Islamic funeral traditions and Jewish funeral traditions are remarkably similar. There are approximately eight million Muslims in the United States, double the number of Jews in the U.S. What do Americans need to know about the different observances of these two religions?
Dr. Ahmad-Rufai Abdullah speaks with host Gail Rubin on The Doyenne of Death® Podcast about Muslim traditions regarding funerals and burials. Topics discussed on this program include:
- The key elements of Islamic funeral and burial traditions
- What the Janazah process of body preparation involves
- Who does Muslim body preparations and who performs funerals
- When funerals and burials are prohibited
- Mourning traditions and how they vary by sect and culture
- How to respond to a bereaved member of the Islamic faith
Listen to both parts of the program:
Islamic Funeral Traditions Part One
Islamic Funeral Traditions Part Two
Dr. Ahmad-Rufai Abdullah immigrated to the United States in 1992 to pursue graduate education at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He is the founder/president/CEO of Luba Group Inc. and the Foundation for Human Development. He is a leader of the Islamic Burial Society of North America, formed in 2006, and has trained hundreds of volunteers to conduct the Islamic Janazah ritual to prepare the deceased for burial.
This interview was originally recorded September 25, 2013. You can find additional information about Islamic funeral traditions at this post on The Family Plot Blog.
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About The Doyenne of Death
New episodes of The Doyenne of Death® podcast are released every Thursday. Episodes are available on the podcast playlist on YouTube as well as wherever you get your podcasts. Recent shows focus on Greek Orthodox funeral traditions, Near Death Experiences (NDEs), the physical impacts of grief, and an interview about the book Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral.
Gail Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist, a Certified Funeral Celebrant, an award-winning author and speaker, creator of Newly-Dead® The Game and five-time coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival. Learn more about Gail Rubin, the podcast, and her work in death education.
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