Ghusl Mayyit: Why young Muslims are learning the funeral ...

Ghusl is the ritual washing and shrouding of the deceased ahead of burial, and is one of a number of certain religious obligations that have ... Imagecaption,Tahreem,left,organisedtheclasstoteachGhusltoyoungpeopleAschemetoteachthetraditionalMuslimfuneralritualofGhusltoanewgenerationhasbeensetupintheUK.Ghuslistheritualwashingandshroudingofthedeceasedaheadofburial,andisoneofanumberofcertainreligiousobligationsthathavetobecarriedoutafterdeath.Beforethecoronaviruspandemic,theseriteswereoftencarriedoutbyoldervolunteersintheMuslimcommunity.ButmanyofthemarestillshieldingtoprotectthemselvesfromCovid-19.SupportingHumanity,abereavementcharity,isnowholdingworkshopstotrainyoungervolunteerstocarryoutthemandatoryIslamicritual.HeadofOperations,TahreemNoor,tellsBBCAsianNetworkataneventheldinLondon,"theinitiativecamepostpandemicwhenthenumberofdeathsincreased"andthey"neededmorepeopletohelpoutwithfunerals".Similareventsarealsobeinghostedacrossthecountry.WhatisGhusl?AccordingtoIslamictradition,theGhuslisaformofablution,orbath,whichinvolvescleansingabodyfromimpurities.TherearedifferenttypesofGhusl,suchasafterchildbirthandmenstruation.TheoneperformedonadeceasedMuslimiscalledGhuslMayyit.It'susuallycarriedoutbyfamilymemberswhoarethesamesexasthepersonwhohasdied.Itinvolveswashingallpartsofthebodywithsoapandwaterinaspecificwaywhilemaintainingprivacyanddignity."WeneeduptosixvolunteerstodooneGhusl,"SalmaPatel,fromSupportingHumanity,whotrainsandperformsGhusl,tellsAsianNetwork.DuringtheCovidrestrictions,shesaysmanyfamiliesweredeniedperformingthereligiousritesfortheirlovedones.Itwaslefttovolunteerslikehertocleanseandshroudaroundthreebodiesadayduringthepeakofthepandemic."Wecangetacalltohelpatafuneralatshortnotice,"sheadds.Intheearlydaysofthepandemic,therewaslittleinformationaboutthevirusandwhethertherewasanyriskofcatchingCovidfromthedeceased.ManyMuslimorganisations,includingtheMuslimCouncilofBritain,issuedguidanceontheperformanceofGhuslfordeceasedpersonswithsuspectedorconfirmedCovid-19.Atthetime,PublicHealthEnglandadvisedthatritualwashingandshroudingofthedeceasedinlinewithreligiouspracticecouldcontinuesolongasappropriatePPEwaswornandsocialdistancingmaintained.Imagecaption,Around90womenattendedtheworkshopinLondonTheSouthAsiancommunityinBritainweredisproportionatelyaffectedbyCovid-19.Thousandsdiedfromthevirus,andthat'swhySaffiyahdecidedtoattendtheGhuslworkshopinEastLondon."Welostalotoflovedonesduringthepandemicandhavingtogotofuneralsandnotknowingwhattodowasdefinitelyawakeupcall."shesays.High-riskCovidgenemorecommoninSouthAsiansAnotherattendee,Khadija,23,feelsit'simportanttolearnthetechniqueforupcominggenerationsbecause,sheasks:'Ifwedon'tlearnthenwhowillbewashingandburyingourbodiesinthisway?"'YouhavetoproveyourfaithasablackMuslim'Muslimhikerssayabusivecommentswon'tstopthemAround90womenattendedtheworkshopforfemaleMuslimsattheBelgraveCommunityCentreinEastLondon.Theywereshownthetechniquesofwashingandshroudingonamannequin.Summayasaysshedidn'trealisetheprivatepartsofadeadbodyarecoveredbyaclothduringtheprocess,because,shesays,asayoungMuslimwomanshewas"worriedaboutherprivacyafterdeath".Mediacaption,GayandMuslim:'Myfamilywantedtomakemebetter'Foryoungwomenwhoattendedtheclass,itwasalearningexperiencetheyfeelwasanabsolutenecessarypartoftheirfaith.Farzanasayswhatshetakesawayisthat"Whensomeonepassesaway,they'llbereferredtoasabody-youloseyourname,yourtitle,youreverything".SupportingHumanitysaysthepandemicwasa"wakeupcall"whentheelderlywereunabletocarryoutthesetasksusually,andseesthisnewschemeasawayforyoungpeopletogivebacktotheircommunity.FollowNewsbeatonInstagram,Facebook,TwitterandYouTube.ListentoNewsbeatliveat12:45and17:45weekdays-orlistenbackhere.Moreonthisstory'YouhavetoproveyourfaithasablackMuslim'28October2021GayandMuslim:Familywantedto'makemebetter'29November2021Muslimhikerssayabusivecommentswon'tstopthem29December2021RelatedTopicsCoronaviruslockdownmeasuresFuneralsReligionIslamCoronaviruspandemicTopStoriesLive. Zelensky:Children'shospitalattacka'warcrime'Live. IndiaawaitscrucialpollresultsRussiacouldlaunchchemicalattack-WhiteHousePublished4hoursagoFeaturesTheRussiansusingemojistoevadecensorsTheCapitolriottrialthattoreafamilyapartRosAtkinson...foodpricerisesandtheUkrainewar.VideoRosAtkinson...foodpricerisesandtheUkrainewarIsraelplayspeacemakerinUkraine-RussiawarChildrenoftheSovieterarunningfromRussiaDroughtrobsAmazoncommunitiesof'life-giving'riverDolly:Workingthree'tilfive(hand-writinganewbook)VideoDolly:Workingthree'tilfive(hand-writinganewbook)TheenduringmenaceofKenya'smotorbiketaxisBBCTravel:AstunninglakehiddeninplainsightElsewhereontheBBCIsshethewitchheisafter?Afailingwitchfinderandhissuspectfindthemselvesonahellishroadtrip...You'renevertoooldtorock!MartinKempandLadyLeshurrareouttoproveageisjustanumber'Almosteverythingyoueverdoisgoingtofail'RichardOsmanonlifeasabroadcasterandwriterMostRead1Russiacouldlaunchchemicalattack-WhiteHouse2OilpricesplungeasUAEsupportssupplyboost3BlackPantherdirectormistakenforbankrobber4Mangivengeneticallymodifiedpigheartdies5TheRussiansusingemojistoevadecensors6RussianairstrikehitsUkrainematernityhospital7OppositioncandidateelectedSKoreanpresident8UK:Absentsoldi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