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“In case, a poor expires, all of you must join his funeral. There is fairest reward to walk a step in funeral of the brethren-in-faith.”
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (Zanzibar, 16th September, 1899)

FUNERAL RITES IN THE ISMAILIS
By Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali
mumtaztajddin@yahoo.com

WHAT IS DEATH ?

The soul is the principle of life, which leaves the body at the moment of death. Human life is not the individual’s property but a divine gift to be used in God’s service or to be dedicated to a divine cause or to God Himself. Death is no longer the end of life, but only the end of the appointed period (ajal) in which humans are tested. Death in this perspective is simply the end of a testing period and a threshold, which must be necessarily passed. Human existence has been extended to eternity and death becomes a merely transitional phase during which the soul provisionally remains separated from the disintegrating body.

The Koran takes the human fear of death for granted. Death is the great of humankind, which overtakes (adraka) even those who seek refuge in lofty towers (4:78). Death need be feared only by those who have led evil lives. Those who have given witness of their belief by dying as martyrs should be thought of not as dead but as living (2:154, 3:169). An unbeliever, however, clings to this life and believes death to be the inevitable result of fate (dahr). Unbelievers who do not believe in the resurrection are only concerned with life in this world (6:29, 23:37). The word za’ika means taste, occurring three times in the Koran: “Every soul shall taste of death” (3:184), “Every soul must taste of death” (21:35) and “Every soul must taste of death” (27:57).

Sayed Muhammad Shah says in his ginan:-

Oogamiya sohi a’themeya, ha’re’n phuliya sohi karmae’;
Chunniya mindar dhari pade’, ha’re’n janamiya sohi mar jai.
“The rising (sun) will set, the blooming (flower) will wither; the built mansion will crumble down. (Likewise) one who is born will die

According to Risalatu’l I’tiqadati’l Imamiya, Imam Zayn al-Abidin was asked, what is death? He said, “For the believer it is like taking off clothes which are dirty and lousy or breaking heavy shackles and fetters, and changing into the most gorgeous and perfumed of apparel, and (riding on) well-trained mounts, and (alighting in) familiar resting places. And for the unbeliever, it is the pulling off of gorgeous apparel and changing into the most filthy and coarse clothing; and the transportation from familiar places to the wildest resting places and the greatest torment.”

Imam Muhammad Bakir said, “It (death) is the sleep which comes to you every night, except that it is of long duration.” Imam Jafar Sadik relates that once a man went to Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and asked, why is it that we dislike death? He said, “Because you have built for this world and ruined (your prospects for) the next, and men dislike shifting from a settled habitation to a ruin.”

Mention of the word “death” whips up emotions of fear and sadness in most people. This is quite natural, because biological death marks the end of physical life on earth. To people, who are preoccupied with material things and sensual delights, death represents an end to all that. Religion aims to awaken in human beings the realization that while life on this earth is short and transient, it has immense potentialities to achieve higher spiritual stations that lead to life eternal.

The Koran says, “This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! The home of the hereafter – that is life, if they but knew” (29:64). The Prophet also said, “This life on earth is a slumber, death marks the awakening of the soul.” Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “But as you know life is limited in time. You are born and one day you all die. But death is the disappearance of the physical form, of the physical being in which the soul lives. The soul however, is eternal. It never dies.” (Vancouver, 14th November, 1978).

Some doctors in the hospital report that during process of the post-mortem, they found in few dead bodies un-chewed morsels in their mouths.

Eji a’aj hoti kal na hove’, bande’ kal hoti a’ajaj hove’,
a’nkh farqan na mele’ muh me’ rahiyore’ giro (ginan)

“O’ Slave! That which is to take place today should not be delayed unto tomorrow, but tomorrow should happen today. A time as short as the blinking of an eye shall not be given as grace to you; even a morsel will remain (un-chewed) in the mouth (during death.)”

FUNERAL RITES

The history of the funeral rite in the Ismailis is clouded in mist. Pir Sadruddin said to have imparted simply to the new converts the Islamic method of funeral rites, which is sounded in his ginan, Ya Allah’re’ tamane’ sirevu’n mara’ hansaji na raja. Its few paths are given below.

Bhai’ ji, ma’ti pa’nni, ma’ti pa’nni le kar, kaya ratan eh banai
“O’ Brother! Clay and water, by taking clay and water, (God) created the gem-like body.”

Bha’i ji, udd gaya hans padi rahi ma’ti, mustak padd sir bha’ri
“O’ Brother! The soul flew away while the clay (body) was left, heavy burden fell upon head.”

Bha’i ji, a’chha a’chha nir, nir mangai kar, kaya ratan eh pakharo
“O’ Brother! Pure and clean water, after obtaining such water, bathe this gem-like (dead) body.”

Bhai’ ji, zinna zinna kapada, kapada mangai kar, kaya vaster eh udhaeo
“O’ Brother! Soft clothing, by obtaining such clothing, cover the body with shroud.”

Bhai’ ji, dhoe milo, dhoe milo mere bhai’ ji, mil kar manjali eh uthao
“O’ Brother! Two among you meet, two join together, o my brother. Having met jointly lift the bier.”

Bha’ ji, cha’r pai’e, cha’r bhai ch’ar bhai a’pnne, le jao jangal eh minjar
“O’ Brother! Four brothers at four legs, four brothers lift it (bier) and carry to the jungle.” ‘

Bha’ji peheli mejal, paheli mejal milo mere’ bha’i ji, paheli so nimaj e gujaro
“O’ Brother! First destination, at the first destination assemble o my brothers, where offer the namaz (namaz-e-janaza).”

Bha’i ji duji mejal, duji mejal milo mere’ bhai ji, lai ra’kho gor e kina’re
“O’ Brother! Second destination, at the second destination gather o my brothers, and unload the bier at the verge of the grave.”

Bh’ai ji gor khodheo, gor khodheo khodheo mere’ bha’ai ji, a’ya banda eh dosari
“O’ Brother! Dig the grave, dig the grave o my brothers, as a sinful creature has arrived.”
Bha’i ji anbhar ne dharti, dharti vichhae’ kar, te vich ra’kho mere’ bhai
“O’ Brother! The sky and the earth, below the earth place the body within it.”
Bhai ji latiare gutia, latia gutia dhekar, ajabki surat e banai
“O’ Brother! Kicking, hitting (the mud) and constructed a strange shape (of the grave).”

On this juncture, it is here necessary to describe that before embracing Ismailism, the Hindu converts cremated the dead body, and hesitated to bury in the ground. In reprisal, its reason was shown that the insects (godd) mutilated dead bodies in the graves. It is learnt from the old persons that they were advised to bring choicest foods, fruits and clothes of the deceased in prayer hall within a week and offer ritual prayer for them, which would eliminate (hann, hanni) the insects (godd) and as a result the ceremony of godhanni is said to have initiated. It seems now that the Ismailis perform this rite with ziarat or chelum.

The practice of the funeral mentioned above continued in India till the time of Pir Dadu (1474-1595). In matter of marriages and funeral rites, the Ismailis had to knock door of the Sunni mullas. Pir Dadu visited Anjudan in Iran to see Imam Khalilullah Ali (1550-1585) in 1554. The Imam had authorized him to make changes in the Indian community. Pir Dadu was well-versed in Arabic, Persian and Indian languages. He is said to have designed the funeral rite on Shia Ismaili pattern in Sind and Kutchh being observed in a separate Ghusal Khana (bath room). Over a period of about 250 years, however the Ismailis of Kathiawar and Gujrat were unknown with such funeral rite, thus they were compelled to invite the Sunni mullahs. Later, the Ismailis of Sind and Kathiawar left the procedure of Pir Dadu and followed the Sunni practice. In sum, this non-Ismaili service continued till the arrival of Imam Hasan Ali Shah in India in 1843.

On October 20, 1861 during the Aga Khan Case, the dissenting Khojas publicly joined the Sunni fold, the Imam issued a decree in which he expressed his desire to bring the Ismailis to conform to the practices of the Shi’a Imami Ismaili creed of his holy ancestors, regarding marriage ceremonies, ablutions, funeral rites etc. The decree ended thus, "He who may be willing to obey my orders shall write his name in this book that I may know him." Copies of the decree were kept at the house of the Imam’s son in Bombay for signatures and were circulated in Sind, Kathiawar, Kutchh and Zanzibar. Except for handful persons in Bombay and Kathiawar, an almost unanimous acceptance was received from the Ismailis. The loyalty of the Ismailis for their Imam can be gauged from the reaction of the Bhuj jamat at Kutchh, who sent a letter dated January 2, 1862 in reply to the communication sent by the plaintiffs as illustrated by E.I. Howard to the Hon’ble Court. It reads: "We are upon the right side, but should His Lordship, the Imam ask for the signatures, we are ready to give thousand times a day. Whatever order comes from him, we are bound to obey." Observing the above letter, Justice Sir Joseph Arnold (1814-1886) remarked: "This is a very decided letter; at any rate, there can be no mistake about that." (The Shi’a School of Islam and its Branches, Bombay, 1906, p. 93).
Ultimately, the Sunni mullahs were removed who performed funeral rites of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and the Mayyat or Ghusal Committees were established in different cities of India and Zanzibar. Since then, the culture of the mullahism in the Ismailis came to an end.
The oral sources relate that in every city and village of India, the funeral sites were erected, known as Mayyat Room. Pir Shihabuddin Shah (1851-1884) is reported to have framed the nikah and funderal rites and trained few persons and posted them in different areas. It is learnt that Pir Shihabuddin Shah had sent four persons in Zanzibar under the head of a certain Daya Virji to open the Mayyat Room for about hundred Ismailis. Initially, the funeral was typically held outside the prayer-hall, such as the community square, which afterward became known as the Mayyat Room or Gusal Khana.

RITUAL BATH TO BURIAL

On hearing news of the death debacle of a relative, friend, any other affliction or mediocre person, it is enjoined upon us to say, Inna li-llahi wa inna ilai-hi raji'un (Surely to God we belong and to Him surely we will return.). This phrase is certainly a source of unlimited solace and comfort in bereavement.
When the soul departs from the body at the moment of death, and that which is left behind is nothing but an empty shell. The mortal remains are treated with dignity, love and respect. In Islam, the disposal of the dead body and funerary rites normally include: washing the body, shrouding and prompt burial, to which following steps are recommended.

1) Imam Muhammad Bakir was once asked about the man who was summoned to a funeral and at the same time he was also invited to a marriage feast, which of them should he accept? The Imam said, “Funeral; verily funerals remind you of death and the hereafter, while marriage feast divert your attention from them.” (Daimul Islam (tr. by Fyzee, Delhi, 2002, p. 273).

2) Firstly, to preserve dignity, the eyes of the dead body should be closed, and sometimes a cloth is tied round the lower jaw to bind it up, so that the mouth does not sage open in an ugly and undignified manner. Sometimes, suitable is recommended to be placed over the abdomen, so that it does not become inflated.

3) Straight after death the deceased’s joints are loosened up if possible, which is not something that should be forced. This is not compulsory, but is done to facilitate the ritual bathing and shrouding by preventing the body from stiffening.

4) The person who makes ritual bath should be an adult in full possession of senses. The washer should first mentally form the resolve of carrying out the washing. In doing the wash, he should not make public any of the deceased’s imperfections in this most private moment, and should conceal any shortcoming he observes. The Prophet said, “Every Muslim gives a ritual bath to his Muslim brother without showing any repugnance, without casting his eyes on his private parts, and without speaking ill of him, and afterwards escorts him to the grave, prays over him, and remaining seated until he is duly buried in his grave, will emerge (from the funeral) with all his sins washed clean.” (Ibid. p. 283)

5) Similarly, the woman washes the dead body of a female. Imam Muhammad Bakir said, “Men and women who are ritually impure or women who are menstruating cannot give a bath to the dead body.” (Ibid. p. 283)

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said to the members of the Mayyat Committee who make ritual bath that, “Well-done. Khanavadan. Your work is much troublesome. There is no worldly happiness in the work you are performing, but you will be rewarded more benefit in the next world. Khanavadan.” (Nairobi, 16th April, 1945)

6) When it is begun, the deceased should be covered from naval to knee, and the washer cleans away impurities from the dead body. It is recommended to have incense or other sweet-smelling substance at hand, so that no offensive smell should be perceptible. A sweet-smelling substance, like camphor, can be put in the third final ritual bath. The body should then be dried and then the body is shrouded.

7) A man’s preferred shroud should be three white winding sheets. The shrouding could, however, be two sheets, or even one, provided it wraps whole of the body.

8) The practice of showing face of the dead body to the attendees then begins. In case, the dead body is of a woman, the members of her household and the related women can see in a separate room.

9) Soon after the rites, the body is put into the bier (janaza) upon which a coverlet and flowers or wreath are spread. The Mukhi Saheb on behalf of the Hazar Imam gives Chhanta to the dead body and prays for him/her. When the bier is ready, the congregation stands for the Namaz-e-Janaza.

10) It is generally observed that a green cloth containing Kalama-e-Sharif is finally put on the bier on behalf of the jamat.

11) The people should stand in solemnity when a funeral procession passes, even if they do not know who is being buried. Each participant gives solemn shoulder by moving on.

The lifters swiftly transport the bier towards cemetery for burial either on foot or by any transport.
Amir bin Rabia recorded: “Should anyone of you come across a funeral procession, even if he does not intend to accompany it, he must stand up until it passes by him or is lowered on the ground.” The Prophet left an example of standing when funerals passed by him or is lowered on the ground”. (Muslim, 2091). Jabir bin Abdullah recorded: “A bier passed by and the Prophet stood up for it, and we also stood up with him. We asked, “O’ Prophet! That was the bier of a Jewess!” Upon this, he remarked, “Truly, death is a matter to be concerned about, so whenever you come across anyone bier, stand up.” (Ibid. 2095). Once the Prophet stood up for a Jewish man, and when questioned, he said, “Was he not a human being? Does he not have a soul?” (Ibid. 2098).

The women were allowed to accompany the procession of mourners, but it was not recommended. Umm Atiyya recorded: “We were forbidden to follow the bier, but it was not made absolute on us.” (Ibid. 2039). Their presence is considered not desirable, because being more tender-hearted than men, they may break down by reason of their grief. Once upon time, the Prophet was walking with a bier when he saw a woman following it. So he stopped her and ordered the people to send her back, and she returned. The Prophet waited till he was informed, “O’ Messenger of God, she has indeed gone behind the walls of Medina.” Then the Prophet proceeded on his way. (Ibid. p. 291)

12) The grave should reach the depth of man’s chest, and should be well dug and large. It should be deep enough to prevent any bad smell coming out, to stop animals disturbing the body. The surface of the grave should be raised a hand’s breadth from the ground, not more than 25-30 cms., so that it will be recognized.

13) The body should be lowered in the grave legs first. The fastenings of the shroud at the head and feet are untied. Hazrat Ali said, “No one should lower a woman’s body into the grave except one who had seen her while she was alive. The person most closely related to a woman should hold her by the lower part of her body, and the person most closely related to the man should hold the higher part of his (while lowering them in the grave). (Ibid. p. 295). The head of the dead body must face the direction of Mecca.

Once the body is placed in it, a wooden cover is fixed to prevent any earth from falling on to it. The Prophet had advised to make the grave like the back or hemp of the camel. It should not be of square form or horizontal. The water is sprinkled over the grave.

14) Funerals should be simple and inexpensive. Extravagance is forbidden in Islam, and since there is no class system for the dead, there should be no special cemetery for the rich people. Mourners should be humble and not ostentatious; they should pay heed to their own end in due course, and take warning from the fact of death and from the fate of the dead. Once Hazrat Ali saw a bier, to which some veils were tied by way of decoration: red, green and yellow. He ordered them to be removed saying, “I heard the Prophet as saying, “Graves are the beginning of the justice of the hereafter, in them the noble is not distinguished from the humble.” (Ibid. p. 289)

15) It is forbidden in Islam to make any structure over the grave or to plaster it – this was the pre-Islamic practice. It is also considered wrong and disrespectful to sit on or lean against a grave, and also seeking sanctuary among the graves is forbidden. Jabir records that the Prophet forbade that the graves should be plastered, or that they be used as sitting places, or a construction should be made over them (Abu Daud, 3222). It is also not recommended to light lamps over the graves. The visitors should not kiss or touch the grave. Its dust also should not be besmeared over the faces. No one should laugh and cut jokes in the grave-yard.

16) One should recite invocations for the benefit and forgiveness of the deceased. The fellow-mourners should be asked to supplicate to God to shower His blessings for the eternal peace of the departed soul. The period of mourning for the dead should not exceed three days. Atiyya reported that the Prophet said, “It is not lawful for one who believes in God and the last day to mourn over a dead body for more than three nights.” The Prophet also said, “He who slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and follows the manner of the day of ignorance is not one of us.” (Bukhari, 23:382)

17) Whenever Hazrat Ali passed a grave, he used to repeat thrice, “Hail to you, O’ people of the Abode (of Eternity); verily we are soon joining you.” (Ibid. 297)

18) A man came to the Prophet and said that his mother had died suddenly and he was sure that if she could speak, she would give something in charity, and also enquired whether she would get any reward if he gave charity on her behalf. The Prophet is reported to have replied in affirmative. (Bukhari, 23:95). In another Hadith, it is related that Sa’d bin Ubaida asked the Prophet if it would benefit his deceased mother who expired while he was out of the town, if he gave something in charity on her behalf. The Prophet, in this case also allowed him. (Ibid. 55:15).
In brief, there is a large network of charity worldwide in the Imamate Institutions to donate in Health, Education and other fields in loving memory of the deceased, if any.

PRECAUTIONS

1) There must be no rite for the still-born child, such as the Namaz-e-Janaza or Ziarat. Such child should be wrapped in a white cloth and buried. In case, the still-born child may respire even once, he/she should not be regarded a dead.

2) Mawlana Hazar said that, “If a person who has been expelled dies without having embraced any other religion, his burial and funeral rites may be performed in accordance with the Ismaili Tariqah.” (Ismaili Constitution, 1986, 14.8).

CUSTOM OF THE BHATI OR POST-FUNERAL MEAL

It is an old practice that when the visitors to the bereaved express their sad state and do not make themselves a burden to them by expecting food and meals to be prepared for them. The Prophet is reported to have said, “Prepare food for the family of Jafar, for an incident has come upon them and occupied them.” (Abu Dawood, 3126). The Prophet also said, “Provide food to the members of the deceased since they are in mourning having no attention in cooking.” (Mishkat, 1635). Instead of the family of the deceased cook food for others, it is recommended that it should be prepared and sent to the family of the deceased by others. (Abu Dawood, 20:25)

The Sindhi term bh’t or bhat means rice. It is a simple food being served to the members and relatives of the bereaved family soon after the burial ceremony. It consists of rice and lentil. It is reliably known that Pir Dadu (1474-1595) had introduced practice of the Bhati.

Until 1940, it was observed by the bereaved family in the jamat of India and East Africa. The lunch of lentil and rice (da’l khawo or da’l chawal) was served by the family of the deceased for the attendees any time or day after burial. Later, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah ordered to perform Ziyarat on same day of the burial of the deceased, and the practice of the Bhati must be restricted to the members of the family. In 1946, the Imam included a clause in the Constitution for Africa that Bhati be allowed only for the nearest relative of the deceased. In 1951, the Imam ordered in India that the Ziyarat should be performed on the day of the burial and restricted the Bhati.

Later, that Bhati was modernized in few places, where service of the pickle and vegetable salad were surprisingly included therewith. Another appalling report reveals that the irrelevant and uninvited persons also joined, making the Bhati a sort of the free kitchen, to which Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah had to announce that, “Don’t make foods in time of death, but make a sitting Ziyarat, and discharge in short and less amount. The Council must propagate in this context to jamat for one year.” (Poona, 14th January, 1951). It however appears at present that the Bhati is served in the house of the deceased.
Be noted that in the usual lunch or dinner, the guests are humbly appealed to eat till full, but the resembling call may not be made during the Bhati.
The Bhati may not be staged in hotel or in any gathering hall. It must not be considered a breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is my personal view that even Mawana Hazar Imam does not like it.