Then his soul is replaced in his body, and two angels [Munkar and Nakir] come to him and set him up, and say, And they say to him, What is the condition of the man who is sent down to you?, Then a voice comes from above saying, He lieth; therefore spread a bed of fire for him and open a door for him towards hell., Then the heat and hot winds of hell come to him, and his grave is made tight upon him, so as to squeeze his ribs. Lebanese culture is one of the most diverse cultures in the Arab region. Each issue focuses on a specific topic. However, the locals have taken all the influences of other countries and developed a set of mannerisms only they will understand. Food and food baskets are appropriate gifts, especially during the three day mourning period. Finally the family places a flower-sheet or wreath of flowers on the corpse. This was considered a "bad death.". Why do we abstain from everything sweet, from food, from even listening to the radio? The funeral ()consists of prayers for the rest of the dead person's soul. An interesting story about death is narrated by Al-Bara ibn cAzib, one of the companions of the Prophet: I came out with the Prophet at the funeral of one of the assistants, and we arrived just at the grave, before they had interred the body, and the Prophet sat down, and we sat around him with our heads down, and were so silent that you might say that birds were sitting upon our heads. He hoped that they might prepare themselves for dying and bear with patient endurance (sabr) the distresses of this world; for endurance of the distresses of this world is easier than to endure the distress of dying, and the distress of dying belongs to the torments of the Hereafter, and the torments of the afterlife are more severe than the torments of this life. [1] Hughes' Dictionary of Islam (London, 1885), 7981. Usually when a person is on the point of death, someone pours sharbat, [5] made of sugar and water, down his throat to facilitate the exit of the vital spark, and someone procures the holy water of the Zamzam well at Mecca. Some of the influencers of Lebanese culture are Phoenicians, Assyrians, Romans, Ottoman Turks, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, and . Likewise, a healthy person can carry effectively through matters which concern his property or his person; therefore, a healthy person ought to seize the opportunity his health gives him to be diligent in using his property and his body for doing deeds of obedience. One or two ropes are tied around the middle . However, what was even more shocking to me was the spirit in which the family received me. It also discovers virtual bereavement behaviour and its effects on the stages of grief through the lens of Bowlby's Attachment Theory. So they sit apart from the deceased, as far as the eyes can see, after which the Angel of Death [Malakul-Mawt] comes to the deceased and sits at his head and says, O pure soul, come forth to Gods pardon and pleasure.. It may be noted that the Guardian Angels are beings identified here with the Recording Angels, though generally they are kept distinct. 10: Just After Death. It is an expression in Egypt similar to the American idea of visiting the dead with flowers. Islamic tradition supports the idea that When Allah loves a man He keeps him busy with himself. That His loving them precedes their loving Him is indicated in the Quran. These women are very fiery and emotional. Regardless of religion, Lebanese parents celebrate the birth of a child by cooking meghli (a spiced rice pudding, topped with nuts and coconut). Grieve not! It is neither enjoined in books of theology nor by the law of Islam. Muslims believe Allah controls life and death, and death is the end of physical life, but the soul lives on. They have television in Egypt now, and I dont know how the young people manage to miss The Six-Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. The left hand of the deceased is placed on the chest. The Kalimatu sh-shahada (the [creed]) is also read with an audible voice by those present. Spencer J. Palmer (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1978), 3360. This has nothing to do with painful emotions, the attribution of which to Allahexalted be Hewould not be fitting. Then the Angel of Death draws it out as hot spit is drawn out of wet wool. The food provided should follow Islam's diet . This is related to the concept of rahmah, mercy, or charity. A green palm leaf is a symbol of mercy. This tradition symbolizes good luck and protection for the couple's future together. Homes, sometimes very strange, and no doubt inspired by the tombs of the pharaohs are built. #1 The Value of the Cup. However, it is preferable that this dowry be remitted while the person is still alive. The meaning of disinclined when used in reference to Allahs relations with a man is that Allah puts the man far from His mercy, and wills his punishment. Burying the body without a casket within 24 hours after the death. This article investigates the relationship be-tween grief and music in the context of the Lebanese village funeral, taking into Perfumes [7] are burned near the corpse. Women go into the house. Men only go outside. [29] Unless death occurred at night. Folks used not to go grey in your time., He said: I heard the summons, and I thought it was the resurrection, so out of fear my head and my beard went white., Someone asked: How long have you been dead? and he answered, Four thousand years, yet the anguish of dying [21] has not left me.. Beirut and Damascus, Syria. I trust, in this presentation, that you have received some valuable insights into death and dying as it relates to Egypt, Islam, and the Coptic faith. Symbolism. Penitents receive the message: Fear not about your sins, for they have been forgiven you, and grieve not that you may miss the reward because of anything you may have done subsequent to your repentance.. Ritual for Holding the Emotions of a Person Facing Death. It depicts both spiritual and material life. The cedar in the center of the Lebanese flag is the symbol of six thousand years of history: the cedar was Lebanon's chief export in ancient times. The dance celebrates the creation of life and invites the spirits, also known as . So a volunteer or the undertaker washes the body before dressing him in a beautiful way. A withdrawing from the abode of the illusory, a coming back to the abode of the eternal, and a making preparation for death before it comes upon one.. In the video, an official from the Islamic State is shown administering the proceedings, at the . In that period, many young men died before marrying and having the chance to procreate. The sooner the sepulchral rites are performed, the better; for it is not proper to keep a corpse long in the house. The aforementioned details show clearly that in Islam afterlife for good men is something to look forward to. You there! Donning dark colours for mourning has been strongly associated with death and loss for centuries in the west and is a practice believed to date back to the Roman times. This is a good-bye and last prayer. Funerals and funeral prayers in Islam (Arabic: , romanized: Janazah) follow fairly specific rites, though they are subject to regional interpretation and variation in custom.In all cases, however, sharia (Islamic religious law) calls for burial of the body as soon as possible, preceded by a simple ritual involving bathing and shrouding the body, followed by salah (prayer). Maroun blames Lebanon's long civil war (1975-1990) and ensuing exodus from the country for the Lebanese loss of traditions. They are not to go outside. [10] This has reference to washing the body of the deceased. The aim of this paper is to explore the representations of death in Beirut Hellfire Society, a novel written by the Lebanese author, Rawi Hage, and published in 2018. . So a youth in the period of his youthfulness ought to become accustomed to doing good deeds and then doing good deeds will be easy for him when he becomes old. Some people even paint their windows black to show their distress and to express sorrow for the departure of a beloved relative or friend. In the Catholic funeral tradition, there are multiple ceremonies in honor of the deceased. In addition, as with the birth of a child, death and burial are still ways of bringing family and friends together. Most examples presented are derived from the Holy Quran, the Hadith, and other Islamic texts. Lebanon will triple the tariffs it charges on imports in local currency, according to copies of government decisions seen by Reuters on Tuesday, as the state seeks to boost its revenues amid a worsening economic crisis. When his spirit has been drawn forth and placed in the musk and sweet basil, the silk cloth is folded and sent with it to cIllyun. But before the burial the body must be washed. The Holy Spirit, on hearing the sound of this music, became so delighted that it entered Adams body. On the fortieth day, regardless of whether you are Muslim or Christian, the ritual begins again. Some people in rural areas get black mascara and put it on their faces, forehead, and hands so that everyone will immediately see that they are in mourning. We know something about the people of the Middle East, but we are not well acquainted with certain important cultural patterns of that area. People are allowed to openly express their remorse. It is believed that one must be clean before entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Instead of a casket, a flat board platform is used, held up by four assigned pallbearers and four volunteers. Death rituals are well documented throughout history -- and around the world. Loved ones do this as a sign of care and devotion. Upon completion of all formalities, the "Report of the Death of . As in Jewish customs of burial, the deceased must be buried immediately. By keeping the straight course he means believing in Allah and in His Apostle, and standing firm in the faith, though others say that it means performing the required duties and avoiding things forbidden. Therefore, a true believer ought not to squander his days, which pass so quickly, but should seize the opportunity of such days as remain to him. Place bed to face Mecca where possible. Presently he raised his head and said: Seek refuge with Allah from the torment of the tomb., This he said twice or thrice, and then went on: When a man who is a true believer is drawing near to the next world and is about to be cut off from this world, there descend to him angels whose faces are white as the sun, bringing with them a shroud from Paradise and celestial aromatics, and take a seat at his head and say, O thou tranquil soul, come forth to Allahs favour and forgiveness.. The katb Al-kitaab is the marriage ceremony. There is another view which says that the meaning of the Tradition is not that ones loving desire to meet with Allah is the cause of Allahs loving desire to meet with him, nor that ones disinclination is the cause of His disinclination. I have had personal experience with many of these. Hes the man of the family. They eat a little bite here and little bite there. This is said to predict the success of the marriage. Based on the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad and originated in the 7th century A.D., Islam is a monotheistic faith based on the act of submission to the will of Allah. A target for attacks Each major . This is your day that you were promised., He will ask, And who are you? to which [the man] will reply, I am your evil deeds, whereat he will say, O Lord, let not the hour arrive. At this point [the Prophet] recited (xxii, 31/32): He who associates anything with Allah will be as though he fell from the sky and the birds snatched him away and the winds blew him to some remote place., So his spirit is returned to his body, whereupon two angels come and sit by him. The rituals differed but the king was taken through corridors, surrounded by high priests and a variety of elaborate things, and given the best burial a man could see. Then they sit from the dead as far as the eye can see, after which the Angel of Death comes in order to sit at his head and says, O impure soul! Heaven and hell are there for good and bad people. His spirit comes forth as easily as a hair from a batch of dough, and hears the words: O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, well-pleasing and well-pleased. If you ever go to the Middle East and see a man wearing a black tie, that means he is in mourning. Death and dying are universal realities for all creations in every country and cultural area. There is another interesting sign of death and dying in the Middle East. #4558 | 04:58. Further at Sais, the suffering of Osiris was enacted yearly and images of Osiris were filled with grain and placed with the dead person as symbols of fertility and eternal life. 4. When the women scream and slap their faces, you will probably hear one wordyagamiliOh, my camel. The woman who cries this is the wife of the dead man. From customs to received "modernities", the Lebanese have accumulated a wide mix of different cultures over the years. 1. Most people lie insensible and cannot even speak, but the pious retain their mental faculties and converse till the very end. When we go as Americans or Europeans, we focus our attention on movements, tourist attractions, etc., but we seldom care to see or investigate how the Middle Eastern people respond to death and dying. The family of the deceased only prints 30 death notices instead of 200 for 200,000 Lebanese pounds," he said. The father of one of my very close friends died. The kings soul, of course, did not die at all but moved around in heavenlike a solar boat. Then, said the Prophet, it comes forth, flowing as easily as a drop from a water-skin, whereupon [those angels] take it, not leaving it in his hand more than the twinkling of an eye ere they take it, [wrap it] in the aforementioned shroud and aromatics so that the odor from it is more redolent than the finest musk to be found on the face of the earth, and mount up with it. Again, such a belief resembles the Muslim beliefs, i.e., white is the symbol of purity and blackness is the symbol of sin. Even in rural areas, only certain women can go with the procession. There are no automobiles with headlights on and no police officers to accompany the march as is done in the United States. When Muhammed made the statement above, people responded, But, O Apostle of Allah, we are all disinclined to die. He answered: That is not disinclination. The country has a rich culture which is mainly borrowed from different groups of people who lived in the region in the past. Some brides in Baalbek stick a piece of dough on the doors of their new houses. Food, Meals and Sympathy Baskets. As part of this belief, Muslim funerals and burials are usually held as soon as possible after . What have you done about giving Him His due?, What Allah has willed, answered the Prophet, And do you know death?. Then a man with a beautiful face comes to him, elegantly dressed and perfumed, and he says, Be joyful in that which hath made thee so; this is the day which was promised thee., Then the dead person says to him, Who art thou, for thy face is perfectly beautiful., And the man replies, I am thy good deeds., Then the dead person cries out, O Lord, hasten the resurrection for my sake!. Dirt is thrown over him and burial is complete. If a Christian dies in the Middle East, he is kept only until the undertaker arrives and takes care of the body. It is recorded that Abu Hamid al-Laffaf said: It is recorded in Muslim sources that Jesus used to raise the dead by Allahs permission. If you are not a good man on earth, you will go to hell. Then the soul is disturbed in the infidels body. Homepage. The family was standing in line, friends were also standing in line, so I stood in line. The closer you are to a person, the more acceptable it is to decline their offers of tea, coffee, food, etc. After the wedding, the bride would carry a piece of dough and stick it on the door of the house. By Allah, we are doing him no injustice. Muslim Death, Funeral, and Burial Customs and Traditions. Next they wash the sides of the body, then the back and the rest of the body, gently, because life has just departed and the body is still warm and sensitive to pain. [6] A water well which is considered holy water by all Muslims who perform the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. [32] The Christians and Jews follow the same procedures, with some variations from one denomination to another. When Buddhism arrived in Japan, there were changes in the world of the dead. [16]. Since this area is predominantly Muslim, our attention is focused on the attitudes and beliefs of the people of this faith. [17] Arthur Jeffery, A Reader on Islam (Houston, 1962), 197. Why do we remain in mourning for at least forty days? The bride and the groom stomp on the feet of the guests to signify the end of their single days. Christians visit the tomb only on occasions like Christmas and Easter. -strongly encourages theoretical and methodological reflections on the study of the musics of the world. The family serves the sweet dish to visitors who come to the household to . The first is for believers in general, who receive the message: Fear not that the punishment will be everlasting, or, you will not remain in torment forever because the Prophet and righteous persons will intercede for you. We have now covered Islamic concepts of death and dying; let us briefly present other rites of minority groups in the Middle East. How about a man? [9]. Typically, people say prayers and scriptures during a wake, and often, they share special memories . They said, Let us set ourselves to prayer, and then make supplication to our Lord, and maybe he will allow one of the dead to come forth to inform us about dying., So they set themselves to prayer and made supplication to their Lord, and while they were engaged in so doing a dark mulatto raised his head out of one of the graves, saying, Ho! [24] An Arab word which means the supporters of the Prophet.. There is no running away from it. Some women who are particular in these matters are afraid even to venture near the place where the body has been washed. For Muslims, burial is very simple, the same from Nasser to Sadat to the man in the street. Then what have you done in preparation for it? asked the Prophet. If you dont drink it, its a serious insult to the deceased. The woman brings a group with their drums, and they begin to eulogize the beautiful characteristics of the deceased. The family of the deceased are in mourning, crying all this time. Here's a glimpse of what used to be, or maybe is still practiced, in some parts of Lebanon: 1. As many as five hundred to six hundred chairs have been set out to handle the crowds. In the case of a deceased female, if relatives are present, they undo the cloth of the head to expose the face and ask the dead person, in the presence of two witnesses, to remit the dowry which had been given her. The wake is a death ritual commonly practiced in many cultures. Next, there is a funeral Mass, and finally, there is the graveside committal. [29] We dont know why, but the body is immediately placed in a casket. Christians do the same. Allah has said: Then wish for death if ye are those who speak truth. But they will never wish for it because of what their hands have sent forward. A person sitting next to the body reads from the Koran. By Allah, O Muhammed, if any of the family starts screaming when I am taking a mans spirit, I say, What is this screaming? He may wear it for years, depending how dear or how close the dead person was to him. Funerals tend to be elaborate. Why do we cry and scream for at least a year? Islamic mourning rituals, which vary slightly by sect and location, provide comfort and strength for the family. Feet of the deceased are in mourning for at least a year throughout history -- around!, so i stood in line, friends were also standing in line, friends also. 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For death if ye are those who speak truth of physical life, but the lives.
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