CULTURAL VIEWPOINT

AT THE END OF LIFE

SUNNI MUSLIM

Mary Ellen Cooper

ISLAMIC VIEW OF AGING

Imbedded in the teachings of Islam is the duty to
care for ones parents in old age.

The family makes decisions regarding care

collectively.

ISLAMIC VIEW OF AGING

CONT.
The general rule of behavior in the company of an older
person, and especially ones own parents, is to refrain
from the use of offensive language and the
performance of acts considered disrespectful, such as
smoking.
This respectful attitude is described by the Quran as the
duty of sons and daughters in exchange for the care
their parents took of them when they were children.
The care of older people is generally assumed by their
children and by other members of the domestic unit; it is
considered inconceivable that parents would not be
attended to by their family (Mateo Dieste, p. 151, 2013).

ISLAMIC VIEW OF AGING

CONT.
The pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)is the fifth of the
fundamental Muslim practices known as the five
pillars of Islam. Muslims are expected to make the
journey to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia once
before they die, and this is often undertaken in the
later years due to financial and familial obligation
constraints earlier in their lives.
One of the markers of the transition into maturity is
that old men and women begin to dress entirely in
white, or in subdued colors.
In maturity, women are now allowed to speak
among men(Mateo Dieste, p. 151, 2013).

ISLAMIC PRACTICES IN REGARDS TO

THE DYING
When death is at hand, family members stay close
and pray for Gods blessing and read aloud from
the Quran. There is often a religious leader, an
Imam, present.
The dying are positioned to face Mecca, the
position devout Muslims assume 5 times a day for
prayer.
Family and friends keep vigil at the bedside.
This is a time when the dying seek forgiveness from
anyone they may have harmed (Sheikh, p.
139,1998).

ISLAMIC PRACTICES IN REGARDS TO

THE DYING, CONT.
The Islamic culture allows withdrawing resuscitative
measures when brain death is diagnosed. However,
this must remain a medical decision (Santonocito,
Ristagno, Gullo, & Weil, p. 6, 2013).
Muslims , ideally, wish to die at home (Sheikh, p. 139,
1998).

ISLAMIC PRACTICES IN REGARDS TO

DEATH
Once death occurs, the following is immediately carried
out:
Someone near the body reads from the Quran.
The bodys mouth and eyes are closed; the eyes and
face are covered.
The arms and legs are straightened.
Ritual purification is carried out by the bathing of the
deceased by two family members of the same sex; the
body is then wrapped in a white cotton cloth.
The death is announced to all friends and relatives.
The deceased is buried as soon as possible(Jafari, et al.,
p 196, 2015).

ISLAMIC PRACTICES IN REGARDS TO

DEATH, CONT.
Muslims do not practice cremation because of their
belief that the body must remain whole.
Organ donation is allowed only in special
circumstances.
Autopsy is generally not allowed based on the
delay in burial post-mortem examinations entail and
the Islamic belief in the ability to feel pain after
death (Sheikh, p. 139,1998).

ISLAMIC PRACTICES IN REGARDS TO

DEATH, CONT.
A funeral prayer is said in the local Mosque, and family,
friends, and community members then follow the funeral
procession to the cemetery where a final prayer is said
before laying the deceased to rest(Sheikh, p.139,1998).
The male relatives transport the corpse to the cemetery,
on foot or in a vehicle. The cortge continually repeats
the Shahada (Islamic Creed) until it reaches the
cemetery, at which point the following phrase is
pronounced: In the name of Allh, we go, with
God, the Messenger is before us! (bismillah aiwa
billah qadimlah rasullullah!) (Mateo Dieste, p. 151, 2013).

ISLAMIC PRACTICES IN REGARDS TO

DEATH, CONT.
Mourners wear dark clothes as a sign of respect.
Muslim communities do not generally permit
marking of the grave (Fosarelli, p. 66, 2008).

ISLAMIC GRIEVING PRACTICES

Men attend the official public ceremony in a sober
manner. Women, on the other hand, are expected
to display intense grief (Mateo Dieste, p. 161, 2013).
Grieving is done for three days. During this time,
food is prepared for the family by neighbors.
Grieving behaviors following the burial mimic public
grieving: women are allowed free expression of
their grief crying, wailing, et cetera, while men are
required to show restraint.

ISLAMIC GRIEVING PRACTICES

In general, children are not treated differently than
adults in Islam; that is, there are no specific prayers
or practices for children (Fosarelli, p. 67, 2008).

REFERENCES
Fosarelli, P. D. (2008). Prayers & rituals at a time of
illness & dying : The practices of five world religions.
p. 64-67. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press.
Jafari, M., Rafiei, H., Nassehi, A., Soleimani, F., Arab,
M., & Noormohammadi, M. R. (2015). Caring for
dying patients: Attitude of nursing students and
effects of education. Indian Journal Of Palliative
Care, 21(2), 192-197. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.156497
Mateo Dieste, J. L. (2013). Health and ritual in
Morocco : Conceptions of the body and healing
practices. p. 151-161. Boston: Brill.

REFERENCES
Santonocito, C., Ristagno, G., Gullo, A., & Weil, M. H.
(2013). Consent/end of life: Do-not-resuscitate
order: a view throughout the world. Journal Of
Critical Care, 281, p. 4-21.
doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2012.07.005
Sheikh, A. (1998). Death and dying--a Muslim
perspective. Journal of the Royal Society of
Medicine, 91(3), p. 138140. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC129
6563/?page=1