Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

HELP - I am going to a Muslim funeral this afternoon - Saturday

31 replies

Moussemoose · 06/05/2017 08:32

Posting in AIBU for traffic
A male friend died - I'm gutted. He was a Muslim, the funeral is this afternoon I feel like I should go but have no idea what to expect.
Obviously I will dress appropriately. All our mutual friends are male, my male partner has offered to come but I'm going to be on my own aren't I?

OP posts:
MrsRedFly · 06/05/2017 09:13

Hi - yes in the mosque there will be a separate area for the women and you would be on your own (& children although they do wander about)

It really depends on what part of the faith it is

Moussemoose · 06/05/2017 09:18

Manchester Central Mosque.
I just feel a bit abandoned because all my support network is maleConfused

OP posts:
2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney · 06/05/2017 09:19

I am not a Muslim but have visited a mosque several times. Expect to have to leave tyour shoes near the door and to wash hands and feet if not wearing socks . Bring a scarf to be able to keep your feet covered. Do you have a female friend who would accompany you for comfort even if they didn't know your friend personally? Flowers and condolences for your loss.

BeeThirtythree · 06/05/2017 09:25

Sorry to hear about your friend. In my experience Muslim Funerals are segregated as females do not participate in the actual funeral prayer (Janaaza). Although females do attend the mosque/centre where the prayer will take place. You are already aware of head covering/modest dress. If you are unsure of anything once there, just ask, as I am sure you'll find a lady who will explain things and appreciate you asking. I would go with explaining you are a friend and just want to pay your respect. Please don't worry as this must be a difficult time for you already. I hope things go as well as can be for you ( under the circumstances) .

usefultoken · 06/05/2017 09:34

Sorry to hear about your friend. I'm Muslim and have attended one funeral of a dear friend. Probably it varies a bit,, but in this one the men and women were in seperste rooms. It is very different to a non-Muslim funeral, where the emphasis is on reflecting on the persons life. A Muslim funeral is the preparation for the journey to be undertaken after death. Your friends body will have been washed by close relatives. A special prayer is done in the mosque, in ny experience the women do it as well but you wouldn't be expected to join in. After that the men will take your friend to be buried.

usefultoken · 06/05/2017 09:36

The one I went to the women at that time returned to my friends house with his wife and the men arrived there later, there was food etc.

usefultoken · 06/05/2017 09:37

Hope it goes ok. Xx

CantChoose · 06/05/2017 09:39

Sorry for your loss OP.
I had to go to the funeral of a male Muslim friend and his female relatives very kindly took us under their wing and explained what to do and where to go once we arrived. We wore socks and had to leave our shoes but although we took head coverings we were told we didn't need to wear them (I suspect that might differ elsewhere though). We were taken to an area at the side of the mosque with the other women and told to just sit and listen, obviously we couldn't understand the wording and they said we shouldn't copy any of the prayer positions or anything.
Hope that help a bit. I expect someone there will understand your situation and help guide you.

dotdotdotmustdash · 06/05/2017 09:41

My Muslim FIL died a few months ago and had a traditional funeral. We (the ladies) sat in a room on our own while the actual ceremony took place - we couldn't see or hear anything of the funeral - we just sat and waited. When we got to the ceremony we stood outside the Islamic section and watched as the men of the mosque and the family buried FIL. We weren't involved in the funeral in any way. I wish we had all stayed at home, it didn't help with the grief to be kept outside all the events of the day. There is not a place for women in Muslim funerals.

dotdotdotmustdash · 06/05/2017 09:43

*cemetery not ceremony (line 3)

MyNameIsntTaken · 06/05/2017 09:44

You'll be separate during the prayer but will possible be mixing after when/if there's food etc. It's difficult to guess exactly sometimes though, because lots of sects do some things slightly differently to each other.

When I've been to mosques for anything and was a bit lost, somebody would usually notice and be friendly/helpful. Hopefully somebody will do the same for you.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I hope it goes as well as can be expected.

TinfoilHattie · 06/05/2017 09:51

I think it depends on the layout of the mosque - I'm not Muslim but we visited the Glasgow mosque last year and they had an upstairs balcony room for women's prayers overlooking the main hall so you were separate but the women could still hear what was going on downstairs. Everyone was extremely welcoming and very happy to answer questions, they will keep you right. Sorry for your loss.

StrawberryMummy90 · 06/05/2017 09:51

There is not a place for women in Muslim funerals

This is not true.

OP I think experiences will vary as different sects of Muslims perform the funeral prayer differently.

I've been to a couple of Muslim funerals, women did take part in the funeral prayer and had food served afterwards. However they were not involved in the actual burial (the men carried the body and did this). There will most likely be a talk before the prayer which may or may not be in English. I dressed appropriately for the mosque, covering hair wasn't actually a must (I assume because it was segregated?) but majority of the women had their heads covered.

I'm sorry for your loss.

StrawberryMummy90 · 06/05/2017 09:52

I also echo what others are saying. If you look a bit confused or unsure as to what's going on I'm sure somebody will approach you and look after you.

Moussemoose · 06/05/2017 09:59

Thanks for all the advice and kind thoughts.
It is all so fast - he died late Thursday night, I found out yesterday and am rushing round think about his funeral. Fucking fuck
dotdotdotmustdash I know what you mean about not feeling I can do anything but I just have to go and be there for him.
All deaths are awful, but he was so young and fit. Just an awful tragedy.

I am obsessing about trivia, I have a long cream coloured shirt type thing that covers everything loosely - does it matter if I wear cream?. And then I think what does anything really matter this kind, beautiful young man is dead.

OP posts:
CarrieBlue · 06/05/2017 10:03

A Muslim ex-pupil from my school died and female staff and students were specifically asked not to go to the funeral - are you sure that you can go?

StrawberryMummy90 · 06/05/2017 10:09

I'm so sorry for your loss OP, you can wear whatever colour you like the main thing is it's loose and your arms/legs are covered.

StrawberryMummy90 · 06/05/2017 10:11

That's really strange carrie as I'm sure female relatives would of attended. Perhaps space was an issue in which case the men would be a priority as they are more involved with the burial etc.

Moussemoose · 06/05/2017 10:12

CarrieBlue
If I can't go in I'll stand in the car park. I need to say goodbye.

OP posts:
icclemunchy · 06/05/2017 10:34

Could you call the mosque now and ask? They'll be able to give you an idea what to expect/anything you shouldn't do.

Sorry for your loss Flowers

Moussemoose · 06/05/2017 10:49

I'm going with friends - all male - when we get there we will go to our separate areas. I've done some research and the helpful comments on here have settled my mind.

And really it's not about me everyone there has more to worry about than me doing something wrong. Am looking at the bigger picture.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 06/05/2017 10:59

Sorry for your loss.

I have been to a Muslim funeral, but it was for a woman. I don't know if this makes a difference but the deceased's coffin was in the ladies room at the Mosque so all the women gathered there to pay their respects while the men prayed in the main Mosque area. Then everyone went to the cemetry to bury the deceased.

As well a loose shirt, make sure you can cover your head and wear loose trousers so you can't see the outline of your legs. I don't think the colour of clothing matters.

As non Muslims we were made to feel welcome and everything was explained to us by the deceased's in laws but we were immediate family of the deceased - she had converted to Islam.

AuditAngel · 06/05/2017 11:06

Moose you sound very caring and have already identified that this is not about you, and that other people have "more important" things to worry about. I'm sorry for your loss.

Hopefully one of your male support group can introduce you to a female relative or friend(of theirs, not the deceased) to help you out.

Chillyegg · 06/05/2017 11:07

Er women are meant to do the prayer. But dont go to the burying of the body. Go wear something covering, dont worry about colour and im sorry about your loss.

alteredimages · 06/05/2017 11:13

Moussemoose please don't worry about small things like what to do. The fact that you're making the effort to go will be appreciated.

My experience is of Egypt and this is what it is like where I was. It is probably quite different to what happens in the UK and there is a lots of diversity in practice.

After the death, the body is washed in a ritualised way. This is performed by the women of the family if the deceased is a woman or the men if the deceased is male. The funeral and burial are performed as soon as possible afterwards and the burial should occur during daylight hours.

The janaza (funeral prayer) is performed differently to normal prayers but often directly after them, so everyone prays the noon prayer and then the funeral prayer. The women participate in the prayer but in their own section.

Directly after the prayers the men depart to bury the body. Normally only men do this.

In Egypt the time to pay respects is usually at the house of the deceased or in a specially erected funeral tent for three days after the death. This is called the "azza". There will be a sombre atmosphere with Qur'an reading and supplications for the deceased, as well as talking and being together.

I don't think there is much to worry about regarding colour. White is a mourning colour in many Islamic countries. In Egypt there is no specific colour for men, but women wear black and in the case of family this would last for 40 days, for widows often longer. I think that this is a pre-Islamic custom specific to Egypt however as Muslims and Christians do this.