Advice For Funeral

[WhatToWearThisWeek]

Hoping someone can help. I'm married to a muslim but have never been to a funeral. Unfortunately it's looking like that will change in the near future. Any advice on appropriate clothing or on what will happen gratefully received.

Hi 👋
By funeral do you mean going to the family home of the deceased to offer your condolences? Or the burial?

After a Muslim passes they are washed (usually by close family members), this is called a ghusl. They are then wrapped in a white shroud before being placed in the coffin. The janazah prayer (funeral prayer) is then prayed in congregation at the mosque, both men and women can pray this. They will be in separate areas though. Burial takes places quite swiftly after. You'll find the funeral will take place as soon as possible after the death as we do not delay burying unless it's out of our hands.

Hope you're doing ok x

Thank you both. @Parkingt111 I mean burial/mosque./whatever happens after. We're the closest family anyway. I know I could ask my husband, but feels insensitive. Particularly interested in what we have to wear as I'm not sure my 16 year old daughter owns anything appropriate as she lives in jeans and hoodies. Do we have to wear black/dark colours?

Modest and dark can't go far wrong. Each family is different though, often only men are at the burial and yes men and women often are separated at mosques but not always the case, especially small funerals. As a non Muslim I've been to a few and the only thing I did do that was different was take a head scarf for the prayers at the cemetery but in fact non Muslims weren't expected to cover their heads anyway as they were pretty liberal families.

@WhatToWearThisWeek I'm sorry for your husband's impending loss. May Allah grant them mercy and a release from suffering. There is no dress code for Muslim funerals, in terms of what colours to wear. If going to the mosque, you might wish to take a headscarf but it won't be mandatory. It is customary to say "Allah ya Rahamhu" for a man or "Allah ya Rahamha" for a woman, which means "May Allah have mercy on their soul." You can say this to the next of kin by way of condolence.

There isn't a specific dress code or expected colours to wear, but most wear dark and modest.

If you live in a community where there are other Muslims who take care of washing and shrouding then they should handle the more difficult steps and also offer any advice or guidance depending on the culture of your DH.
In some cultures, the women will attend the burial at the graveyard but from my experience, most do not.

Muslims try to arrange the burial as soon as possible. Most major cities have muslim burial councils who help with organising the washing and shrouding aswell as the burial. It is generally done in a swift and simple manner but with the utmost respect for the deceased.