The Method of giving the
Dead Body A wooden box equal to the size of the dead body may be prepared. If it is not possible to have a wooden box then a cane box may be arranged. After giving bath the dead body may be shrouded and the funeral prayer may be offered. Then the handful of earth (Mushta Khak) of all the present be collected in a cloth and tied and placed on the chest of the dead body. A big sheet of cloth (Chader) may be spread in the box and on the cloth so spread salt to the height of about 3" and 3 seers of white cumin seeds (Zira) may be spread over it. Then spread amberger (Abeer) under the neck, shoulders, stomach and secret places and under the thighs, then rest the dead body in the box and spread, abeer, cumin seeds (Zira) and salt on the body also. Then seal the box tightly with nails. Making kancha grave (PUCCA GRAVE) a little wider than the coffin box, place coffin box in the grave, put stone pieces under the legs of the box. While meditating the presence of the Murshid, the following may be uttered, with tongue and depth of heart in front of two witnesses. This dead body which is our trust is being entrusted under protection of God, who is the Creator of the earth and the sky, O' earth we entrust it under thy care to keep it safe for (3 months, 6months, or 12 months). Saying like this three times, small pebbles equal to the number of months for which the body is to be entrusted, should be kept on the left side of the body, (Zaoq Shaoq Namaz & Hirzal Musallin) The entrusting period should be within one year and the months shall be in odd number. Then fill up the grave with mud, leaves etc., and the grave may be made and then offer the Fatiha with flowers or green leaves. If it is not possible to make a box and it is not possible to get salt, abeer (Amberger) etc., at that time, then a grave with lime stones or bricks may be made and the body may be placed on a wooden plank and as per the above mentioned method, putting purified sand under and over the body, bury the dead body in that grave. And if the sand or the wooden plank is not available, make use of mud for this purpose. The dead body should be taken out within the time limit. A new mote cloth may be used over the old one and carry it to the place where it is to be buried, after offering funeral prayers by the people who could not offer the funeral prayer before. Remove the top and side planks of the coffin box and the body may be put in the new grave. The people present there should give mushtakhak (hand full of earth) (Zaoq Shaoq Namaz) If for any reason, the dead body is not to be removed from the entrusted place, then permit the earth (to consume the body) Some Prophets have been buried at other places after entrusting them to earth. (Zaoq Shaoq Namaz) In Tafserual Quran, Volume V, Compiled by Moulvi Mohd. Inshaulla page (III) it is written that in the Holy Taurat it is mentioned that Hzt, Yusuf Alaihis Sal'am was alive for 110 years. When he died, the people of Egypt had differences on his burial. Everybody wanted to bury him in his locality to enjoy its bless. At last keeping his dead body in a box made up of marble or of white stone buried him in the river Nile to reach the blessing to all the people through the water flowing over his grave. Akrama says that first he was buried at the right side of the Nile. That side became fertile and the other side became dry and drought stricken. Then the box was removed from there and buried on the left side which became green and fertile and the right side turned famine stricken. At last it was removed from there too and buried in the middle of the Nile. Then both the sides turned green and fertile. It was there till the age of Hzt Moosa the Prophet, Alaihis Sal'am. When he conquered Egypt, he took out the coffin box from the Nile and took it to Syria and buried him in his sacred ancestral grave yard.
The grave is dug in three ways. (1) Baghli (2) Sandoqui and (3) Ordinary 1. Baghli:- Firstly an ordinary grave may be dug then in the right side, (i.e. western side), sufficient space should be made to place the dead body in it. After seeing the face of the dead, giving Mushta-e-Khakh (Handful of earth) its eastern side is covered, with wet and dry mud and grave is built over it. 2. Sandoqui:- The second method is that a box type grave should be dug wider and a thin wall is to be built round with bricks or stone, lime and mud, this is called Kancha, placing the dead body inside the grave, and giving Mushta-e-Khakh (hand ful of earth), lay stone barrs over the Kancha inside the grave, after seeing the face. And then the grave is filled and made over it. 3. Ordinary :- The third type is the ordinary grave. The grave is dug in ordinary way and the dead body is placed and after seeing the face of the dead and after giving Mushta-e-Khakh, the body is covered with thin layer of earth to cover the shroud and then the grave is filled with the earth and the grave is made on it. |