Although the circumstances of your visit are not of a joyous occasion, we still welcome you to our worship center and we are happy to have you with us. We hope the information below will help understand the funeral service you are soon to witness. We ask Almighty God to have Mercy on our deceased friend, loved one, and community member. We have also included a few common questions and answers that we hope will make you more comfortable today – especially if this is your first time visiting our center.
The building you are in is called a “Mosque” or “Muslim place of worship.” Mosques have been present throughout human history and constructed by Prophets throughout the narrative of human existence. The Kaaba – or Holy Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia – was built by Prophet Abraham (May the Peace of God be upon him) and his son Ismail (May God be pleased with him). The Mosque you are standing in today was built by community members and is maintained by donations from the public that frequent this establishment for prayer, events, classes, funerals, and other community needs. At this point you are likely in our area of worship, otherwise known as a “musalla” or “place of prayer” (also pictured below). Believers congregate here five times a day for the prescribed prayers, and on Friday for our weekly sermon.
You are likely about to witness the funeral prayer – otherwise known as the “Janaza” prayer. During this part of the funeral procession, the Muslims of the community gather to offer their collective prayers for the mercy and forgiveness of the deceased. The prayer consists of four “Takbirs” (the Arabic name for the phrase “God is Greater”) between each of which is a designated supplication to be silently recited. The supplications recited during the prayer include asking Almighty God for guidance and invoking salutations upon all of the Prophets of God, including our beloved Prophet Muhammad (May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him). Prayers are then made specifically for the deceased by asking Almighty God to forgive them, have mercy on them, grant them ease in the next life, and grant them entrance into Paradise. Lastly, the prayer concludes with the “Tasleem,” in which the phrase “Peace and Blessings of God be upon you” is recited once while facing the right and once facing the left. The prayer as a whole takes no more than 5 minutes, following which the body of our beloved deceased one will be transported to the burial site.
We welcome you to take a seat in the prayer area and observe the congregational funeral prayer. As you may not be familiar with the Muslim practice of prayer, you are not obligated to participate. Following the completion of the congregational funeral prayer, the deceased will be taken to the burial site. You are welcome to attend the burial to observe the Islamic burial rituals. Once the body is lowered into the grave, the spiritual leader will typically say a prayer before the grave is covered. Immediate family members will likely remain at the graveside for a while longer at which point visitors may convey their condolences to the family if they wish.
Click here to read a short article on Islam. The Islamic Association of Raleigh encourages you to learn more about Islam. If you have any questions please feel free to call us at (919) 834-9572 or email us at [email protected].
