All Islamic Funerary Tradition

Islamic funeral rites follow a set of practices grounded in sharia, Islamic religious law, that call for the deceased to be buried as soon as is practically possible after death. The body is ritually washed and shrouded in simple white cloth, then a communal funeral prayer is offered on the deceased's behalf before burial. Cremation is forbidden, and the body is interred without a casket, positioned so that it faces the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. Specific customs of washing, shrouding, prayer wording and the length and conduct of the mourning period that follows vary by region, school of jurisprudence and local custom, but the core sequence of ritual washing, shrouding, communal prayer and prompt burial facing Mecca is shared broadly across Muslim communities worldwide, distinguishing Islamic funerary practice from the traditions of other faiths that permit cremation, embalming or extended visitation before burial.