Muslim Funeral Traditions: Janazah, Washing, Shrouding and Burial

A Muslim funeral has four parts: washing the body (ghusl), wrapping it in a simple white shroud (kafan), the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) and burial. Burial is ideally within 24 hours of death, and cremation is strictly forbidden. The whole process is called janazah, and it is a communal duty. If you are arranging one in the US, most of it is legally possible, but cemetery rules and paperwork can affect the timing.

What happens at a Muslim funeral?

The funeral prayer is fard kifaya, a communal obligation: only some members of the community need to carry it out, but everyone shares the responsibility if no one does. Many Muslim communities help families with the arrangements, so contact your mosque early. The usual order is:

1. Ghusl: the body is washed.
2. Kafan: the body is wrapped in a white shroud.
3. Salat al-janazah: the community prays together for the person who has died.
4. Burial: the body is buried facing Mecca.

Practice varies between schools of Islam, countries and families, so ask your imam or the mosque's funeral committee about the specifics for your family.

Ghusl: the ritual washing

The body is washed by same-gender family members or community members, using heated water. Practice calls for an odd number of washings, and the private areas (awrah) are covered throughout. The washing is understood as physical and spiritual purification. Your mosque or a local Islamic funeral service may be able to arrange trained people to do this, so ask. See our guide on ghusl washing for more detail.

Kafan: the shroud

After washing, the body is wrapped in simple white cloth. Men are commonly wrapped in three pieces and women in five. The simplicity reflects the belief that everyone is buried in the same way and that God views all as equal.

The funeral prayer (salat al-janazah)

The funeral prayer has four takbirs (saying "Allahu Akbar") and no bowing or prostration, and it includes a supplication for the person who has died and for all people. Ask your mosque or funeral service where it will be held. See our guide to the janazah prayer for what is said and how the congregation stands.

Burial

The body is placed in the grave on its right side facing the qibla, the direction of Mecca. Traditionally there is no coffin. Mourners usually add soil to the grave while praying, and customs on how many handfuls vary. A simple marker is acceptable, and elaborate monuments are discouraged. Our guide to Muslim cemetery requirements covers what to ask a cemetery.

How quickly must it happen?

Islamic tradition asks for burial as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours. In practice, the death has to be certified and the paperwork completed first, and a medical examiner or coroner may need to examine the body, which can add time. If you are in the US, the funeral home or mosque funeral service usually handles the permits, so tell them straight away that you want a quick burial.

Arranging a Muslim funeral in the US

These are the points that most often affect Muslim families, based on the Funeral Consumers Alliance and the FTC:

• Funeral director: in the majority of states, a family, community or religious group can handle a death without hiring a funeral director. Nine states require one: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey and New York.
• Embalming: rarely required by law. No state requires it when burial or cremation takes place within two days, and refrigeration is an alternative in most states. Many funeral homes insist on it before a public viewing, but it is not a legal requirement for a viewing.
• Casket or container: except for green burial sites, most cemeteries require a casket or other container to enclose the body. You can choose a simple alternative container such as a plain wood box, and the funeral home must accept a casket you bought elsewhere.
• Burial vault: no state or federal law requires one, but most cemeteries do. Some religious traditions require burial directly in the earth, and some cemeteries set aside areas for this, so ask.
• Price list: under the FTC Funeral Rule a funeral home must give you its General Price List, and you can choose services such as immediate burial, which does not require any form of preservation.

Costs vary widely by cemetery, region and provider. Ask for itemised prices before you agree to anything, and compare with our guide to direct burial costs. Some mosques and community groups also help with the costs, so ask yours.

Mourning and condolences

Mourning generally lasts three days, with visits and prayers for the family. A widow observes a longer waiting period (iddah) of four lunar months and ten days. Grief and weeping are accepted, but Sunni teaching discourages loud wailing, shrieking, chest-beating and hair-tearing. Acts of charity (sadaqah) and prayer on behalf of the person are believed to benefit them, so a donation in their name is often welcome.

A traditional phrase of condolence is Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un: "Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return" (Quran 2:156). Our guides on funeral etiquette and what to wear to a funeral cover the general points. For a Muslim funeral, modest dress and quiet respect are the safe choices, and you can ask the family if you are unsure.

Planning ahead

If you want a Muslim funeral for yourself, write down your wishes now: burial rather than cremation, a quick burial, your preferred cemetery or Muslim section, who to call (your imam or mosque), and who should be involved in the washing. Tell your family and keep a copy where they can find it. If you want to leave directions for your estate as well, an attorney who understands your legal and religious needs can help.