“You must not forget during your lives on earth that the only way to purify your soul, to keep your

soul clean, is to be regular, to attend Jamat khana regularly, to

live by the tenets of our Faith and to practise them. And this is what I wish you to do from now

on.”Lashkar Farman

SIGNIFICANCE OF MAYAT SIGNIFICANCE OF MAYAT CEREMONIESCEREMONIES

A person keeps on advancing in my esteem A person keeps on advancing in my esteem through ‘Nafl’;through ‘Nafl’;Till I choose him as ‘My Beloved’.Till I choose him as ‘My Beloved’.I then become his ear by which he listens,I then become his ear by which he listens,his eye by which he looks,his eye by which he looks,his hands by which he holds,his hands by which he holds,and his feet by which he walks.and his feet by which he walks.If such a person prays for anything, I grant it to If such a person prays for anything, I grant it to him and if he seeks My protection I do protect him and if he seeks My protection I do protect him.him.

Hadith e KhudsiHadith e Khudsi

Maafi PatreMaafi Patre

Bibi Ayesha was told to ask for forgiveness to achieve nearness to

Allah

“Cry like a she-camel who has

lost her calf when repenting”

Hazrat Ali’s sermon #28

HAZRAT BILALHAZRAT BILAL

“Repentance before death is essential”

- Hadith

Angels mentioned in the Holy Qu’ranAngels mentioned in the Holy Qu’ran• Jibrael – communication (wahi)• Makail – nourishment and natural support• Ashrafil – assimilator and form giver• Azrael – also known as angel of death or

Mulkul Maut (his real title should be changer of form from

material to spirit)• Karamun-Kitabul – the deed writer • Munir and Taqir – write the accounts of our

amal (good deeds and bad deeds)• Azazil (Iblis) the fallen angel• Qyal and Jamil – can recite Kalima 200

times in one breath

DIL SOJIDIL SOJI

• Significance • Hadith• Hazrat Ali’s Hidayat• When a Muslim visits a bereaved

person’s home for Dil Soji, it is traditional to do the following:

Recitation of Salwat brings peace to the departed soul and to the grieving family

• It is also customary to recite the Aayats of the Holy Quran and verses of the ginans to console the bereaved.

• Hazar Imam’s hidayat about Ayat-ul-Shifa: Recite the Ayats that console the bereaved and not frighten them about the hereafter. Allah is merciful, loving and compassionate.

• It is incumbent on us therefore to be praying for the deceased when we go to console the bereaved family during Dil Soji in Jamatkhana.

CHAANTA FOR THE MAYATCHAANTA FOR THE MAYAT(Mahadin no Chaanto)(Mahadin no Chaanto)

Battle of Uhud – shroud provided by Abdullah Abid for Hazrat Hamza’s mutilated body

• Jibrail praised Hazrat Ali

• (La Fatah illah Ali la saifillah Zulfikar)

SIGNIFICANCE OF LOBAN OR SIGNIFICANCE OF LOBAN OR AGAR BATIAGAR BATI

• Loban according to the Hadith has a soothing effect and enhances our mood for prayer – it invites angels to pray with us

• The old Ghat Paat Duá…….. dhoop loban chade agar chandan nivasna…..

Chandan: Mawlana Rumi’s Chandan: Mawlana Rumi’s ParableParable

HOW SOON TO BURY AFTER HOW SOON TO BURY AFTER DEATHDEATH

• Hadith: Bury the body before sunset

• Our circumstances are different: labour laws, etc.

• If the death happens at sea, the body should be given a water burial

GHUSLGHUSL

• Hazrat Hanzalah, the newly-wed• Hadith: I see angels washing Hazrat

Hanzalah’s body• Abu Seyyed Saadi saw the body

soaking with water • Ghusl reminds us to leave our physical

impurities behind (it is a wadhu before a prayer)

Ghusl-e-MayatGhusl-e-Mayat

• The washing of the Mayat should be performed by males for a male deceased and by females for a female deceased.

• A husband may wash his wife’s body and a wife can wash her husband’s body.

• Worldly possessions, e.g rings, earrings, should be removed from the body.

• The deceased should be washed twice:with camphor waterwith fresh water

• Clean all the external impurities and recite

• “Ghusl me Deham een Maiyt-ra wajib Koorbatan Illallah”

• I am washing this body (as per Islamic custom) with Allah as my Guide

• Cotton buds are placed in the external orifices.• At least two people should be present at the Ghusl ceremony;

one cleans the body whilst the other pours the water.• Start from the head, followed by the neck, right hand, left hand

and then the rest of the body. Pour the water on the right from the neck three times and repeat on the left side.

• Dry the body and then wrap it in kafan (shroud)

The KafanThe Kafan• The Kafan consists of three pieces of white cloth

• the lungi which covers from the waist down• the shirt that covers the torso• the sheet that is draped over the whole body

• The following prayer is recited while performing the above act:

“Allahuma Innhaza Badnu Abdikal Momin (Momina) waked Akhrajata Ruhu Minhu Wafaarakta Bainhuma Fa-Afwuk”

In Your Name I am preparing for this Believer’s soul’s Journey towards You

• (The cloth of the Kafan is simple with no print or embroidery)

• Casket/ Closed casket

• Sadhri

• Facing Kaba Shariff

• All these depend on the circumstances at hand

Taking Mayat to Jamatkhana Before Taking Mayat to Jamatkhana Before BurialBurial• Hazrat Suhail binte Baida’s body was brought to Masjid-e-

Nabi by Prophet’s command

• Bier of Sabd abi Waqs brought to Masjid-e-Nabi on Bibi Ayesha’s request

• Presence of women at the cemetery

• Women bring life to this earth, so it is men’s duty to take it back to earth- Hadith

• “Wheresoever you turn there is Face of Allah” • Sura 2 Ayat 115

CHAANTA BY JAMATI MEMBERS CHAANTA BY JAMATI MEMBERS AND PAYING LAST RESPECTSAND PAYING LAST RESPECTS

GRIEVINGGRIEVING

• An Islamic way to grieve is illustrated in the parable of the lady who lost her son

FATEHAFATEHA

• Al Fateha: Hazrat Nabii Muhammed Mustafa Rasool Sall-al-laho Wassalem

• Surat-ul-Fateha Deemed to be the essence of the Qur’an e Shariff

Surat-ul-IkhlasSurat-ul-Ikhlas

• When recited three times, gives the reciter the sawab of having read the whole Qur’an e Shariff

Allahumma: Salle ala Muhammedin wa Ale Muhammadinil Mustafa,

O Allah, shower Your blessings on Muhammad the Chosen and his progeny

Salle ala jumla-e-Amebee-yae wal Mursaleen;Shower Your blessings on all the Muslims (Believers) of this world

Wa alal Mala-i-katil muqqarabeen,(Shower Your Blessings) on angels who are in constant prayer

Wa ala ibadill hissaleheen(Shower Your Blessings) on all the Momins (gathered here and

elsewhere) who are in prayer

Berehmat-e-ka ya Ar-rahmur RahemeenVerily, You are the most Compassionate and Merciful

Illahhee AmeenAllah, accept our prayers

In-nallah wa Mala-i-katehu yussal-loona alaNabi-Yi The angels in the heavens are sending their salutations (prayers of peace) on the

Chosen Messenger and his progeny

Ya Ayyo-hal-lazeena Aamenoo;O Ye Believers

Salloo alayhe wa sallemoo tasleemaGather together and send your salutations (by reciting Salwat)

(Recite Salwaat)

Subhaana Rabbeka, Rabbil iz-zate ammayasefoon wa salamoon alal mursaleenAllah in His Glory will send peace on all the believers who are here (in this world and all

those who have passed before us)

Wal Hamdulillah-e-Rabbil aalemeen.All praise is due to Allah the Maintainer of all Beings

Qul e shain zilatahu MautDeath is incumbent on every living thing

Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajeunFrom Allah we have come and to Him we return

NAMAAZ E MAYAT NAMAAZ E MAYAT

NIYYAT: Namaaz mee guzarum bar mayyete Hazar (Hazera)

Wajeb qurbatin illallh ALLAHO AKBER

I declare my intention to offer congregational prayer upon the body of the deceased to reach the presence of Allah

Allah is Great

Ash-hado unla illaha illallaho I declare there is no deity but Allah

wa ash hado unna Muhammedanr-Rassoolallah salallaho alehi wa Aalehi ALLAHO AKBER

I declare that Muhammed is His (final) Messenger, Let us all declare that Allah is Great

Allahumma sale ala Muhammadin wa Aale Muhammed

(recite three times)

ALLAHO AKBER

O Allah shower Your Blessings on (through)Mohammad and his progeny

* (ala can also mean ‘on’ or ‘through’)

Allah is Great

Allahummaghfirlil momineen wal mominaate, I ask for forgiveness for all the Momins and around the

world,

Wal, Muslimeen wal muslimaate(I ask for forgiveness) for all believers here and around the

world

ALLAHO AKBERAllah is Great

Allahummaghfir-li haza (hazil) mayettI ask for forgiveness of behalf of the deceased

ALLAHO AKBERAllah is Great

ALLAHO AKBER, ALLAHO AKBERAllah is Great, Allah is Great

LA ILLAHA ILLALLAHOThere is no deity except Allah

WALLAHO AKBER, Allah is Great

WALILLA-HIL HAMDFor Him is all Praise

Significance of raising our hands and touching the ears with the thumb and reciting Allaho Akbar in unison

LIFTING OF JANAZA LIFTING OF JANAZA

• Three times signifies past, present and future journeys of the soul

• Kandho• Lifting the bier to one’s shoulder • Hadith – a Muslim should give his shoulder to

any bier that he witnesses• Prayer to recite when giving Kandho• Salwat-e-Nabi• Zikr Allah

Recitation of KalimaRecitation of Kalima

• Key to Heaven’s door• Redeems the departed soul from going astray• It is a samar – dry fruit given to ease the

journey• The reciter of Kalima is rewarded with Iman

and it is said that it nullifies 99 registered misdeeds of the reciter

• It is the UMMAH’s isme-azam• Seven earths and seven heavens are equal

to one Kalima

Prophet says:“ALLAH WILL SEND ANGELS TO WELCOME THE BELIEVER AT THE TIME OF DEATH; AND THEIR PASSAGE WILL BE EASY…”

• Aga Ali Shah Datar’s Farman

• Procession to the cemetery

• Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah’s Farman re: attending Mayat ceremonies

CEREMONIES AT THE CEMETARYCEREMONIES AT THE CEMETARY

Kul ni Maati:

Symbolically placing soil with the deceased by saying salwat so as to ensure peace for the departed soul

Sura Ikhlas: • Recited to the deceased person• Symbolically giving the departed soul the

essence of Quran-e-Shariff to take with him

• MSMS’s explanation of monoreality

Tasbihs while lowering the casket into the grave:

• These tasbihs are meant to console the departing soul that Allah is Great and Merciful. Through our beloved Prophet’s teaching your soul will find peace

• Burying the deceased with the soil

• We used to recite tasbihs until the grave was covered with soil

• Pouring of water on the grave three times

• Custom started at Battle of Ohad

• Placing of agar bati or loban on the grave serves to invite elevated souls to pray for the deceased

• People partaking in the funeral normally say a salwat whilst placing the agar bati on the grave

• Fateha recited for the deceased

• Qul Fateha recited for all the ruhani

BHATIBHATI

• Hazrat Ali had asked Bibi Fatima to cook food for their neighbours who had been bereaved so that they could break their fast

• Prophet Muhammad had similarly asked Umme Salma to prepare a meal for Hazrat Jaffer’s family when they were bereaved

• Bhati therefore is a custom where neighbours or well-wishers bring food for the bereaved to console them

• Ziyarat

• Ruhani Dua

SIGNIFICANCE OF 40 DAYSSIGNIFICANCE OF 40 DAYS

Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Hawa were

separated for 40 days

Hazrat Nuh’s ark was in the flood for 40

days before coming to a rest at Mecca

Shariff

Hazrat Ibrahim was separated from

Hazrat Ismail for 40 days before he

sacrificed him to Allah on Eid-ul Adha

Hazrat Musa went to Mount Sinai for 40 days before coming down with the Ten Commandments

Hazrat Muhammad (sas) was 40 years of age and he meditated for 40 nights before he was asked to declare his prophethood to the world

We are in our mother’s womb for 40 weeks before we take a human shape from a single cell

• Chila or 40 days is mentioned in Quran-e-Shariff and in the Hadith as a time of recovery

• Modern science as established that the chemical changes occurring in our brain during the time of bereavement take about 6 weeks, i.e 40 days to neutralize and the body physiology comes back to normal around that time. Even our muscle injuries, etc. take around that time to get back to normal.

• Praying for 40 days not only helps the departed, but helps the bereaved recover from his or her loss

• Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah and Anant Akhado

OTHER CONSIDERATIONSOTHER CONSIDERATIONS

ORGAN DONATIONORGAN DONATION

• Battle of Ohad• Defiling human body which is Allah’s property• President Zia-ul-Haqq and his will about eye

donation• Avicenna and post-mortems: discovering and

recording the first case of breast cancer• Donation of blood, kidneys, etc. being

undertaken in all Muslim hospitals

• Children at Mayat

• Conducting of ceremonies forinfantsfetusesrecovered body parts

• Age at which a person can recite Fateh and

Namaz-e-Mayyet

• Placing flowers and other decorations on the grave is not an Islamic tradition

• Headstones to mark the grave are always simple in accordance with our beloved Prophet’s hadith