Funeral Services

Several gravesites have been secured for community members at the Mounds Cemetery in Brooklyn Center. The cemetery is located just 10 miles from the Ja’afari Islamic Center. Funeral and burial services are held at the Center when needed.

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ

When death occurs in a family, the Jamaat, through its Ghusl/Kafan/Dafan Committee assists in organizing the funeral.This includes transporting the Mayyit (dead body) to Imambara or Mortuary for Ghusl & Kafan (washing and shrouding) then eventually to Mounds Cemetery for Dafan (burial). Please note that all expenses for the funeral (Funeral home, regulatory compliance, transportation, coffin and any special treatment if needed, such as autopsy, embalming, etc.) are the responsibility of the family.

POINT OF CONTACT

As soon as a death has occurred, please contact the Jamaat Secretary via email, call or text at (612) 859-0830.

RQUIRED INFORMATION FOR GHUSL AND FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS TO BEGIN:

When contacting the Jammat to inform them of a death, please have the below information ready to share:

1. Name of the deceased, with correct spelling.
2. Gender and age of the deceased.
3. Name, address, and telephone number of next of kin.
4. Cause and place (i.e. hospital, home, etc.) of death.
5. Contact telephone number of the person coordinating the funeral arrangements on behalf of the deceased.

DEATH CERTIFICATE

We are required to obtain two certificates (The Death Certificate and the Burial Certificate) without which no burial can take place.

IF DEATH TAKES PLACE AT HOME

Then phone the Primary Physician, who in turn will either issue a Death Certificate or may refer the case to a Coroner.

IF DEATH TAKES PLACE IN HOSPITAL

Then the Resident Doctor will issue the Death Certificate or may refer the case to a Coroner.

IF THE CASE IS REFERRED TO A CORONER

He/she will carry out all the necessary investigations and will then issue a Death Certificate or will carry out a post mortem and will then issue a Death Certificate. Please note, that if he/she decides to do a post mortem, then you have no chance of dissuading him/her. It is better if you request him/her to carry it out the post mortem as soon as possible.

BURIAL CERTIFICATE

This is issued by a Mortuary.They are licensed to issue the burial certificate in order to move the body from either a home or from a hospital and eventually to the cemetery.

BURIAL TIME ARRANGEMENTS

The Jamaat will arrange to collect the Mayyit and bring it to the Imambara (or Funeral Home).
Ghusl/Kafan committee will gather volunteers for ghusl and kafan of the mayyit.
Jamaat Vice President with Program Coordinator in consultation with the next of kin will arrange time for Namaz-e-Mayyit at the Imambara.
Gents then accompany the Janaza (burial procession) to the Cemetery while the Ladies stay behind at the Imambara, where Qur’an is recited followed by a majlis for the deceased.

NEWS OF DEATH

The Jamaat through its answering machine and email communication will notify the burial program to the community.

INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING A DYING PERSON:

1. It is requested that Islamic fundamentals i.e. acknowledgement of the oneness of Almighty God, Prophethood of Holy Prophet (PBUH), all the twelve Imams and other principles of faith should be spoken to a dying person in such a way that he/she should understand it and repeat if possible. Please keep on repeating these till death. It is also very essential for the persons gathered there to recite the QURAN, in particularly SURA-E-YASEEN (36), SURA-AL-AHZAB (33), and AAYAT-UL-KURSI (2:255-257) to the person who is undergoing the pangs of death. It is also necessary to recite Quran to the dying person in such a way that he or she understands it. These recitations should be carried out till death occurs.
2. Remove all the artificial items like rings, teeth, contact lenses, medical equipment if any, from the body.
3. Permission of course must be taken by the successor for all these processes.
4. Please clean the body before death, if possible. At the last moment when it is felt that the person is about to die, please straighten the fingers, hands, legs along the torso and lay the person on
   his/her back facing the soles of the feet towards the QIBLA. Close the eyelids and if possible put a tape on top. Make sure to close the persons mouth by tying a clothing from under the chin and around the head.
5. If however great difficulty is being experienced during the departing of the soul from the body, the person may be taken to the place where he/she normally offers his/her regular daily prayers.
6. It is not appropriate:
   • to leave a dying person alone
   • to place any things on the person’s belly
   • to talk and cry much near the dying person
   • to let only women remain with the dead body
   • any person who needs purification from JUNUB or HAIZ to be near a dead person.
7. It is best to prepare the mayyit for all the rituals by the assistance of the medical personnel where the person has been subjected to external tubing or other devices. Removal of these gadgets will assist in quick perform ance of the rituals. During the rituals it is important that there are minimal wounds and exposure of body fluids.

BURIAL POLICY AND REGULATIONS:

1. The Burial Policy and Agreement form must be completed and signed prior to the funeral.
2. The person responsible for burial arrangements, or another family member/next of kin/friend must make full payment for the grave and other expenses to Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center prior to the funeral.
3. Reservation of specific graves for relatives is not allowed. The reservation of a cluster of graves for family members or relatives is not permitted. The policy of Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center is to bury the deceased in the next available grave.
4. Upon death, the person responsible for burial arrangements must contact the representative of Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center.
5. The representative of Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center will contact the Ghusl committee and the Cemetery personnel.
6. There may not be any direct contact with the cemetery personal by the person responsible for burial arrangements.
7. Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center has made arrangements for the funeral services necessary with a local Mortuary.
8. Expenses for the funeral, for the coffin, and for use of the Mortuary are the responsibility of the person responsible for burial arrangements. That person must discuss arrangements and pay expenses for those services directly to the Mortuary.
9. All rules and regulations, and all restrictions of the Mounds Cemetery must be followed and obeyed.
10. Tombstones shall not exceed 24 inches in height and 20 inches in width. Anjuman-e-Asghari reserves the right to examine and approve the tombstone before it is placed.
11. Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center can assist in getting a tombstone. The person responsible for burial may contact the representative of Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center for assistance.
12. Pictures or any ornament of any sort are not allowed in or on the tombstone or on the grave.
13. Flowers must be kept within the boundary of the grave.
14. No trees may be planted without prior permission of Anjuman-e-Asghari Ja’afari Islamic Center.