Frequently Asked Questions

First, the body is washed and covered in a coffin (white cotton or linen unstitched cloth.) A funeral prayer is observed, known as the janazah prayer, and the Muslim is buried in a cemetery in the direction of Mecca.

For further details in USA, refer to the “Primary Funeral Guidance and/or Complementary Funeral Guidance at Alim.org

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلِيْهِ رَاجِعُوْن

“Truly, we are from Allah, and to Him we shall return.”

1. Quickly read the preliminary process at Alim.org
2. Select your preferred mosque, funeral home, and cemetery at Alim.org and get website addresses for each and/or phone numbers.
3. Review the website or call the selected mosque first and find out funeral service contact person of the mosque and his/her contact information.
4. Get in touch with the mosque contact person and discuss with him/her the process to be followed, Janazah prayer date/time and burial date/time, recommended funeral home and cemetery to be used.
5. Then call the funeral home to:
6. Furnish them complete information about the deceased by phone and by completing their initial documentation.
7. Make an appointment for completion of their additional documentation and pay their required charges/cost.
8. Simultaneously call the cemetery to:
9. Confirm if they can support your burial date and time.
10. Make an appointment to fill out their documents and pay their required charges/cost.
11. Keep in touch with the mosque contact person to assure everything is proceeding well.

A funeral home or mortuary is a business that provides funeral services for the dead in accordance with the wishes of surviving family and/or friends. The primary responsibilities of funeral home include but is not limited to:

1. Transportation of the dead body from place of death to funeral home, from funeral home to a mosque, and from mosque to a cemetery.
2. Wash, shroud, and place in a cascade for transportation.
3. Provide shroud, soap, and other materials needed for washing and burial. If the funeral home does not have required material or the family/friends of the deceased desire to add any other material, then it is their responsibility to provide them to funeral home or cemetery.

Yes, most major cities and neighborhoods with reasonable Muslim population have Muslim funeral homes or washing facilities.

In case there is no Muslim funeral home available, mosque and/or area Muslims work with other funeral homes to perform washing and preparation of a deceased for burial in accordance with Islamic precepts.

1. Search and find it on Alim
2. Or, ask your selected mosque funeral contact person or Imam.
3. Between these two resources you will have a better selection.

1. Yes, a Muslim funeral home employs a qualified Muslim funeral director, or a qualified Muslim who carries out the responsibility of washing and preparing the body for burial.
2. If not, then Imam or an experienced Muslim is normally available to perform this responsibility.
3. In either of the above cases, it is highly recommended that family or friends of deceased provide minimum of two individuals male or female to support the readiness of the deceased for burial.

A cemetery is also a business. Its primary functions are:

1. Land site for burials
2. Prepare the site for a burial (opening & closing of the site)
3. Arrange & place a cement or concrete liner in the space opened for burial.

In USA, this a requirement of the State where the burial takes place. Its primary purpose is to keep the corps underground separated from one and other.

Yes, you can find Muslim cemetery in the metropolitans where Muslims live in numbers

1. Search in Alim
2. Ask your mosque and/or funeral home contact person about a Muslim cemetery in the area.