What Should I Do When Death Occurs?

What should I Do when Death occurs?

When the death of your loved one occurs, we should say "Inna lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Rajeeun". This is the english translation for,"From Allah we came and To Allah we must return."

Our family members should be immediately notified so they can make arrangements to participate in Salat-ul-Janaazah and a Funeral Home should be contacted, preferably a Funeral Home with licensed Muslim funeral directors who will be sensitive to our needs as Muslims. This should be done quickly so the burial will not be delayed.

Before a person can be buried, there are a few things that must be done to make the burial process fast and problem free. As Muslims, it is necessary to be buried as quickly as possible, according to the Sunnah. A Death Certificate must be signed and the Funeral Director will have to take this Death Certificate to the local Registrar or Department of Health. This Death Certificate is an offical record of the death of your loved one that must be filed within the State where the deceased has passed.

If your loved one passes away in their home, you should immediately call 911, or your local Police Department. In most States, the body of the deceased cannot be moved until an Officer is present, and the local Medical Examiner is present to give authorization to the Funeral Director to remove the body. The reason these notifications are made is to ensure that there is no evidence of any wrong doing which may have caused the deceased's death. If the deceased was under the care of a Physician, it is important to make sure that he/she is contacted. The deceased's attending Physician can explain the condition of the deceased to the Medical Examiner. This will allow the Medical Examiner to give authorization to release the body, thereby expediting the Funeral. If your loved one's death occurred in a manner that is suspicious, violent, or by accident, or in a manner in which Law Enforcement authorities must retrieve criminal evidence from the body, this may delay the burial process. This process is delayed because an Autopsy may be required to ascertain the exact cause of death of the deceased.

If your loved one passes away in a Hospital or Nursing Home, there is normally a Doctor on staff that will sign the Death Certificate. This Death Certificate will only be given to a licensed Funeral Director to file in the State and County where the deceased has passed.

Once the Funeral Director has filed the Death Certificate and arrangements have been made with the Funeral Home, make sure you express your desire for a simple funeral. Most Funeral Homes won't like the fact that they are not going to make a fortune on your funeral. It's ok. They still have to accomodate your desires, by law. Tell the Funeral Director that you want a plain wooden box, and that your loved one will be washed and shrouded according to Islamic tradition. Try to have everything done as soon as possible, because the deceased will not be embalmed, and decay begins to occur right after death. If you decide to have a viewing, meaning, you want to have time alloted to view the body, the Funeral Home will embalm your loved one. They will also embalm your loved one if you decide to ship your loved one back to their country of origin. This is not in accordance with the Sunnah, and should be avoided.

If you have any questions regarding funerals, please contact me at (347)231-3080, and I will do my best to answer your questions, Insha-Allah. I'm a Licensed Funeral Director, and a Muslim who cares. You can also contact me via email. May the Blessings and Mercy of Allah Ta'Ala be with you and your families.