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- Aug 23, 2005
Originally Posted by tkthafm
Let me clear this up:
Burying at sea isn't a Muslim tradition. Burying soon (~24hrs) is.
The reasoning behind this is not specific to Osama.
When a Muslim dies, the funeral is either that day if possible or the next.
[h1][/h1]
[h1]What Are Islamic Burial Traditions?[/h1][h2]Bin Laden's Immediate Burial Spurs Questions[/h2]
When word came that Osama bin Laden's body had been immediately buried at sea following his death at the hands of U.S. forces, it left many Americans wondering about the details of Islamic burial traditions.
Bin Laden was buried at sea from the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier because there was "no land alternative," a senior Department of Defense official told CNN on Monday.
Another defense official said there was no country willing or able to accept the body for burial, and U.S. forces "took pains to observe Muslim law."
The religious rites were conducted on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, with the ceremony starting at 1:10 a.m. and finishing at 2:10 a.m. ET, according to CNN.
"The body was washed and placed in a white sheet. A military official read prepared remarks, which were then translated into Arabic by a native speaker. The body of Osama bin Laden was placed on a flat board, which was then tipped up, and allowed to slide into the sea," the second official said.[h3]Burial[/h3]As Siala explains, Muslim burial should be done as soon as possible after death, except for several exceptions, including prohibitions against burial at night, during sunrise before the sun has fully risen and at the sun's zenith in the sky. However, in cases of urgent need, burial is allowed during these otherwise prohibited times.While all members of the community attend the funeral prayers, only men of the community accompany the body the gravesite.It is preferred for a Muslim to be buried where he or she died, and not be transported to another location or country. Such moves could cause delays or require embalming of the body.The grave should be located in a cemetery set aside for Muslims and dug deep enough to hide the entire body. The body is laid to rest on its right side facing Mecca without a coffin, if permitted by local law.At the gravesite, it is also discouraged for people to erect tombstones or elaborate markers or put flowers or other mementos on the grave.Muslim burial traditions also allow for burial at sea, according to Siala, if a person should die on a ship, according to The Muslim Council of Britain. The same procedures for washing and shrouding the body should be followed, with a weight then tied around the body before it is thrown into the water.
SMH at people saying "its the highest honor to be buried early." It is a prescription of Islamic law.