WHY WE MUST HONOR EVERY MUSLIM BODY

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, if a person is hospitalized for COVID-19, family members are usually not allowed to visit to reduce the potential spread of the coronavirus. It gets even more difficult if the person dies.

The Muslim community, like any other community, has been confronted by a growing number of deaths from COVID-19. Losing someone close to us is undoubtedly the most painful and devastating experience that will ever happen to any one of us. The loss and pain can hit very deeply.

Every community has its own set of rituals to respond to death and help ease the pain. According to the Islamic tradition, dead bodies are managed through specific guidelines that ensure the dignity and respect of the dead ones as well as for their living families. The pandemic has challenged Muslim individuals to bury their dead according to the Islamic tradition, as the burial of a deceased person is a collective obligation that incorporates religious and community elements. It consists of the ritual of washing the dead bodies, shrouding them with a piece of white cloth, performing the funeral prayer at the mosque before the bodies are taken to the cemetery to be buried directly into the ground without any embalming, and finally attending a community gathering to offer condolences to the living relatives.

Currently the Islamic burial practices are being shaped by the scientific evidence and medical guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prevented any direct contact with someone who has died from COVID-19 due to concerns the coronavirus could potentially spread, leading Muslim scholars and imams in the United States delivered new guidance on how to conduct funeral

burials for those who have died from COVID-19. The washing and shrouding have not been administered on those who have succumbed to the pandemic. The funeral prayer is performed in cemeteries with a limited number of people.

Before the pandemic, an Islamic funeral service in San Diego was about $5,000, including the grave, but these days, the cost has significantly increased to around $10,000. As a community, we have a responsibility to ensure that every Muslim body after death is honored and buried according to the Islamic law. Financial

concerns are especially prevalent among families who have taken a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an imam, and a community servant, I have an obligation to help my community members maintain the rites and rituals of Muslim burial in this critical time.

Islam has given us the flexibility and adaptability when faced with unprecedented situations, and when people understand, change and follow the new protocol, it makes everything smooth and easier. And I am glad to see my community members abiding by the new normal and showing no resistance or having any issues with it.