Janazah Muslim Burial Guide

Step 2: Obtain a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death

Step 3: Collect the body from the Hospital

You can usually collect the body from the hospital ward as soon as a person dies. If you do not do this, the hospital will keep the body in the mortuary and then you will need to arrange a time to collect the body. If possible, we advise that you collect the body from the hospital ward, since this is easier than collecting it from the mortuary.

If you have to collect from the mortuary, you will need to arrange with the Duty Manager of the mortuary to collect the body. Hospital staff can also help. Ask members of the community for guidance if you are unsure. The phone numbers of the Duty Managers are on the last page.

You will need a coffin and a large vehicle to hold the coffin when collecting the body.

Coffins

Two coffin boxes are available at the Wellington Islamic Centre in Kilbirnie and one is available at Porirua Islamic Centre. Voluntary contributors have provided these coffins.  In Wellington one is for males and another for females. They are for use by everyone, at no charge. Use the coffins for transportation between home, hospital, Funeral Home and the cemetery. Clean the coffin and return it to the respective Islamic Centre.

Transport

Step 4: Arrange a Burial Plot

Br Yakub Khan arranges the grave and burial time at Makara Cemetery, you may also contact Br Tahir Nawaz. For Whenua Tapu Cemetery call Shaikh Abdul Jabbar. We advise you not to contact the Sexton of the cemeteries directly.

Step 5: Arrange for the Ghusl (Washing)

Members of the community can help with the ghusl (washing). But Islam encourages that close family members be actively involved and those performing the ghusl should be aware of the relevant Islamic etiquettes. Advisors are available to provide guidance and support.

Washing the body is similar to the sunnah way of making ghusl ourselves. The difference is that we are doing this to someone else and we do not put water in the person’s mouth and nostrils.

You can wash the body at home, at the hospital if the facility is available, or at a funeral home.

When arranging the venue for washing, you need to consider hygiene, convenience of handling the body, family sensitivity, sensitivity of neighbours, access and transporting the body after washing.

Some funeral homes provide private washing rooms with trolleys, tables, and washing equipment. They can also keep the body until the time of burial and provide a hearse if required. Funeral homes will charge for the services they provide. Their charges can be very high.

Step 6: Arrange for the Kafn (Shroud)

A shroud may be available at the Kilbirnie Islamic Centre. Otherwise, you can buy shrouds from a fabric shop. Advisors can tell you how much white material to buy.

The shroud is put on like the garments worn at Hajj and an outer sheet is wrapped around to cover the whole body. Females have two extra pieces; a chest-band and a headscarf.

We recommend that you buy a white single cotton bed sheet for the outer garment because most material is not wide enough to properly wrap the body. Ties of cloth are used to fasten the outer sheet. Make sure the ties are wide and strong as these help with lowering the body into the grave.

Someone familiar with putting on the kafn can help.

Step 7: Arrange for Dafn (Burial)

Usually members of the community will be present to help with the burial. Once again it is better for family members to handle the body, particularly the body of a female.

For the convenience of Muslims who live and work all around greater Wellington, we perform the Salatul Janaza at the cemetery. After Salatul Janaza the casket is taken close to the grave. The body is removed and placed in the grave. A timber deck is laid to make a cavity and then the soil is filled into the grave.

There is a lot of lifting during burial, so make sure that sufficient people are around to help lift the body from the coffin and lower the body into the grave (guided by some people inside the grave). People will get their clothes soiled, and they need to be reasonably strong.

If you have particular wishes in respect of the carrying and handling of the body (e.g. by the son or brother or father or friend) please let the community advisor know well in advance.

Step 8: Register the Death

The law requires us to register a death within 3 days of burial.

Registration forms are available from the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages – Department of Internal Affairs. Copies may be available at the Kilbirnie Islamic Centre. If you need help to fill out the form, please ask one of the advisors.

The Registry of Births, Deaths and the Marriages issues the Death Certificate on application, after you have registered the death. We suggest that you ask for a death certificate when you send in the registration form. (Ie. The issuing of the Death Certificate is not automatic.)

You will need a Death Certificate for any official business regarding the deceased.

Estimates Costs

This section provides a guideline on costs for Makara cemetery. Costs for Whenua Tapu cemetery are slightly different.
Please note that these costs can change at any time.

Burial Costs at Makara in March 2012