Islamic Council of Victoria advises on burial process for COVID-19 deceased

The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), in consultation with the medical community, religious and community leaders as well as most of the Muslim funeral directors in Victoria, Australia, has come up with guidelines on handling and burying a person who has passed away due to COVID-19:

- All funerals (janazas) are to be carried with strict infection control procedures

- All staff involved in the funeral will follow personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines

- The body of the deceased must not be removed from the sealed bag

- Ritual cleansing of the body will be performed with tayyamum (using clean sand) over the body bag, or masa (wiping over the body bag with a damp cloth). The ritual will be performed by the funeral director or other trained person. If the deceased is female, the procedure will be performed by a female member of the funeral service.

- The body should then be covered in cloth over the sealed bag in preparation for the funeral.

- The body is to be taken directly to the cemetery.

- Funeral prayers with the family are to be conducted at the grave site, but social distancing rules apply. The maximum number of attendees is currently 10, but is subject to change.

Details:

Read the guidelines for prevention and control of infection in healthcare

Read the guidelines for PPE

Read the guidelines for funerals

Islamic funeral and death rites course in Singapore this April

Source: IslamicEvents event page.

IslamicEvents is running a course in English on Islamic funeral and death rites in April. 

The two-day course will cover the basics as well as solutions to different situations that are likely to arise, for example the role of Malay customs when there is a death, and what happens if the death occurs overseas. 

The first day covers the theory and the second day the practical lessons, from bathing the deceased to wrapping them. Ladies and men will be separated during the practical session. 

Interested?

 22 and 23 April 2017, 5pm to 10pm
 IslamicEvents.SG Training Room, 67 Ubi Rd 1, #10-14 Oxley Bizhub, Singapore 408730
 Amir Ali bin Idris Ali

Fees: S$78 per person, S$150 for two people, inclusive of dinner, notes and a certificate of participation. Register. There is a maximum of 50 people

Pakistan updates report on Hajj 2015

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony of Pakistan, which is responsible for the Hajj pilgrimage beyond Pakistan, has updated its findings for Hajj 2015 on 28 January 2016.

There were a total of 190 pilgrim deaths in 2015, partly due to the incidents of the crane at the Haram and the Mina tragedy. In December, the ministry had listed a total of 185 deaths.

The updated totals are:

Pilgrims who passed away in Mina: 80 (82 in December)
Iqama holders - those who were already working in KSA - who passed away in Mina: 21 (17 in December)
Pilgrims who passed away from the crane incident in the Haram: 6 (no change)
Iqama holders who passed away in the Haram: 6 (no change)
Pilgrims who passed away from natural causes: 102 (97 reported in December)
Iqama holders who passed away from natural causes: 7 (no change)

A further two (formerly three) pilgrims are listed as missing after the Mina incident, and two (formerly four) iqama holders.

Two pilgrims injured in Mina were also listed in December. That number is now zero as of 20 January 2016.

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about the Ministry of Haj's overview of Hajj 2016

Haj Committee of India updates list of pilgrims affected in Mina stampede

The Haj Committee of India, which is part of the Ministry of External Affairs, has issued its third update of pilgrims who passed away in the Mina stampede in KSA. As of 26 September the death toll for India is 22 as shared by the Consul General of India in Jeddah.

The lists may be viewed here (25 September, including a list of the injured), here (26 September) and here (26 September).

Twelve Hajj pilgrims from India passed away due to the crane accident in Makkah on 11 September, with one reported missing, the Committee said.

Call 24x7 helplines in India at 22 2271 7100, 7101 and 7102 with enquiries.