The Hereafter – Death and Funeral Traditions

https://www.aish.com/jl/l/a/48943926.html

https://uri.org/kids/world-religions/christian-beliefs

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/afterlife

https://www.burialplanning.com/resources/religious-funerals-guide/christian-funerals-guide-
etiquette-and-traditions/

https://www.alislam.org/book/study-of-islam/life-after-death/

The religions that I have chosen to address is Islam, Christianity and Judaism. While these
religions talk about death and funeral tradition, they have their own culture and the way the
process of the burying the body. This presentation will approach the definition of death
according to the religions, the difference between the funeral traditions and the funeral
practices on my culture that contradicts the Muslim practices.
The Judaism had a teaching about the life after death. When the beginning of the Jewish
scriptures were written, many Jews have considered that on death, all people would come
down to a dark place named ‘Sheol’. As the Jews came into contact with the other impacts,
further teachings were created. These incorporated the teachings on “Gan Eden” and
“Gehenna”. Sheol becomes a place of purification or waiting before the person was sent to
whether Gan Eden or destroyed entirely. The Afterlife proper is titles in the traditional
origins “olam habah” or the “World to Come”. But on the other hand, the same phrase
“olam habah” is also used to mention to the renewed utopic world of the future. The
“World of Resurrection” traditionally named “olam hat’chiah” is the former place where the
pure souls go to following death and they have been going there since the first death. That
place is in some cases referred to as the “World of Souls. The “World of Resurrection” is
considered as the ultimate reward, it’s a place where the body turns eternal & spiritual.
Reincarnation is a part of the Jewish tradition. They consider as reincarnation as a time of
repairing and a time of sowing. The Jewish funeral comprises of a burial also known as an
interment. Cremation is prohibited. The Burial is believed to allow the body to decay
naturally, for that reason embalming is off limits.
“As long as a person is unsuccessful in his purpose in this world, the Holy One, blessed be He,
uproots him and replants him over and over again”. (Zohar I 186b)
“All souls are subject to reincarnation; and people do not know the ways of the Holy One,
blessed be He! They do not know that they are brought before the tribunal both before they
enter into this world and after they leave it; they are ignorant of the many reincarnations
and secret works which they have to undergo, and of the number of naked souls, and how
many naked spirits roam about in the other world without being able to enter within the veil
of the King's Palace. Men do not know how the souls revolve like a stone that is thrown from
a sling. But the time is at hand when these mysteries will be disclosed”. (Zohar II 99b)
Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and through following and believing
in his doctrines, they can acquire eternal life. Christians believed that Jesus died for the
humankind and God has raised him from the dead & Jesus will come back again at the end
of time. Furthermore, they also believe in the Trinity which consists of the Creator,
Redeemer and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is represented as the God’s presence in the
World. The beliefs about the afterlife vary between each and every Christian, but the
immense amount of Christian believe in some kind of heaven, in which the dead relish the
presence of God and loved ones forever. Views differ as what is necessary to get to heaven
and concepts of heaven diverge as well. The Catholic Christians believe in purgatory which is
considered as a brief place of punishment dedicated for Christians who have passed away
and hasn’t confessed his sins. Funerals are typically held in a church and is led by either a
minister or a priest. The service may also be followed by a burial. Christian burial traditions
permits embalming the dead. The viewing of the loved one is an open casket. If cremation
has been picked, a cremation urn is either replaced or in added to the casket.
Luke 16:22-23 “One day the beggar died, and the angels carried him to be with Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried. He went to hell, where he was constantly tortured”.
Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist
anymore–or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.”
In Islam, death is the return of the soul to its creator, which is Allah SWT. In Islam there are
multiple views of life after death & Heaven and Hell being one of them. Muslims are always
buried and by no means cremated. The conditions of the body being buried is that the body
has to be ritually washed and draped before the burial. The arms and legs should be
straightened, and the eyes and the mouth should be sealed, and the body wrapped with a
piece of sheet. A baby dying at or before birth has to be given a name.
“All that is on earth will perish”. (The Holy Quran 55:26)
“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the day of resurrection shall you be paid your
wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the fire and admitted to paradise, this
person is indeed successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.” (The
Holy Qur’an:3:185)
Each religion has their own point of view about death and traditions. But a common
connecting theme between two religions which is Islam & Christianity is that they both
believe in Heaven and Hell, but purgatory is not believed in Islam. In Judaism, they have a
place for purification which is ‘Sheol’ & resurrection is also believed by them.