Burial is a
method in which a dead person or animal is placed into the ground. This is
often practiced to pay respect for the dead. People look after them perhaps in
the belief that there is some form of life after death. This method is also practiced
to prevent the odor of decay and to avoid its smell. There are different methods
for burials, i.e. natural burial, mummification, embalming and the use of containers such as shrouds, coffins, graves, etc.
There is a long tradition of burying our
dead that dates back more than 100,000 years. Some burial sites have been found
at Mehrgarh, Pakistan by the archeologists which indicate that the burial method was practiced
thousands of years ago. It is an important tradition and holds a great value to
many, but let us explore more specifically why this is done.
All
religions have different traditions and rituals that serve to honor the dead and
assist bereaved families in handling their grief. Each major religion has its
customs concerning burial. Although that vary widely, the one common
denominator is respected for the body.
In Islam, the deceased are to be buried within 24 hours of death. “The 24 hours burial is not in the Qu’ran but is a cultural practice form the faith’s desire to respect the body and to avoid decay,” says Russell Mohammed.
He is the director of the Mid-America Muslim
Cemetery. The body is taken to cemetery (place where the remains of dead people
are buried) after the prayers. They bury the body in the ground, where it
becomes part of the soil. The upper part of the body, the head, is turned
toward Mecca.
In
Hinduism, there is no burial. The bodies are burned in a special ceremony (Mukhagni). According to the Hindu
religion, when someone dies, the soul passes into another body.
Hindu funerals
have three main parts:
1. Funeral in the family’s home
2. Mukhagni (cremation
ceremony)
3. Shraddha (takes
place about 10 days after the death)
The ashes
of the burnt body are put in an urn and given to the family.
In Christianity,
people believe that dying is the end of a person’s life on earth, but that soul
lives on in an afterlife. The funeral is typically held about one week after
the time of death. It serves to reflect on the righteousness of the life that
has one’s soul will go to Heaven. The three official goals of Christian funeral
are:
1. Reflect on someone’s life on earth.
2. Pray to God that the loved one gets into Heaven
3. Give strength to friends and family to cope with their
loss.
With most
modern cultures cementing the location of their deceased with grave stones, can
be hugely important.
Non -Religious Funeral
A
non-religious funeral means a ceremony to honor the body that is not tied to
any traditions, rituals or beliefs of any particular religion. Because there is
no tradition set for non-religious burial ceremonies, they tend to be highly
personalized. The guests who attend a non-religious funeral can expect a range
of scenarios: an open casket funeral, a closed casket funeral, etc.
As we discussed, different religions have different
rituals practice for burial and the reasons why we bury our dead are many. But
the most important is that it reveals much about who we are and where we come
from.
