Serious Question for Muslims Here

[expatinscotland]

I read in 'The Metro' this morning that Muslims have a tradition of burying their dead quickly. Is this b/c of climate, or is there another reason?

This is a serious question from someone who is trying to understand more about Islam.

I'm not muslim but I do remember when Dodi Al Fayed was killed in Paris there was a big deal about getting him home to be buried very quickly. I'm not sure if it was by nightfall.

I hope someone with more knowledge answers your question I'm interested too.

Bump. I'm curious now.

a muslim friend's baby died recently and he was buried the next day.

Some of the children who lost their lives in the Iraqi bombing yesterday were buried five hours after their deaths.

here
This explains that a quick burial avoids the need for embalming etc - as the aim is to preserve respect for the body by not disturbing it.

Bump for any Muslim mums who may be lurking.

Please educate us!

I googled and am finding out some very interesting stuff, no doubt my isp is flashing up on some US internet radar monitor but hey...

I think it's more to do with causing as little disturbance to the body as possible, beyond the washing and wrapping, so by avoiding delay they avoid embalming etc.

Piffle
I looked on BBC website but got nothing. Did have an interesting article on the hijab and different forms of it and what their significance - if any - is.

look at the link below!
google 'muslim funerals' or 'muslim burial'.

Thanks, Blu and SaintGeorge!

wrt decomposition after death, here's some interesting stuff

Hello there ladies
I've met you all on one thread or another.
I'm a Muslim as some of you may know, I started practising Islam a few years ago. Just a bit about my background for you..Both my mother (who is Scottish and my husband (who is Welsh) have converted to Islam. I'd love to answer any questions you may have (if i can of course) and am going to consult a few books (rather than sites) to answer your question the best way i possibly can with references.
I will try to get back to you before evening time.

People don't generally associate Islam with converts so i thought i'd introduce myself/family properly. Hope i didn't bore u all.

With love, Chacha (20+6wks)

I think Jews bury their dead quickly too. IIRC it's because of where the religions originate (i.e. hot countries)and before the days of refrigiration etc and, from a practical point of view, it was better to bury the dead as soon as possible. Out of that has come the tradition of doing it even though it would not be necessary.
Hope that makes sense

Jews are buried in plain wooden coffins. No flowers and finery at all. The body leaves the world as it came in, unadorned. Family members help to bury the body, male (I've never seen women do it, but they may do) family members add a shovelful of earth on to the coffin after it is lowered into the ground. A year after the burial there is a stone-setting ceremony. It is thought that the intervening year gives loved-ones time to come to terms with their loss before the stone is set.

I can't help with Muslim burials, but the quick burial is the same in Judaism, which makes me think it may be a climate thing.