Each religion preaches its own attitude towards death, respectively, the customs and rituals of seeing off the dead and their burial are different in each faith. The Muslim religion is no exception. It has fairly strict rules for the burial of the dead, and certain requirements are put forward for Muslim monuments. What is allowed to be installed on the graves of Muslims, what can be depicted on their monuments, and what is strictly prohibited by the Koran and Sharia, we will consider in our article. For a clear example, here are a few photos of Muslim monuments.
Muslim attitude towards death
First of all, it is worth knowing that the Islamic religion has its own understanding of death. For a Muslim, his death is not something terrible, and it cannot be unexpected. People of this religion perceive death as an inevitable phenomenon, and for the most part they treat it fatalistically. It is believed that a good Muslim, who during his life belonged to Allah, after death returns to him. Regret about this is prohibited.
Muslim funerals should be modest and discreet. Unlike Christians, Muslims do not openly grieve and cry loudly. Only women and children are allowed to shed tears for the dead. Since after death the deceased goes to Allah and prosperity is granted to him, it is forbidden to write sad words about the death of the deceased, regrets and promises to grieve for him for a long time on Muslim monuments.
Modesty, devoid of all sorts of rich excesses
Almost all people who adhere to the Christian religion consider it a duty of honor to build graves with worthy monuments for their relatives and friends. They erect huge granite structures, monuments on the graves, they can install statues in the form of angels and the deceased himself. Huge flower vases are mounted into the slabs, chic fences and other structures are installed near the graves, for which relatives have enough imagination and, of course, material resources.
People believe that by spending a lot of money on the construction of chic monuments, they express their love for the deceased person, demonstrate how important he was to them and how much they appreciate him. Muslims, on the other hand, believe that respect for the deceased should be shown in prayers for him, but not with a chic monument erected on the grave. A Muslim monument in a cemetery should look modest, without frills and pathos. It has only one function - to indicate that a person is buried in this place.
The tradition of marking the place of burial originates in one of the hadiths. It says that after the death of Uthman ibn Mazun, the Prophet put a stone in his place of burial and said that now he would know where the grave of his brother was. It is also forbidden by the Koran to step on the graves and burial places of Muslims. Accordingly, monuments help to mark these places.
Acceptable text engravings
According to one version, the Prophet forbade attaching the graves of Muslims to anything, building something over them, and also covering them with plaster. It follows from this that it is also impossible to write inscriptions on Muslim monuments. Some scholars believe that these words about inscriptions should be taken not as a ban, but as an extremely undesirable action. If, for example, the grave belongs to a famous figure, a righteous person or a scientist, then the designation of his name on the grave will be considered a good deed.
On the graves of ordinary Muslims, it is allowed to indicate the name of the dead only to designate them. Writing the date of death is undesirable (makruh), but is permitted.
The question of whether it is possible to decorate the graves with inscriptions from the Koran or engrave the words of the Prophet is also controversial. Recently, such engravings in Muslim cemeteries are very common. But if we turn to history, it becomes clear that this is haram (sin). According to one of the hadiths, it is impossible to engrave the words of the Prophet, suras and verses of the Koran, because over time the graves can be leveled to the ground and people will walk on them. The words of the Prophet can thus be defiled.
What should not be on Muslim monuments and graves
The grave of a true Muslim should be modest. On the monument there should not be inscriptions about the grief of relatives and friends. It is also not worth placing a photo of the deceased on the monument.
It is strictly forbidden to build crypts, mausoleums and tombs on the grave. Sharia prohibits the erection of monuments that are too beautiful and demonstrate the wealth of relatives. It is believed that different monuments and lavishly decorated graves can cause quarrels between the dead. This will prevent them from enjoying the welfare granted by Allah after death.
For a long time, the mosque has allowed not only to write the name of the deceased and the date of his death on the monuments, but now it is allowed to indicate some symbols. On men's monuments, a crescent can be depicted, and on women's - flowers (their number means the number of children). Photos of Muslim monuments on the grave with such symbols are given in the article.
The form of the monument and the materials from which they are made
Muslim monuments in the cemetery, photos of which can be seen in the article, are usually built from marble or granite. Often they are made in the form of a kind of arched structure, which at the top resembles a dome. Sometimes the top of the monument is made in the form of a dome of a mosque or in the form of a minaret.
Which direction should the statue face?
The question of which direction the monument should face is fundamentally important for Muslims. The grave must be constructed in such a way that it is possible to place the deceased in it facing Mecca. This tradition is strictly forbidden to be violated, and the mosque treats its observance extremely strictly.
Accordingly, the monument is installed only with the front side to the east. For this reason, all monuments face only one direction. Passing through these cemeteries, it is very easy to determine the direction. The east side is always where all the structures on the graves face.
The Muslim religion requires strict observance of ancient traditions and rituals. Muslims respect religious laws and live in accordance with the rules and prohibitions. The funeral and memorial rites of Muslims are various sacraments that have been known and revered since ancient times. Unlike Christian ones, Muslim grave monuments do not contain photographs of the departed and are more modest in execution.
Manufacturing technology of Muslim monuments
Muslims living in strict observance of rituals are also recommended to observe modesty and ancient traditions when they pass to another world. Monuments of the departed people are made in accordance with all the rules of Islam, they demonstrate restraint and dignity. The canonical stele of the product contains sketches and outlines of a mosque or a minaret, and its upper part looks like the dome of a Muslim shrine. According to tradition, all the monuments face towards the holy city of Mecca. The shape of the stele can be made in the form of a column, a rectangular obelisk or a flat slab.
On photo of muslim monuments on the grave you can consider all the main attributes and options for their implementation. The attitude towards death among Muslims is different from other religions, so the words of grief and sadness for the deceased on the gravestone are not accepted. The deceased returns to Allah, this event awaits any true believer, and because of such reflections in Islam, it is not customary to grieve excessively at the time of death. According to this, the frontal part of the monument is decorated with sayings of great thinkers and verses from the Koran, and crowned with all the invariable symbols in the form of a crescent and a star. The drawings on the stele stand out for their special beauty and are applied in accordance with the gender of the deceased. Men's monuments are decorated with more strict patterns dominated by straight lines, while women's are decorated with ornaments in the form of flowers.
Materials for the manufacture of Muslim monuments
Materials for the manufacture of Muslim grave monuments are:
- marble;
- granite;
- different types of stone;
- bronze.
Diverse muslim granite tombstones are made in different forms, but at the same time fully comply with the strict laws of Islam. As already described above, the burial place of a Muslim should look modest and at the same time dignified. Therefore, most often, as a material for creating a monument, preference is given to granite, and in dark shades.
With the help of black granite, strict and majestic monuments are created that meet all the requirements of Islam. This material best reflects all the sayings and emphasizes the overall style. Besides, granite differs in reliability and long term of operation. Like any other monuments, Muslim varieties can also be made according to an individual sketch. The burial place can be ennobled with the help of a fence and a flower garden, doing all this in the same style. Decor elements are decorated with Islamic symbols and help describe Muslim rituals and reinforce religious motifs.
In Russia, people of different religious beliefs live side by side, which is why our cemeteries, from a confessional point of view, are mostly mixed. Often you can see Christian and Muslim graves nearby. They differ from each other only in some design features, in particular, in how the tombstones look in both cases.
Design subtleties
First of all, the monument of a Muslim looks very laconic, because the traditions and laws of Islam do not allow excessive decoration of the grave. According to beliefs, excessive beauty, rich crypts, variety in the appearance of tombstones bring discord among the dead believers in heaven and prevent them from enjoying the prosperity bestowed by Allah.
Therefore, Shariah prescribes that all monuments of the faithful should be strict and restrained in design, devoid of excessive prettiness.
For example, such tombstones are almost never decorated with drawings. The mosque allows to engrave on women's steles a bouquet of flowers, in which the number of buds usually corresponds to the number of children in the family. Male obelisks are marked with a symbolic Muslim crescent. In addition, on modern Muslim monuments there are often images characterizing the lifetime activity of the deceased (if the deceased was a train driver, then this can be shown through a drawing of a locomotive; the driver’s monument is decorated with a picture of a bus, the owner of a teahouse - a bowl with steam from tea). On the same tombstones, sometimes only an ornament of a vegetative or geometric nature was beaten out.
Another subtlety of the artistic solution of the Muslim memorial is related to the fact that Islam forbids posting a photo of the deceased at the burial site. However, the interpenetration of different cultures, characteristic of our days, begins to gradually destroy the severity of this canon. Therefore, portraits on Muslim monuments can now be seen more and more often. Photos can be made in the form of an engraving on a black monument made of gabbro-diabase. Photoceramic medallions are also often found, especially on marble monuments.
The inscriptions on Islamic tombstones are still more traditional than not. First of all, these are the names and years of the life of the dead and - sometimes - suras of the Koran, made in Arabic script. Secular epitaphs are not welcome and are not applied to typical Muslim stelae.
Prices
on monuments for Muslims do not differ from the cost of Christian tombstones of the same parameters.
The shape of an obelisk made according to Sharia law must be strict and restrained. Usually it is a vertical rectangle with a rounded, like a turban, pommel with a minimum of decorations. All kinds of bas-reliefs, complex carvings, and other sculptural excesses are excluded. These restrictions make the average price of a monument quite moderate.
For example, a set of such a granite monument with a stele 80 cm high with a pedestal (pedestal) and a flower garden costs about 11,500 rubles. If the height increases to 1 m, then the price will be about 15,000 rubles. With a stele of 120 cm with polishing on all sides - about 29,000 rubles. If relatives wish to ennoble the burial place with a memorial complex, then the prices for it are negotiated individually.
Muslim funeral traditions are very different from the funeral rituals familiar to Europeans. These differences lie not only in the rituals prescribed by religion, but also in individual nuances, such as the funeral attire (shroud) and the washing procedure. Oddly enough, the Muslim grave is also unlike the European one: there are differences not only in tombstones, but even in the shape of the grave itself.
Usually, Muslims are buried in separate sections of citywide cemeteries, or in special Muslim cemeteries. The Qur'an forbids burying Muslims with non-Muslims, although exceptions may be made for the burial of the wife of a deceased Muslim. Muslim cemeteries are traditionally surrounded by a fence designed to protect the graves from animals.
According to tradition, the grave in Islam is dug at least 1.5 meters deep, and preferably deeper - up to two meters. The length and width should be such that not only the deceased, but also the person who will lay it, can sit in it. At the bottom of the grave, a side niche (lyakhd) is constructed, where the body of the deceased is placed. The deceased is laid on his right side, facing towards Mecca, after which the lyakhd is covered with unbaked bricks. Sometimes lyakhds can be laid with fired bricks or boards, but the use of such materials is discouraged, as they often serve as decorative. In the niche itself, it is important to make props to avoid soil collapse.
There are various nuances in the arrangement of a Muslim grave. For example, in the case of loose and loose soil, lyakhd can be omitted; instead, a recess in the center of the grave or burial in a coffin is used (in this case, the bottom of the coffin is sprinkled with earth). It is customary to fill the grave with the same earth that was dug out of it, while the elevation should be small - no more than 17 cm. There is also a tradition to make a crescent-shaped elevation to distinguish Muslim graves from Christian ones.
Muslim tombstones
Muslim monuments on the grave also differ from those accepted in European cultures. A visitor to a Muslim cemetery cannot fail to notice that all the tombstones face Mecca. This was done not only in accordance with Sharia rules, but also so that those who came to the cemeteries knew the direction for prayer.
Islam encourages the modesty and restraint of the faithful, and therefore Muslim grave monuments are almost never flashy and pompous. Although today there are tombstones on most Muslim graves, for many centuries they were considered superfluous. As a rule, the name of the deceased and his years of life are written on the tombstone. On Muslim monuments, a photo or portrait of the deceased is usually not placed on the grave, since the Koran prohibits images of people. A crescent moon or a modest ornament, as well as text in the form of verses - lines from the Koran, are considered acceptable decorations. Specialized companies in Moscow offer to install Muslim monuments on the grave; Prices vary depending on the material and design chosen. Granite and dark marble are used, while less well-to-do Muslims often place an iron cone with a crescent moon or limit themselves to a small memorial tablet.
Muslim monuments on the grave are chosen very carefully. This is the only thing that relatives and friends of the deceased can do for him. When equipping a grave and decorating a tombstone, Muslims are guided by Sharia law, which clearly regulates funeral and funeral rites. The faithful prepare for death in advance, realizing its inevitability and coming to terms with it. They collect money and pick up things necessary for the burial ritual. It is believed that if a person takes care of his funeral in advance, he will be bestowed with the highest grace.
Ancient Burial Traditions in Islam
At the dawn of the spread of Islam, the performance of ritual rites during the burial of Muslims, visiting and honoring their graves were prohibited. Funeral traditions were characteristic of Arab culture during pagan times (jahiliyya). Despite the ban, ancient pagan rites penetrated into Islam. They intertwined with religious elements and became an integral part of the culture of many Muslim communities.
As the positions of Islam strengthened, fears about the revival of paganism and polytheism began to gradually dissipate. Therefore, the attitude towards burial traditions became less strict. The ban on visiting the graves of Muslims was lifted by the Prophet Muhammad himself. He believed that going to the cemetery would remind people of death and make them think about their lives. Although visiting graves was no longer frowned upon, veneration of the dead remained forbidden.
Muslim theologians of the early period condemned any manifestations of reverence for the dead. It was forbidden to make a pilgrimage to the graves of respected Muslims, to erect mausoleums and mosques over their burial place, to worship them and ask them for protection. According to beliefs, large and richly decorated monuments bring discord among the dead, depriving them of their well-deserved bliss. Therefore, all previously created buildings in the cemeteries were destroyed.
The laws of Islam also strictly regulated the actions of the faithful in relation to their deceased relatives. They forbade Muslims to gather near the burial place and perform sacrifices in cemeteries. Muslim authorities condemned the design of tombstones with materials that were made using fire (gypsum, cement). Fire is the most famous form of punishment in Hell. He can bring hellish torments to the deceased.
It was allowed to put a memorial sign in the form of a stone or tombstone on the grave of a Muslim.
The traditions of Islam prescribe not to leave inscriptions, images and patterns on the tomb.
The surface of the grave mound or tombstone may be above ground level at a height of no more than 4 fingers. This height is enough to be able to detect the grave. The covering of the grave must be perfectly even.
Place for a Muslim grave
The grave (kabr) is dug out at the nearest Muslim cemetery to the place of death. It is not allowed to bury a Muslim among the Gentiles. If the wife of the faithful belonged to another faith, she is buried separately.
The place for burial is selected taking into account that the face of the deceased was turned towards the Qibla. Qibla is a symbol of monotheism and Islam. The direction of the face of the deceased towards the Holy Mosque is a sign of his worship of Allah. The tradition of directing the face of the deceased and the front part of the tombstone towards Mecca is still strictly performed.
The grave must be positioned in such a way that it can be freely accessed without stepping or stepping over the burial places of other people.
Islamic laws prohibit stepping not only on someone else's grave, but also on the place where a relative is buried.
Islam allows two dead people to be buried in the same grave. Re-burial is carried out when the corpse in the grave completely decays (after 50 years). Between the bodies you need to make a partition of earth or stone slabs. Without extreme necessity, they do not bury in the same grave the dead of the same sex or a woman and a man who are mahrams for each other (marriage between them is prohibited).
How Muslim graves are built
The traditional Muslim grave contains a recess in which the body (lahd) is laid. The depth of the grave should be such that a person with their hands raised up (about 225 cm) fits completely into it. However, if it is not possible to dig such a hole, you can use a less deep one. The main thing is that its depth is sufficient so that animals do not reach the body.
The length of the grave should slightly exceed the height of the deceased.
The width of the pit is usually half its length (80–100 cm). The pit should be wide enough for the people who carry out the burial to descend into it.
On the side that is closer to the Qibla, they have lyakhd. Its height is 55 cm, and its width is 50 cm. At the same time, part of the lyakhd is located in a niche outside the burial pit. The niche is deepened into the wall by 25 cm. The lyakhd is also 20 cm below the floor of the grave.
If the soil is loose, the lyakhd wall is reinforced with a stone or wooden wall. It is also necessary to strengthen the ceiling in the niche. The corpse is covered with a thinner slab so that the earth does not fall asleep on the body. Stones or earth are placed under the head and back of the deceased so that his face is directed to the Qibla. In this case, the right cheek of the deceased should be firmly pressed to the ground.
Instead of a lyakhda, they build a shikka. A shikka is a hollow at the bottom of a pit, resembling a ditch. Stone or wooden walls are installed on its sides. From above, the shikku is covered with slabs and the grave is covered with earth.
The surface of the tombstone must not be below ground level. If the soil is loose, you need to pour more earth on the grave. When she sits down, the hill over the grave will remain.
2 stones are laid on the grave - at the level of the head and legs.
From above, gravel is sprinkled with gravel, then water is sprinkled on it so that the pebbles are firmly pressed to the ground. This will make the surface of the grave even.
Modern burial traditions in Islam
Although inscriptions on tombstones are prohibited in Islam, it is permitted to mark the name of the deceased on the grave so that his grave can be found. In the modern world, Muslim theologians are less strict about the prohibition of the use of images of people and photographs on tombstones.
According to Islamic beliefs, the image of people and animals makes believers forget about God and provokes madness. The faithful begin to worship not Allah, but the depicted people and animals. But lately, the mosque began to allow images of people to be made on tombstones and their photographs to be installed. At the insistence of relatives, even the image of animals can be made.
Despite the softening of the rules of the funeral ritual, most Muslim monuments have a laconic appearance. The most common is a monolithic slab, the top of which is made in the form of a dome of a mosque or a minaret. In addition to the name and date of death of the deceased, the words of the prophet or excerpts from Muslim surahs in Arabic script are engraved on the stone.
On the monument to the deceased woman, modest floral ornaments are depicted, as well as thematic compositions characterizing the occupation of the deceased.
On women's tombstones, a pattern is cut out in the form of a hat or scarf. They often depict a bouquet in which there are as many flowers as the woman gave birth to and raised children.
The tombstones of the deceased men have images of minarets, mosques or thematic pictures related to the type of activity of the deceased. The upper part of the tombstone on the male grave can be made in the form of a male headdress - a turban. It testifies to the high social position of the deceased. A sign of wealth is a decoration on the stove in the form of a fez.
Tombstones often depict religious symbols and amulets, symbolizing the deceased's adherence to Islam. The symbols of Islam, the crescent and the star, are set on the gravestones. In this case, the rays of the crescent are directed from right to left. Oriental-style geometric ornaments and frames are often used in the design of burial slabs.
It is not typical for the Muslim tradition to write words of love and sorrow on the monuments. When a Muslim dies, he returns to Allah. Therefore, expressing regret over death is frowned upon in Islam. It is regarded as dissatisfaction with the will of Allah.
Making a tombstone
The finished monument will be made to order by employees of companies that provide various funeral services. Wealthy Muslims order monuments made of granite and marble. Preference is given to black tiles. In Islam, black has a special status as it is the color of the sacred stone of the Kaaba. The Prophet Muhammad wore black clothes. It was this robe that he wore on the day of the conquest of Mecca. Black is the color of the Abbasid caliphs. It symbolizes strength, majesty and power. Muslims try to make the tombstone look like a monolithic stone of the Holy Kaaba, which serves as a reminder of the eternity of the afterlife.
The inscriptions on the stone are made manually, using a laser or on a milling machine.
Hand engraving is the most time-consuming and expensive. Its undoubted advantage is durability. It will be possible to read what is written on the tombstone with the manual method of applying phrases even after several thousand years. Laser engraving allows you to quickly and easily create complex images with the smallest details. On a milling machine, an inscription and an image are cut out a little longer than with a laser. However, the writing after milling engraving lasts much longer than with laser processing.
A cheaper option for a Muslim tombstone is a metal cone with a crescent on top. A plaque is placed on it with the name and date of death of the deceased.
Headstone installation
The firm that makes the tombstones usually installs them. Installation work is included in the cost of manufacturing services. However, you can install the headstone yourself.
Construction work requires permission from the cemetery management. The most suitable period for the installation of a tombstone is the warm season from April to October. However, in some cases it is necessary to perform work in the winter. In this case, you need to contact specialists who have experience in installing monuments in the cold season.
In order for the tombstone to stand for a long time, not to fall or squint, a cement base is created on the grave. After the funeral, at least 1 year must pass. During this time, the earth will sag and become stable.
The larger the stone, the more material will be required to create a massive frame.
Grave monuments, even of a very modest size, are very heavy. The weight of a medium-sized tombstone ranges from 120–200 kg. Therefore, the installation of a tombstone requires the work of several people.
The burial place is cleared, a recess is made and a concrete pillow is formed in it. You can use cement, gravel and sand. If the structure is large, the pillow is reinforced with reinforcement. In the manufacture of a cement or concrete base, vertical pins are placed in it. Later, a monument is fixed on them.
When installing a memorial tombstone, be sure to use the building level.
Muslim mazars
Mazar is the tomb of a Muslim saint (avliya). The culture of worshiping the graves of saints and revered people began to develop in Islam from the 10th century thanks to Sufism. Sufism is an esoteric movement in Islam. It preaches asceticism and spirituality. The path of spiritual perfection of the Sufi lies through complete submission to the teacher and the fulfillment of all his instructions.
Sufis believe that prayers transmitted through intermediary spiritual mentors are more powerful than those addressed directly to Allah. Trying to show the maximum honor to the deceased mentors, their followers build mausoleums (mazars) on the graves. The tradition of building religious buildings on the burial sites appeared in Islam due to the influence of Tengrianism, the ancient pagan culture of the Turks. The modern symbol of Islam, the crescent with a star, also has a pagan origin.
The traditional Muslim mazar is a room with a quadrangular base. It is crowned with a spherical dome. The building can be very large, consisting of several rooms. She is surrounded by a fence. Next to the mazar is a vertically mounted pole (tug). At the top of the tight there may be a figure of an open palm, a bud or a crossbar with a triangular piece of matter attached to it. Since especially revered mazars are located far from settlements, tugs are used as a guide. They help travelers to find the mazar. The mausoleums serve as a mosque.
Travelers can stop and pray in the mazar.
If earlier mazars were installed only on the grave of Avliya, at present mausoleums are installed on the graves of deceased relatives. Wealthy people order massive structures that resemble mosques or palaces. For the construction of tombs, expensive materials (marble, granite) are used. Mazars are decorated with domes, bas-reliefs, crescents, arches, columns, ornate tops, parapets and mazar slabs.
Although the Koran forbids spending money on the construction of expensive and massive places of worship, the faithful try to demonstrate their wealth by showing respect to their dead relatives.
Muslim sarcophagi
To honor the memory of deceased relatives, richly decorated sarcophagi are placed on Muslim graves. Such a building looks dignified and rich. The installation of a sarcophagus is not condemned by Islamic authorities.
The upper part of the Muslim sarcophagus is given a pointed shape, traditional for Muslim culture. The building is covered with tiles with an elegant and complex ornament. The colors characteristic of Islam are used. Especially revered among the faithful is the green color. He identifies the green banner of the prophet. Blue and purple are considered shadow colors. They symbolize mystical contemplation and communion with the divine essence. To decorate the sarcophagi, white is used - the favorite color of the prophet.
It is a symbol of holiness and dignity.
When choosing the color of the facing material, it is necessary to give preference to patterns with clean, light and radiant shades. Faded and cloudy colors are associated with misfortune and poverty. Brown and gray shades are not used in the design of Muslim tomb structures.
