to have many medical properties. After death, the body is washed and dressed, preferably in new clothes.

Married women are clothed in a pink or red sari and adorned with jewelry. Kumkum red powder is placed in the parting of the hair and a red spot or tilak is applied on the forehead. The womans father or brother usually provides the clothes, and when a man dies, the clothes are again provided by the wifes father or brother. In India, the hot climate necessitates that the funeral is held as soon after death as possible. Except for young children under one year of age who may be buried, the customary mode of disposal of a dead body amongst Hindus is by cremation.

In the villages in India, the body is placed on a bier made of bamboo poles and carried on the shoulders of close male relatives to the burning grounds. In most cases, all the relatives in the village attend the cremation. The actual size of the gathering of mourners varies with the age and importance of the deceased. Thus, when an elderly and highly respected man dies, even his genealogically and geographically distant family would make it a point to attend the cremation.

The nearest male relatives of the deceased, such as the father, husband, brother or son, are generally forbidden to shave or cut their nails for eleven days following the death. This custom, however, varies in different parts of India; in Gujarat and some other parts of Western India, the nearest male relatives of the deceased are required to shave their heads on the actual day of the death. Among Hindus, the ceremonies following a death normally last for thirteen days, but the ritual pollution incurred by the close family members is terminated on the eleventh day.

The chief mourner performs a rite, aided by a Brahmin (priest), and the male relatives present their hair and beards. On the thirteenth day the mourners offer a blessing to the deceased to show gratitude for acts of kindness they received during their lifetime. Throughout the thirteen-day official mourning period, relatives are required to eat only simple vegetarian food and generally to lead a secluded life. The custom of friends and relatives visiting to mourn is also practiced.

Even after death, the deceased person is still regarded as part of the family and their names will often be included, for example on invitations to the wedding of children or grandchildren. The death anniversary is usually observed with a special meal. Within a family, a picture of the deceased parents may be kept in the home shrine and it is usual to garland the picture.

2.2.4 HUMANISM

Humanists believe that we only have one life and that we should make the best of it. We should try to live happy and fulfilled lives and help others to do so and the best way to achieve this is by living responsibly, thinking rationally about right and wrong, considering the consequences of our actions and trying to do the right thing.

Humanists are concerned with making the world a better place in which to live, not only for people alive today, but also for future generations especially as the lives of their descendants represent the only sort of immortality in which humanists believe.

There are no specific or obligatory rituals to be followed either by the bereaved or by those who wish to express their condolences. An expression of sympathy, an acknowledgement of the bereaved persons feeling of grief and the offer of a listening ear are more likely to be appreciated than any suggestion that the deceased has gone to a better place (which may contradict what the family believe).

Humanists may choose to be cremated or buried and the ceremony can take place anywhere, though it is most commonly held at a crematorium where, if possible, any religious symbols will be removed or covered up. At a humanist funeral there will be no suggestion that the deceased has gone on to another life: the ceremony is intended to celebrate the life that was lived.

The humanist funeral officiate will have spent time with the bereaved relatives and together they will have planned a ceremony that properly honors the persons life and, hopefully, brings some comfort to everyone who attends as they are reminded of how their lives have been enriched through knowing the deceased. At the funeral, the officiate will talk about the persons life and what they achieved and it is usual for family members or friends to read personal tributes. The ceremony may also involve suitable readings, poetry or music, and there may be a brief period of silence to allow people attending the ceremony time for their own private reflection or if they are religious for prayer.

2.2.5 JEWISH

Jews believe in one God who created the universe. The Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday and ends an hour after sunset on Saturday, and commemorates the seventh day when God rested after the Creation. During this time religious Jews do not travel, write, cook, or use electrical equipment. Unless death occurs after sunset on Friday, in which case the burial is postponed until Sunday, the Orthodox Jewish tradition prescribes that funerals should take place within twenty-four hours. Professional undertakers are involved since all arrangements are made through the Synagogue. The body is dressed in a white shroud (kittel), which is then placed in a plain wooden coffin. Men are buried with a prayer shawl (tallith) with its tassels cut off. While the body is in the house, Jews believe that it should not be left unattended. Candles are placed at the head and the feet of the coffin and sons or other near relatives of the deceased maintain a constant vigil. If no relatives are present, professional mourners are called in.

The rabbi is sent for as soon as death occurs. He or she returns to the house of mourning an hour or so before the funeral is due to start to offer special prayers for the deceased. Close relatives of the dead person usually gather at the house of mourning, dressed in old clothes from which a piece is ritually cut as a mark of grief. Traditionally this torn garment is worn throughout the seven days of intensive mourning (shiveh).

After prayers offered by the rabbi at the house, the coffin is carried out and mourners usually follow on foot to the cemetery. If the cemetery is not within walking distance, transport is permitted, but Orthodox Jew insist on covering at least part of the way on foot. Progressive liberal Jews permit cremation. However, according to the orthodox tradition, cremation is forbidden, as human beings are created in the image of God and it would therefore be wrong to deliberately destroy a body.

At the cemetery the dead body is taken to a special room. Mourners usually wait outside until the coffin is placed in the canter of the room. Then the men stand on the left and the women stand on the right of the coffin. There are no flowers or music at the funeral ceremony, ensuring that there is no distinction made between rich and poor. Prayers and psalms are recited and the rabbi makes a special mention of the virtues of the person who has died. The coffin is then carried to the grave followed by the mourners. The sons and brothers of the deceased shovel some earth on the coffin. After the burial the special prayer for the dead, the Kaddish is recited for the first time by the male relatives. A special meal is provided of eggs, salt-herrings and bagels. Peas or lentils are also a suitable food to serve on this occasion as, according to Jewish tradition, roundness signifies life.

In orthodox families, from sunrise to sunset during the seven days of intensive mourning, close relatives of the deceased must wear their torn garments and special slippers that are not made of leather. Prayers are said throughout the day. Neighbors and friends visit to offer condolences and help. The ritual prescribed for women ends with this seven-day period. Men however, are forbidden to cut their hair or shave for thirty days. The sons or other male mourners go to the Synagogue every day to say the Kaddish for eleven months. The gravestone is then erected, symbolizing the end of the official period of mourning. Every year on the anniversary of the death, the family says the Kaddish and burn a candle for twenty-four hours. The grave is visited at least once a year, especially before the Jewish New Year, to ensure that cherished memories do not fade.

2.2.6 SIKH

Most Sikhs are of Punjabi origin. Sikhs believe that birth into the faith is a result of good karma. Death is the door to union with God. The cremation is a family occasion attended, as far as possible, by the close relatives of the deceased and friends. Prior to the funeral the body is washed and clothed by the members of the family. The dead person is attired with the symbols of the faith know as the 5Ks Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (comb), Kara (steel bangle), Kachs (shorts) and Kirpan (short sword) and the turban for a man and sometimes a women.

On a route to the crematorium the deceased is taken to the gurdwara where a rumalla is placed on top of the shroud. At the crematorium, prayers (Sohilla and Ardas) are said. The button is then pressed by a close male relative, usually the eldest son of the deceased. The next day, the ashes are collected and then in both India and Britain taken to a designated area of running water and immersed. In Britain, after the funeral, the mourners go back to the gurdwara and wash their faces and hands. In India, for reasons of personal hygiene the mourners bathe after the body has been cremated on the funeral pyre.

Beginning on the day of the death, adult relatives, or if they are unable to do so grathis from the gurdwara (people who perform readings), usually take part in a complete reading of the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book) at the home of the deceased or at the gurdwara. This reading is usually spaced over a period of ten days, and close family members, including children, would usually be expected to be present throughout. At the completion of the reading, a passage from the Guru Granth Sahib about belief and practices regarding death is read, followed by kirtan (songs in praise of God); the prayer Ardas is then said, followed by the sharing of karah parshad (specially blessed sweet pudding) and the eating of langar (a communal meal). If the deceased was the head of the family, the oldest son is given a turban to symbolise the taking of responsibility for the family.

2.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOUR

This sub-topic will be very helpful when choosing the proper colour for the design of the washing area, as based on the matter here the author will find out which colour will suit best and which colour will be deemed inappropriate in relating something to death. When viewed from a cross-cultural perspective, colour has been used almost universally to symbolise both the grief and trauma related to death as well as the notion of eternal life and vitality. Black, with its traditional association with gloom and darkness, has been the customary colour of mourning for men and women in Britain since the fourteenth century (De Bortoli and Maroto, 2001).

However, it is important to note that though there is widespread use of black to represent death, it is not the universal colour of mourning; neither has it always provided the funeral hue even in Western societies. White is considered appropriate in many cultures to symbolise purity, as well as, in some religions, oneness with God, or eternal life in others. Sikh women generally wear white clothes for mourning, although sometimes they wear black.

Though there are variations within the Hindu traditions, women generally wear white or black. Even though there is sorrow in death, if the deceased person is elderly, black or white may not be worn as they have lived a long and fulfilled life. White has also been a popular colour of mourning at Christian funerals at different periods in history, a notable example being Queen Victorias funeral.

The colours and clothes in which the deceased are dressed are often indicative of age, marital status and caste. Amongst Hindus, if the deceased is an elderly male, the clothing tends to be simple and is normally white. Married women are dressed in new saris in shades of red and pink, as these are considered to be auspicious colours. Some items of jewellery, especially the mangal sutra (tied around the brides neck at the time of marriage by her husband), are left on the dead body and red kumkum powder is placed in the parting of the hair. In stark contrast, deceased widows are generally dressed in sombre shades. Sikh families choose the clothes the deceased is to wear.

For men, these may either be a western suit and turban (white, black or coloured) or a Punjabi suit and turban. Women will be dressed in a Punjabi suit, younger women in bright colours and older women in paler colours. The deceased is wrapped in a white shroud and a rumalla (a special silk cloth, of the same type used to cover the Guru Granth Sahib, (often in a bright colour), is placed over the top.

3.0 CASE STUDY

Since the author has stated that one of the objectives of this study is to come out with a design that can accommodate a body that is in any condition, the best example of an existing product that can be studied is the autopsy table and carts. Autopsy carts are mostly portable and are lightweight making them easy to transport. The author has also included examples of existing janazah washing area designs in the case study.

3.1 LEEC POST MORTEM EXTRACTION TABLE - MODEL RCS

Figure 11: Post Mortem Extraction Table-Model RCS detail

Features:- Stylish attractive yet functional design

- Sectional removable worktop- Perimeter extractor with solid worktop

- Positive airflow around and over table

- 180 rotation with electrical height adjustment

- Electrical interlocked brake mechanism

- Unique patented positive 'anti wobble' table lock

- Easy to clean, concealed access to plenum

- 304 grade stainless fabrication - Internal sump under worktop fitted with sparge rinse

3.2 DC 400 BARIATRIC AUTOPSY CART

Figure 12: DC 400 Bariatic Autopsy Cart

The DC400 Bariatric Autopsy Cart is used in conjunction with wall mounted autopsy sinks or as a simple viewing stretcher. Designed with heavy gauge wall tubing and a reinforced frame with an inset oversized top. Maximum capacity 1000lb. The top is not removable and includes a drain built in the cart frame. The cart top measures 80.5" x 40" with a 1-1/2" profile and a return flange of 2 inches. All carts feature Total Lock castor system with non-corrosive 8" heavy duty wheels. During autopsy, swivel and brakes on all castors are locked simultaneously from one position. During transport, one castor swivel is locked for easy mobility.

3.3 AT-TAHARAH LIL JANAZAH MODEL: TLJ-1 & TLJ-2

Figure 13: At-Taharah Janazah Model: TLJ-1

Teraju Fibre manufactures quality products such as At-Taharah Lil Janazah that is made from fiberglass, which is durable and long lasting. Comes in many shapes and sizes as well as in different colours.

4.0 PRELIMINARY DETAIL DESIGN

Figure 14: Exploded view

Figure 15: Packaging drawing

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