Taking Care of the Corpse: a Muslim Must Be Able to Do

 

 By : ZULQARNIN & PRINCESS WULANDARI 

The world is only a temporary place for mankind, every human being will face death. If a death has come to pick him up then every human being cannot refuse it. When humans leave this world, then this is where we as fellow Muslims must fulfill the rights of fellow Muslims, namely: bathing the corpse, shrouding, praying, and burying. This procession is commonly known as the holding of the corpse.

Organizing a funeral for Muslims is fard kifayah. If there is someone or several groups of people who have done it, then the other person's obligation to carry it out falls. There are four obligations of Muslims after the death of a person, namely bathing, shrouding, praying, and burying. However, behind the whole series of processions for the organization of the corpse, there is a special meaning to the social life of the community. Many of us do not understand the value and meaning contained in holding a corpse from shortly after someone's death to burying it. Most of us take it for granted as if it is meaningless.

The development of today's society requires a religious figure to lead religious affairs in the mosque, but the limitations require the presence of collective leadership, including inside the mosque and outside the mosque. In this context, the author wants to review how religious leaders provide skills in organizing corpses to the community and what material or discussion needs to be known in organizing corpses.

Description of the Organizing of the Body

If someone dies, some Muslims are obligated to wash him immediately as is obligatory bathing because of junub, whether the corpse is male or female, small children or adults. This is based on the order of the Prophet SAW that he be bathed when he dies and based on the consensus of the scholars on the obligation to wash the corpse, except for those who are martyrs. Jailani said “The bathing of the body must be carried out in a closed place. And the tools for bathing him are; water, bizarre water can be replaced with orange juice, camphor, rose water, soap, gloves, and others. Then the pillars of washing the corpse are the intention, spreading all the water to the limbs from head to toe, then performing istinja', ablution, then shrouded. If the corpse that dies is a man then the one who bathes must be a man or if it is a woman then the mahram for the corpse, and vice versa if the person who dies is a woman then the one who bathes must be a woman or if it is a man then the mahram for the corpse.

After the body has been washed, the next step is to worship it. It is Sunnah to wear a white shroud and not too expensive or luxurious. The scholars said, "What is meant by improving the shroud is to use a clean, thick, very tight, and simple cloth, not an excessive and luxurious shroud". If the shroud prepared is too narrow so that it is not sufficient to cover the entire body of the corpse, then the head is prioritized to cover the entire body of the corpse. While the open part can be covered with idzkhir or other grass.

The body that has been washed and shrouded, the next procession is to pray. The funeral prayer is fard kifayah, but every Muslim who hears the news of the death joins in praying. Because, the more people who pray the better for the corpse, because many people pray for it. Before praying (if possible) it is better if one of the family members left behind gives a speech that essentially apologizes to the congregation for mistakes or mistakes during his life, and the family is willing to settle the debts that are still involved with the corpse.

The next step is to take the body to the cemetery, which is to accompany and follow it until it is buried. This is one of the rights of Muslims over other Muslim brothers. If one of the processes of organizing the corpse is abandoned, then all members of the community who know the news of the death will sin.

Application of Guidance for Organizing the Body

Guiding religious issues need the right way to restore children's motivation and can provide knowledge for the surrounding community. Therefore, the application in the organization of the corpse must be by the guidelines justified in religion.

Religious inspiration in children's activities to solve various problems they face, be it problems related to work (vocational), studies at school, or personal life can refer to religious guidance. The meaning of religious inspiration is to guide rediscovery, internal and personal religious frames of reference (the source of the religious lifestyle in the person), that is, all the problems faced are essentially nothing that cannot be solved if one's personality is willing to return to religious guidance.

Promoting the spirit of religion to the observation of religious teachings is a necessity that cannot be avoided by every human being. In this case, guidance and counseling are persuasive and stimulant to the emergence of personal awareness to practice religious teachings that can be offered to children, adolescents, and adults. Jailani said “Guidance on the management of corpses is very important because if we don't provide this guidance, people will not understand or know the science of managing corpses. It will be very difficult for the community if they do not understand properly about the funeral arrangements. Because it is our obligation as Muslims towards another Muslim corpse."

The emphasis on the importance of knowledge about the management of corpses is absolute for every community, individual, or group of people. Because this is a religious teaching, it cannot be disputed for any reason. As it is emphasized that if there are no funeral arrangements in one area, for one person or several people it will be considered sinful for all members of the community who are in the village.

Guidance for Organizing the Body

The guidelines for organizing the corpse are bathing the corpse, shrouding the corpse, praying for the corpse, and burying the body. In it, it is explained what the tools are in bathing to shrouding the corpse, and how to bathe it, and shroud it. And how to pray to the corpse to bury the body, in the grave.

The method used to provide guidance is by theory and practice, where in providing such guidance if the only theory is given then it will not be effective for the community because they only know the theory without understanding how to practice it. If accompanied by practice, people will understand where to start bathing, how to cut the shroud, how to pray for the corpse, and to burial. The community response to giving this method is very positive and the community accepts it well because it is an interest and benefit for the community to understand the science of managing corpses.

In the implementation of the guidelines regarding the organization of the corpse, it is carried out in the mosque. Initially, it was held every Wednesday night, but now it has changed to Saturday night. In the implementation, the Jailani teacher gave the material first, but in practice, he found obstacles, namely related to the media. However, in the end, he ventured to bring some people to participate directly in the organization of the corpse.