D

eath

of

a

Mus-

lim

is

a

com-

munity affair.

The

bathing,

shrouding

and

burial

of

a

deceased

per-

son

is

an

obligation

which

must

be

dis-

charged

by

some

one

in

the

community

and

which

will

absolve

others.

If

this

obligation

is

not

discharged

by

anyone

at

all,

ever-

yone

who

knows

about

it

will

incur

the

sin

of

abandoning

the

obligation.

Muslims

can

conduct

their

own

proceedings

as

long

as

they

fulfil

the

le-

gal

requirements

on

their own.

Funeral

prayers

can

be

led

and

said

by

anyone

so

chosen

by

the

bereaved

family.

The

imam

(or

holy

man)

of

the

local

mosque

may

also

conduct

burial.

He

may

upon

notification

arrange

the

paper

work

to

be

comple-

ted

by

the

next

of

kin.

Funeral

parlours

ac-

cording

to

the

nor-

mal

procedure

can

also

carry

out

funerals.

Pre-paid,

fixed

priced

funeral

service

is

also

avail-

able

with

the

funeral

directors.

The

next

of

kin

will

then

have

to

arrange

the

washing,

shrouding

and

fu-

neral

prayers

arrangements

with

an

imam.

Tombstone