World – When a Muslim passes away, before they can be buried, ghusl must be performed for them. Ghusl is the bath for the body of the deceased in accordance with Islamic rites. Usually at least three to four people are involved in giving the deceased their last bath. .
It is common for close family members to wash the deceased. An adult male should be bathed by his father, son or brother while an adult female by her mother, daughter or sister. There is a method to perform ghusl and sometimes family members may not know how to. Also, due to grief, one may not have the strength to perform the ghusl of a loved one on their own. This is why brothers and sisters in Islam like Mariam Mia, senior presenter at Salaamedia, have dedicated their time to assist others with the ghusl of their loved ones.
Ghusl is a beautiful parting gift
When a woman has no family members who can perform ghusl for her, Mia and her team perform the ghusl. However, if there are family members available, they are assisted by Mia to perform the ghusl. The reason being, Mia wholeheartedly feels that it is extremely beneficial for a loved one to perform the ghusl. If done right, it is a beautiful gift for the deceased and a means of closure for their loved ones.
“Ghusl is a parting gift. It’s a gift that we give our loved ones but also, it’s one’s closure. It’s the loved ones who are still living now, it’s their closure. If you have a beautiful ghusl, we fulfil all the rites, we follow all the Faraa-idh acts, all the Sunnah acts, the proper sequence, it becomes a beautiful experience. We take comfort in the fact that we have given our beloved a beautiful send off. That helps with closure through the grief process and through acceptance. You move on now in an alternative journey without your beloved or your loved one.”
It is a communal responsibility
Mia and her team have dedicated their time to performing this noble work for the community. It is not a task many people are ready to do in a hurry. It requires dedication and commitment and being able to avail yourself at any given time, explained Mia. It is the responsibility of the community to ensure the deceased is treated in the right manner.
“The performance of ghusl for a beloved is a communal responsibility. It is a Fard Kifayah which means it’s an indictment of not only the family but the community to ensure that we give a proper burial in accordance with Islamic rites to the deceased. Our last gift or responsibility to the deceased, along with the burial rites, is the aspect of ghusl which is the bathing and the shrouding and preparing the deceased for burial.”
Even if a Muslim meets their death in a place where they do not have family members or happen to be a visitor in, it is the responsibility of the Muslim community to fulfill these special rites of the deceased. For Mia, being involved in the ghusl has firmed her belief that Islam is the perfect way of life.
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The etiquette of ghusl
There are certain etiquettes one should follow when giving ghusl and even after. Recently, statements were shared on social media regarding the ghusl of a woman. This is totally against the etiquettes of ghusl, explained Mia.
“Whatever you do in the ghusl room should remain [in the ghusl room] and must remain confidential because this is part of that collective responsibility. To provide a very dignified barrier for your loved ones … We are there as representatives of the deceased to ensure while the ghusl is performed, it’s done modestly and no part of the body or the entire body should be exposed during this process … When you’re performing ghusl, the other areas are covered. It’s just the area you’re working on [that’s not covered]. When doing the ghusl, respect, dignity and everything is done thoroughly … I’ve been doing this for many years. I have never seen a body that was completely exposed. That is how we need to honour our deceased in Islam to make sure that we are the representatives of their modesty and dignity.”
One should not repeat what they have seen in the ghusl khanna (chamber) and not exaggerate. Not only is it disrespectful to the deceased but it will cause great pain to their family as well. One must always ask themselves how they would want people to treat them and their family when it is time for their ghusl. Mia also stressed one should refrain from listening to people who want to tell their stories of what happens.
While speaking negatively of the deceased is a sin, speaking positively of what one has seen in the ghusl khanna is something one can do. To mention the Noor (light) emanating from the deceased is something one can discuss. One must refrain from talking about the condition of the body in a negative way.
It is important to treat the deceased as you would want to be treated in death or how you would want your loved one to be treated. It is a difficult time for the family of the deceased and one must ensure they do everything they can to make this time a peaceful and easy one for them.
