Saudi funerals

For some reason, I got to wondering about funeral practises in Saudi Arabia this morning and had a bit of a poke around.

In the first instance, Bing turned up a lot of media coverage of the funeral of King Abdullah in 2015, simple and dignified in line with the officially austere version of Islam practised in Saudi Arabia.

More helpful was the Wikipedia article at reference 1. Cremations are out. Bodies are often simply washed, shrouded and placed in the grave. Usually within a day or so of death. There is some ceremony and there will be a prayer, but not an elaborate funeral service of the sort favoured by many Christians.

The grave is then filled and marked with a simple grave stone, as graves should not be walked on or sat on. Saudi Arabian Islam favours simplicity and lack of ostentation in these matters, to the point where King Abdullah's grave was described as being unmarked. There is also the consideration that nothing should be done to encourage an un-Islamic veneration of relics, this despite the erection of mausoleums like the Taj Mahal. There are debates about Shia practises - with a contribution to that debate to be found at reference 2.

Practises clearly vary from region to region, with Wikipedia offering the snap above from Macau, a scene which is very much the same as that to be found in the more ornate sectors of the cemetery between Ashley Road and Downs Road here at Epsom. A place I used to pass at least once of year on the way to the Derby.

PS: if I remember, I will try to find out why cremations are out.

References

Reference 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_funeral.

Reference 2: https://ebnhussein.com/2020/04/20/the-luxurious-extravagant-graves-that-need-to-be-bulldozed/.