PREPARATIONS FOR BURIAL
The First Care
Once death was confirmed, the first thing done was to rub down the eyes to close, tie the head and lower jaw together with a cloth band and to tie the big toes together. The body, with the clothes on, would then be laid on a cot or on the floor and covered with a white cotton sheet. The clothes would be removed only at the time of giving the bath. Saucers or metal cups with water were placed under the feet of the cot to prevent ants or other insects climbing up. A weight, usually a heavy piece of metal, or stone or a handful of grains, covered in a piece of white cloth was placed on the naval to avoid flatulence of the stomach.
Timing of Burial
Sharia demands that the dead body should be buried as early as possible; usually within 6 to 48 hours after death. In most of the cases burial used to take place within less than 24 hours. The timeline should synchronize with the prayer times of the mosque, so as to not inconvenience the devotees, but to enable them join the Namaz-e-Janaza. A suitable time would be decided in consultation with the Khateeb (priest) at the mosque adjoining the burial ground and the Hajjam authorized to go round the Mohalla and announce the death as well as the time to take out the Janaza.
It was strongly believed that the dead should be buried in the place where death occurred as Allah had destined the soil of that place for him / her. However, the short time available between death and burial would not have been sufficient for preparation and transport long distances.
The Rule of Viewing
Women, both of the house and visitors, with the sole exception of the wife, were not allowed to appear before the dead body of a man at any stage. Persons other than Mehrums were prohibited from seeing a female body, irrespective of her age. This rule was scrupulously followed from the moment of death until the conclusion of preparing the body for internment.
Women were not allowed to accompany the dead body or to visit the burial ground. It was believed and confirmed by certain Hadeeth, that the dead only lost their physical senses, but continued to live in spirit or the Ruh. The angels of death were said to accompany with the Ruh in their custody to be finally disposed off only when the questioning inside the Qabr was completed. It was also believed that there was another component called Ruhani, which remained about the Qabr, even after the Ruh was taken away by the angel of death. Ruh and Ruhani were capable of hearing and seeing all that went around them and also of communicating with one another. Therefore, the woman in front of the dead body of a man, either at home or in the burial ground could be giving the Ruh and Ruhani opportunity to see her bare in her elements. Further, this was more serious at the burial ground as there lay a multitude of non – mahrams.
The Right to Service
The bathing and dressing (Kafan) were done exclusively by the members of the family, belonging to the same gender. It was considered the right of the direct blood relatives, sons and brothers of dead male, and daughters and sisters of the dead female. In certain cases the relevant instructions as to who should do these routines were part of the Naseehat by the deceased. They could, however, take the help of the Hajjam (or Hajjamon for a female) and instructions from other knowledgeable people. It was said that it was an old custom to make grown up boys and girls witness the two events to learn how to do it when an occasion would demand of them such a service. Somehow a slippage happened and later generations limited their service to pouring three mugs of water and leaving the rest of the processes to others, including a Moulavi or Muazzin.
The Bath
The body was generally taken to a bath room or other convenient, secluded, place along with the cot on which it lay. The body would be shrouded with a long piece of cloth sufficient to cover the body from neck to toes for a woman and waist to midcalfs for a man. Clothes were removed by pulling from underneath the shroud, cut or torn, if necessary. The bath was given on the cot itself. After the bath, wudu was compulsory. The body would then be wiped dry, under the shroud and hand carried by the bath givers to the location where the Kafan was to be done. This again should be a dry and secluded part where the body would be conveniently placed, on new disposable palm leaf mats, spread either on a cot or on the ground. The body would be laid perpendicular to qibla, with the head towards Kaaba.
The Kafan
The Kafan resembled an Aaba and Ijaar made of white cloth, unstiched though, in the styles pertaining to the particular gender but without any undergarments. Male bodies wore a cap or pag and female ones a missar, all fashioned out of plain white cloth, without any stiching. This again went into a metamorphosis of the predominantly local style. It was also a custom for those who had already performed the Hajj to prescribe the use of their Ihram – the two-piece unstiched white garment - washed, ironed and preserved- as kafan for their bodies
The prepared body shall have the face open for people to see, observing the above mentioned rule of viewing.
The Departure
After the completion of viewing, the face would be covered, body securely tied with three bandhs, (tapes cut from a piece of cloth) one each at head, feet and the waist, over the Kafan, and handed over to men to have it placed in the Sandaq – a bier, a corruption for the Arabic Sandooq - and taken to the burial ground.
The relative women continued with reciting the Holy Qur’an, keeping bunches of incense sticks burning and loban fuming on burning charcoal.
The Sandaq
A Sandaq used to be owned by the Jamaath and kept at the burial site. It would be brought in while other preparations were being made. The body would be hand lifted along with the mats and placed in the Sandak.
It was customary to cover the Sandaq with shawls donated by the in-laws of the deceased and close relatives. They were appropriated by the Hajjam and the Muazzin of the mosque, after the burial.