Why Must a Deceased Person Not Be Left Alone?

All living things will eventually die, and so do humans. In some matters, it is said that the deceased must not be left alone in the house of mourning. At least one or two people should stay with the deceased until the burial process is complete.

There are many reasons behind this belief, one of which is to avoid disturbance from evil spirits. But is that the real reason? Are there no other causes? Here is the full explanation.

3 Reasons Why a Newly Deceased Person Must Not Be Left Alone

When it comes to death, you likely understand that Islam has several rules that must be observed. Besides the burial procession, which must be carried out in accordance with Islamic law, the deceased must not be left alone for the following reasons:

1. To Avoid Disturbance from Evil Spirits

Satan is the true enemy of humankind. Although not seen directly, Satan can disturb people through their thoughts and hearts. Not only during life, but Satan can also disturb people even after they have died.

For this reason, the family is encouraged to stay with the deceased before the burial so that the body is not disturbed by Satan, especially if the person died in the afternoon. Satan would feel pleased and could enter and play within the body.

2. So That a Cat Does Not Jump Over the Body

This second reason has not actually been scientifically proven, so it is most likely a myth. The deceased should not be left alone so that a cat does not jump over them.

There are several beliefs related to this reason. One of them is that if a cat jumps over the body, something undesirable will happen: the spirit could rise again and be controlled by the evil spirit within the cat.

Whether or not this is true, the belief has spread in people's minds. It is not a myth confined to one region only, but has spread widely across many parts of Indonesia.

What do you think? Is this myth true, or merely a tale?

3. In Islam, It Is Makruh

In Islam, something can be makruh (discouraged) for several matters, one of which is leaving the newly deceased alone before being placed in the grave. It is acceptable if there is only one person present; what matters most is that the deceased is not left entirely alone by the family or relatives.

Before entering the grave, the deceased may very well be disturbed by Satan. They can do various things to tempt the body, including playing within it. For this reason, this reason is also included in certain hadiths so that Muslims may know it.

What if the deceased is handled by an event organizer funeral service such as South Jakarta funeral service? Must the family also wait until the body is placed in the grave?

The answer is yes, because this is part of the rules of the Islamic religion that you should at least understand.

Things to Consider When Burying a Deceased Person

Even though a person has passed away, they must still be treated with kindness by those who are still living, including family and relatives. The following are some responsibilities related to the handling of the deceased.

• Offering condolences to the immediate family or relatives.
• Positioning the body to face the qiblah.
• It is forbidden to do anything to the body, such as physically harming it.
• Fulfilling the responsibility of caring for the deceased in accordance with Islamic law.
• Not leaving the deceased alone.
• If the deceased man has a wife, the iddah period begins when the husband has just died. However, if the wife is in an iddah period due to divorce, the tarafidah period changes into an iddah due to death. Meanwhile, if the wife is pregnant, the iddah period ends after she gives birth.

If a person passes away and no one is willing to bury them, then those who remain in the same place as them will suffer a very severe punishment from Allah SWT.

For this reason, caring for the deceased is an obligation among fellow Muslims. However, if this obligation has already been fulfilled by some other Muslims, then the obligation is lifted from the rest. This ruling is known as fardhu kifayah (a collective obligation).

How to Bury the Deceased According to Islamic Law

Even if you entrust the arrangements for the deceased to a Bogor funeral service, you should still understand the proper procedures for caring for someone who has died. Here is the explanation:

1. Depth of the Grave

One of the Islamic teachings sets out rules for burying the deceased in a grave. Islam recommends digging a grave deep enough for an adult standing upright with arms raised overhead. As for its width, it should be one dhira' or more than one hand span.

According to a hadith narrated by Imam Turmudzi, it is better to dig the grave deep, make it wide, and make it well-formed, so that the body can be placed in it without obstruction.

2. Laying the Body on Its Right Side

All the rules of Central Jakarta funeral services are the same: they follow the Islamic law (syariat) that governs the care of the deceased. The next step is to lay the body on its right side and face it toward the qibla.

What if there is an oversight in this matter? People are obliged to dig up the grave again and turn the body toward the qibla. It is recommended (sunnah) to press the cheek of the body against the grave's earth.

3. Using a Lahad Instead of a Burial Pit

In some cases, the soil is very hard. This makes it difficult for gravediggers to dig a standard grave pit. For that reason, they may instead dig a lahad. Keep in mind that a grave pit (liang kubur) and a lahad (liang lahat) are different.

A lahad is a recess dug into the side wall of the grave, directly on the qibla side, large enough to hold the body. Once the body has been placed, the opening should be sealed with flat stones so that the soil does not collapse onto the body.

However, if the soil is loose, it is recommended (sunnah) to make a niche at the very bottom of the grave. Its size should match the body, with both sides lined with brick so the soil does not give way.

4. Untying the Bindings of the Deceased

The final step in burying the deceased is to untie the bindings. As you may know, the body is wrapped in a burial shroud (kain kafan) tied at both ends. Then, over the top, it is recommended to cover the body with a cloth so that nothing that should be kept private is exposed.

Looking for a Qualified Team to Care for the Deceased?

That completes our discussion of why the deceased should not be left alone. In addition, there are now funeral care services you can trust. For example, funeral services in Jakarta from Kamboja which provides a range of needs for the deceased, such as body care and preparation services.