Question
I greatly appreciate your comprehensive reply pertaining to Islamic rituals at the death of a Muslim. But, considering living in this country, how one could get such services in case of need. I know, it would be almost impossible to answer this question with or without knowing the community where I live.
Answer
I do agree that it would be almost impossible for anyone who does not have a first hand knowledge and experience of a community to be able to answer your question. However, the following points may be of some help:
Firstly, the Muslims of the community, however few in number they may be, should consider these rituals their responsibility toward their dead brother. If they can perform these rituals themselves, they can do so. No ‘professional’ qualification is necessary in performing these rituals.
Secondly, if the Muslims of the community cannot perform these rituals themselves, they can make arrangements to get them performed for their dead brother. For instance, if the Muslims cannot wash the corpse themselves, they may, if they can, opt to use the funeral preparation services available in the community (even if they are run by non-Muslims) that provide these facilities. These professional services may be requested to bathe and clothe the corpse in the desired manner. The same can be done for the burial of the dead body.
Thirdly, even if only one or just a few Muslims reside in the area, they may get together for the ‘Janazah‘ prayer and the final formal collective prayer. There is no restriction on the minimum number of people that should offer this prayer.
Finally, it should be remembered that the Islamic rituals pertaining to the preparation of the dead body for the burial and the rituals pertaining to the burial itself are not an obligation on the dead (obviously), but the obligation of the Muslim community in which the dead was residing. This implies that if no other Muslim resides in the community, then whatever method are adopted in this preparation and burial, shall be adopted in the case of the Muslim corpse as well.
14th February 2000