Burial Customs what are they?

[Wotwosit 10]

Questions to clear up some arguments.

 

What are the burial customs of various religions? Before and during the burial process?

 

Why are the graves in church graveyards always point in the same direction. Where do they put the tombstone?

 

What do Muslims /Hindus/other religions do?

 

Is it true Jews are buried standing up?

[*Peaches* 10]

I think Muslims have to bury the dead within 24 hours, or am I cracking up?

[Mathom 10]

Christian gravestones face West as the sun will rise in the West on the day of judgement (I think! ). Graves of Pirates have skull & crossbones on them and graves of unbaptised children were outside the graveyards.

 

For one of the strangest burial customs check out excarnation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excarnation

Although odd to our eyes, I cannot think of any better way to be buried, to be eaten by the birds and wild animals!

[Twiglet 10]

I think Muslims have to bury the dead within 24 hours, or am I cracking up?

 

You would be correct. They are also buried facing Mecca.

 

Christian graves are oriented East-West with the head to the west so that they may rise and face the final Judgement from the East. Some priests/clergy are buried with their head at the other end, so that they may rise to face their flock.

 

Christians should not be buried with any possessions or grave goods.

 

Anything else?

[Heyesey 11]

I think Muslims have to bury the dead within 24 hours, or am I cracking up?

 

"As soon as possible" ... I don't think there is a specific time limit. They prefer their dead to be buried coffinless, on their right side, and facing Mecca; but they don't expect these preferences to override local laws.

 

Christians have, I believe, always buried their dead aligned feet-to-head pointing East (on the grounds that Jerusalem is, mostly, East from here). I gather from various reports that this is no longer automatic in England either; graveyards can align graves in any which direction. Some may now have an area set aside for Mecca-facing graves.

 

People responsible for looking after graveyards, and the land management involved, only care that all graves are dug in the same direction and in neat lines, as it enabled the most graves to fit in the least space.

[Twiglet 10]

Oh and a few more - those who commit suicide should not be buried in consecrated ground. This also applied to executed criminals.

 

Jews are not buried standing up but you may not place one coffin on top of another in a shared grave and they cannot be placed in burial vaults.

[Twiglet 10]

 

Christians have, I believe, always buried their dead aligned feet-to-head pointing East (on the grounds that Jerusalem is, mostly, East from here). I gather from various reports that this is no longer automatic in England either; graveyards can align graves in any which direction. Some may now have an area set aside for Mecca-facing graves.

 

This is true for community cemeteries - if you look at aerial views on Google Earth etc. you can see the different areas. They have differently oriented graves for different denominations, large non-denominational areas and a separate place for infants.

 

Although the Qu'ran does not state that Muslim burials should occur within 24 hours, it has become a tradition that is almost dictated. Obviously there are some circumstances that prohibit this. Muslims must also be buried more than a certain amount of time before sunset.

[Heyesey 11]

Although the Qu'ran does not state that Muslim burials should occur within 24 hours, it has become a tradition that is almost dictated. Obviously there are some circumstances that prohibit this.

 

Well, that makes sense. Barring autopsies, criminal investigations and so on, "as soon as possible" would normally BE within 24 hours.

[Twiglet 10]

Well, that makes sense. Barring autopsies, criminal investigations and so on, "as soon as possible" would normally BE within 24 hours.

 

Have you ever tried obtaining a death certificate and submitting a notice of burial to a local authority at a weekend, or indeed within a 24 hour period? Cemeteries/funeral directors can find it very difficult to prepare a grave and the paperwork this quickly, the normal minimum time is 3 days.

[Plain Talker 11]

a Muslim, when they have passed way is washed in a certain way, and then wrapped in a simple sheet, type thin *(like a shroud) to symbolise that we bring nothing with us, and can take nothing with us.

 

Males will wash the body (ies) of deceased males, and women will wash the body of a female Muslim

 

also generally, it is only men who attend the actual funeral/ committal.