Death and Dying in Various Religious Beliefs
Death can be defined as the irreversible cessation of life characterized by the permanent incapacitation of both circulatory and respiratory organs. While the cause of death fan is scientifically determined, other aspects of the concept have remained mysterious with different religions providing a different perception. While the concept behind how death occurs has been clinically determined, therefore, the concepts of why death happens and what happens after an individual dies have all been religiously inclined with the teachings provided in the spiritual or religious doctrines cited. This paper explores the various beliefs and associated practices available in the major religions worldwide in an attempt to understand the available perceptions of death. The majority of death and funeral practices in the world are meant to prepare the deceased for a better and peaceful afterlife.
Like most other religions, death is at the center of Christian beliefs. According to the Christian doctrine of the initial sin committed in the Garden of Eden, every human being is born with a sinful nature and has therefore committed sin. The Bible equates sin to spiritual death which is inevitable until the individual restores their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ after which they are “born again”: made spiritually alive (Bowen, 2003). When a Christian dies physically, however, their destination in the afterlife is determined by their faith by the time of death. If the individual lived in accordance with God’s commandments, they will be gifted with eternal life in heaven subsequent resurrection (Bowen, 2003). When an individual failed to observe God’s commandment during their: lifetime, their soul will be eternally condemned in hell after judgment. This Christian perception of spiritual and physical death significantly influences the religion’s death and dying practices:
“They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified by his saints” (The New King James Version, Thessalonians 1:9-10).
When a Christian dies, it is considered that their life on earth has come to an end. A funeral is thus planned for the close friends and family members to not only grieve for the loss if the person but also give thanks for their existence. If the individual is on their death bed, a religious leader or a minister is called to prepare the person for their death. Prayers of death preparation are only said with the religious leader in the room though family and friends maybe later called upon to recite the Holy Communion or the Lord’s Prayer. Typically, the deceased is supposed to leave a will providing guidelines on how they want their funeral service carried out including whether they want a burial or cremation. The funeral is to be held approximately one week after the individual dies and is often carried out in a church or crematorium. Christian funerals usually take a conventional program starting with the gathering when the priest opens the service with a reading from the scriptures. This is followed by personal readings when the priest or family members eulogize the deceased. After personal readings, the priest leads the congregation to prayers of thanksgiving and penitence before a silent time for reflection is observed. This is followed by commendation when the priest reads a prayer of commending and lastly the committal when the coffin is finally lowered into the grave.
Similar to the Christian concept of death, Muslims believe that the good acts an individual does in their lives will guarantee their entry into paradise on their day of judgment after the world has been destroyed. Muslims believe that until the judgment day, the dead shall remain in their tombs after which those who observed Muslim teachings will experience peace in paradise while those who failed to observe the teachings will experience suffering in hell. When an individual is in their death bed such that death is imminent, family members and friends are supposed to be present. Friends and family are supposed to offer hope to the dying person while encouraging them to recite the “Shahada”: a confirmation that there is no other God but Allah (Gatrad, 1994). After the occurrence of death, the people present must recite, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un” meaning “Verily we belong to Allah, and truly to Him shall we return.” The presentations are also supposed to close the eyes of the deceased, lower their jaws, then covering the deceased’s body with a sheet. The present friends and family members are then supposed to recite the dua so that the transgressions of the deceased are forgiven.
The Islamic, Shariah, law dictates that the deceased’s body must be buried soon after the death of the deceased hence the funeral preparations must be carried out immediately (Gatrad, 1994). The local Islamic community must be alerted after which they will make arrangements for the burial and service. Organ donation among Muslims is acceptable as encouraged by the Muslim teachings though an Imam’s counsel must be sort. Routine autopsies are forbidden as they are perceived as a contamination of the deceased’s body. Other practices such as embalming and cremation are also in conflict with the Shariah law. In preparation of the body for burial, it must first be thoroughly washed ion a practice referred to in Islam as Ghusl (Gatrad, 1994). It is encouraged that close family members of the same sex perform the Ghusl though the spouse may perform in the case of spousal death. Usually, the body is supposed to be washed three times though more times are allowed as long as they are washed an odd number of times(Gatrad, 1994). During shrouding, the woman’s hair is washed and made into three braids after which the body is covered with a plain white sheet.
Shrouding, kafan, is performed with three white sheets laid on top of each other. The body is then laid on top of the sheets with women dressed in a sleeveless dress and head veil. The sheets are then folded over the individual’s body with the shrouding fastened with ropes. After shrouding, the body is then taken to a mosque for funeral prayers referred to in Islam as Salat al-janazah. The prayers are performed in a prayer room or study room with those praying facing Meccas, the qiblah (Ross, 2001). Due to the brief time between death and burial, body viewing is not allowed in Islam. After the recitation of the Salat al-Janazah, the body is taken for burial with the grave dug in a perpendicular orientation to the qiblah (Ross, 2001). The body is then placed facing the qiblah with the individuals placing the body reciting, “Bismilllah wa ala millati rasulilllah.”After the body is placed inside the grave wood is placed on the body to prevent contact with the soil (Ross, 2001). Once the grave has been filled with soil, a small stone is placed on the grave so that it can be recognized. After the burial, the deceased’s family is supposed to gather and host the visitors for a period of three mourning days.
Unlike Christianity and Islam, Buddhists believe in the reincarnation of an individual’s soul after their death. They don’t believe that death is the end of an individual’s life on earth but rather a cycle that results in physical rebirth. Also according to Buddhism, the law of karma affects everything that happens in an individual’s life. The way in which an individual lives in their lifetime affects how they live in the future (Gouin, 2014). Buddhists, therefore, prepare for their death by leading good lives. In the Buddhist community, therefore, death has a spiritual significance that must be prepared for throughout the individual’s life. When an individual’s death approaches, they are encouraged to reflect on their holy writings as this brings good luck to their new existence (Williams & Ladwig, 2012). After an individual dies, close friends and relatives are supposed to pour water over one hand of the deceased in a ritualistic bathing ceremony. The body is then laid in a casket then surrounded with wreaths and incense sticks. In some cases, a photograph is positioned alongside with colored lights placed around the casket.
In most cases, a prominent person’s body is preserved for a year in the temple. The delay is not only a show of respect but is also supposed to create time for the performance of religious ceremonies that will benefit the deceased in their afterlife. During this time, memorial services are conducted seven, fifteen, and one hundred days after death. Buddhists believe that the spirits are able to benefit from the chants sung and talks given about them as long as their body is still present (Williams & Ladwig, 2012). Following the death of Buddha, most Buddhists prefer cremation as their form of a sendoff as it enables them to free the soul from their body. Cremation is delayed for several hours or even days so that distant relatives are able to give their last respects to the departed. During this time, monks arrive at the deceased’s house every day to sing while they are given food to raise their importance. During cremation, an individual carrying a banner leads the procession to the cremation site followed by elderly men with flowers in bowls. A group of up to ten monks then hold a ribbon than extends to a casket behind (Williams & Ladwig, 2012). During the ceremony, monks are supposed to sit facing the casket while leading the mourners to prayers. The casket is positioned on a structure under which candles, incense, and wood are placed burn it. The ashes are later collected and placed in an urn. The ceremony is generally supposed to be carried out in a dignified and serious fashion after which the individuals left behind are encouraged to share their grief while adjusting to a new life without the departed.
In conclusion, the funeral practices from each of the three major religions in the world are a reflection of mankind’s belief in the presence of a supernatural being and the importance of life. Death is an integral aspect of any community and is inseparable from the doctrines and life teachings stressed by the various religions. While the religions hold different perceptions and concepts of death, one common theme tied to each of the religions above is the need to lead a good life and its significance in the person’s afterlife. While they all believe in the existence of an afterlife, they also believe in the significance of the current to the afterlife hence the need for good deeds that will usher in a better afterlife.
References
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Gatrad, A. R. (1994). Muslim customs surrounding death, bereavement, postmortem examinations, and organ transplants. Bmj, 309(6953), 521-523.
Gouin, M. (2014). Buddhist Funeral Cultures of Southeast Asia and China. Journal of Global Buddhism, 15, 87-90.
Ross, H. M. (2001). Islamic tradition at the end of life. Medsurg Nursing, 10(2), 83.
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Williams, P., & Ladwig, P. (Eds.). (2012). Buddhist funeral cultures of Southeast Asia and China. Cambridge University Press.