Death as a Cultural Construct: How Mythology and Religion Influence Our Understanding of Mortality - Part II

This is a continuation of a series of submittals I am writing that hopefully will helps us reimagine the way we see death by first developing an understanding of how our mythological frames influence our way of thinking.    My previous post on this - the first installment here - started with reviewing the frameworks set down by Christianity.  This post will deal - inasmuch as I can - with the frameworks set down by Islam.

In the spirit of transparency, my readers need to understand that I do not personally subscribe to any organized religious framework now, but was raised in a Judeo-Christian framework.  As I age, I notice that a significant portion of my worldview was crafted from the bones of Christian religious doctrine, so I am increasingly aware of how this affects my views on death and dying.   I have very close friends who are Muslim - and not in name only.  They are devout; observing the traditions of the Hadith, the practice of Zakat, observing the practice of wudu before Salat, etc.   My Christian readers are likely very unfamiliar with these practices and their importance, so I'm encouarging you: if you are a Christian reader, please take the time to familiarize yourself - at the very least by looking it up online if you have no other options - with these customs.  This is only so that you will not be in the dark about what other readers hold sacred.    In this submittal, however, we're going to take a look at what the Islamic holy scripture, the Quran, says about death and how it impacts Islamic cultural traditions.   

Islam takes a slightly different view of death and the process of dying, and its cultural impacts
are slightly different than that of Christianity. 

To begin, let's look at a few important scripture verses (in Islam, these are called surahs, similar to chapters or sections). From here on out I will use the appropriate terminology and call them by their title of surah.  The plural (phonetic) form of surah is suwar.  What follows here are a few suwar that speak of death and dying and formulate important framework for cultural understanding. 

Surah al-Ankabut - (29:57) - 

"Every soul will taste death. Then to Us you will be returned."

Surah al-Waqi'ah - The entire length of the text of this surah expounds upon  the vision of an afterlife, and creates a framework for what happens beyond the grave.   Here is a sampling of the text (parentheses are my own interpretation from a personal source): 

1. When the Event (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) befalls.

2. And there can be no denying of its befalling.

3. It will bring low (some); (and others) it will exalt;

4. When the earth will be shaken with a terrible shake.

5. And the mountains will be powdered to dust.

6. So that they will become floating dust particles.

7. And you (all) will be in three kinds (i.e. separate groups).

8. So those on the Right Hand (i.e. those who will be given their Records in their right hands), Who will be those on the Right Hand? (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise).

9. And those on the Left Hand (i.e. those who will be given their Record in their left hands), Who will be those on the Left Hand? (As a disgrace for them, because they will enter Hell).

10. And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise).

11. These will be those nearest to Allah.

12. In the Gardens of delight (Paradise).

13. A multitude of those (foremost) will be from the first generations (who embraced Islam).

There is more to this surah, and this translation (the original text is in Arabic) may only be a roughened version.  I encourage my readers to read for themselves. 

In comparison with Christian doctrine, we can see that there is an eschatalogical event that befalls humankind, and that a period of judgement awaits the deeds of those deceased.   The mechanics are simliar to Christianity in that Christianity, too, assume a final judgement before a determination is set about the eternal condition of the soul.   So as in Christianity, Islamic framework supports the determination of a Hell as a punishment for those who failed to properly observe the appropriate tenets of the faith.  Now let's take a look at some Muslim traditions that accompany funerals and death.  

In Islamic funerary traditions, the deceased is generally buried as quickly as possible after death, with little embalming (if any) performed. The body is thoroughly washed  and then the decedent is wrapped in a simple burial shroud and interred in the Earth, with the body positions facing Mecca (the holy city, facing which all Muslims must pray). Thereafter loved ones - in a symbolic gesture - scatter soil or other types of Earth over the body, in a type of farewell for the loved one.  Then, gatherings form, and family and friends meet to memorialized the decedent. Grief is generally an accepted part of this journey, as well. 

Death is seen as a necessary event, an ending;  but one that stands between the true believer and the presence of Allah.    While grief may be present, it is present only in those left behind.  A discussion of this was had with my Muslim friends, and they agreed: Islam teaches that death is a doorway; the way beyond it is chosen before we reach the doorway; it is chosen by the way we choose to live our lives on this side of it.  So generally, there is less grief from the dying person; less fear of the unknown, less clinging to the trappings of a transitory life such as we currently live.  While there is grief - most likely from the loved ones and family members of those who are passing - there is less focus on the negative aspect of biomechanical death and a greater focus on the transitional nature of the end of biological life. 

This framework creates a slightly different view of death overall, and may remove (or at least lessen) the element of fear associated with biomechanical death.     While grief - a natural process occuring from the loss of a visual or auditory presence of the decedent - is still present, there aren't generally gharrish displays of it during the funerary process, nor are there expectations around how long grief should last.  The idea that death is not viewed as a taboo event, but instead as a doorway of sorts: a transition to another level of existence even - removes the stigma of biomechical death somewhat and allows for softer impact on the part of those grieving a loss.   If I have grief over the death of someone I love, I can console myself with knowing that it is only their body that is deceased, not they themselves.  I am certain my Christian readers will email me about this, so let me address it now:  yes, your scripture also teaches of afterlife, but capitalism has invaded your mythology, so that an industry has been born from your grief, and you've been told that you must purchase expense trappings so as to "honor" your loved one, and "remember" them, as if they were capable of being forgotten by you unless you honor their memory with lavish expenses.   

In comparing these two worldviews, we can see how both influence their followers in the views of biomechanical death.  

In a future post, I will try to address this same topic through another monotheistic tradition we are likely all at least marginally familiar with: Judaism.