What You Should Know About Passing Away on a Sunday

Many people are already familiar with the idea of passing away on a Friday. In Islam, Friday is a blessed day, so anyone who passes away on that day is considered to have a good ending (husnul khotimah). So what about passing away on a Sunday? Does a death on that day carry the same blessing as Friday? Find the answer in the explanation below.

Passing Away on a Sunday in Islam

Passing away in a good state is the hope of everyone. Many people long to die on a blessed day such as Friday, and in a good condition, such as while worshipping, being in a holy land, or otherwise.

Grief is a hidden matter, yet it will certainly come. As stated in Surah Al-Ankabut verse 57:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَاۤىِٕقَةُ الْمَوْتِۗ وَنَبْلُوْكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۗوَاِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُوْنَ

"Every soul shall taste death. We test you with evil and with good as a trial. And to Us you will be returned."

No creature knows when its time will come, except God. However, some people sometimes recognize the signs that someone is about to pass away.

So, is there any virtue in passing away on a Sunday? In truth, Islam contains no specific verse or hadith explaining a special virtue in dying on a Sunday, unlike Friday, which has a specific hadith.

"No Muslim dies on a Friday or on a Friday night, except that Allah protects him from the trial of the grave." (HR. Tirmidzi).

Even so, this does not mean that those who pass away on days other than Friday are judged negatively. Many of Allah's beloved servants (Wali Allah) passed away on days other than Friday.

Therefore, whatever day a person passes away, whether it is good or not depends on the acts of worship they performed during their life in this world.

A person who passes away on a Sunday can indeed have a good ending if they were consistently obedient to God's commands, avoided His prohibitions, were diligent in worship, and were kind to others.

Views on Passing Away on a Sunday from Different Perspectives

In Islam there is indeed no specific proof on this matter. However, looking at it from other perspectives, there are several views that explain the significance of a Sunday death.

A. Western Culture

Many people in the West believe that passing away on a Sunday can ease the journey to paradise. Anyone who dies on that day is thought to have a smooth passage to heaven and is regarded as fortunate for having a good day at the end of their life.

B. Asian Culture

Similarly, some Asian cultures hold that Sunday is a day of happiness and blessings, so anyone who passes away on that day is counted among the fortunate.

C. Theological Perspective

Many theologians argue that a person's fate does not depend on the day of their death, because death is a natural event that certainly happens to all living creatures.

For this reason, many religious teachings emphasize preparing oneself spiritually, rather than fixating on a particular day of death.

D. The View of Scientists and Sociologists

Unlike theologians, scientists and sociologists tend to see such beliefs as products of cultural inheritance. They are not scientific phenomena that can be explained rationally, but are linked to the influence of local traditions.

They emphasize the importance of viewing death objectively, regardless of specific times such as a date or day of death.

Obligations Toward the Deceased

Here is what you should do when a relative or family member passes away, whether on a Sunday or on any other day.

1. Close Their Eyes Promptly

The first thing to do when someone passes away is to close their eyes. Often, after the soul departs, the eyes remain open. Why does this happen? Because when the spirit leaves, the gaze follows it.

Therefore, the first task is to close the eyes gently with your hand while reciting a prayer.

2. Pray for Them

After closing the eyes, pray for the deceased. This prayer can begin with innalillahi wa innailaihi rojiun, followed by prayers asking that the deceased be at peace and receive forgiveness from God for their mistakes.

3. Remove Jewelry

When a person passes away, they may not take any possessions with them. Therefore, any valuables attached to the body, such as jewelry or other accessories, should be removed gently and slowly, ideally while praying for the deceased.

4. Adjust the Position of the Body

The body of a newly deceased person should be positioned properly. This is best done while the body is still warm (not yet stiff), as it is easier than when the body has cooled.

Fold the hands of the deceased across the chest between the navel and the chest, with the right hand resting on the left. Then relax and straighten the legs.

If the jaw is open, tie it closed with a cloth so the mouth does not stay open. This is the proper way to arrange the body.

5. Care for the Body

The next step is to promptly carry out the preparation of the body. The preparation of the deceased in Islam has four stages: washing the body, wrapping it in a shroud, performing the funeral prayer, and burying it.

All of these must be carried out in order, and none may be omitted. Before the body is placed in the grave, it should be clean, fragrant, and purified. For this reason, the family or people nearby are responsible for caring for it.

To help ensure that this entire process goes smoothly, you may use body care services from Kamboja.

Kamboja is a trusted funeral service and protection provider that can help you arrange the full care of the body, from washing and shrouding to burial.

Now That You Understand the Significance of a Sunday Death?

In Islam, there is no specific proof addressing any special merit or virtue in passing away on a Sunday. Fundamentally, the day of a person's death is not the main measure of whether they were good or bad.

However, some cultures do believe that passing away on a Sunday is a blessing, such as the beliefs held in Western and Asian societies.