by Mehrdad Kia
For Muslims, a grave was a “halting place” for the soul of the deceased, while it was interrogated by the two angels, Nekir and Munker, who guarded the gates of heaven and appeared as soon as the dead had entered the grave. They asked the dead to sit up and prepare for a harsh interrogation. This explains why, after the mourners had dispersed, the imam remained by the grave to assist with the interrogation of the dead. The two angels questioned the newly deceased on his faith by asking: “Who is your God? What is your religion? And, who is this man?” The man in the third question was the prophet Muhammad who was shown to the dead. If the deceased had been a true believer and a devout Muslim during his life, he answered the first question by stating that his creator was Allah (God), the second by saying that Islam was his religion, and the third by recognizing Muhammad and declaring him to be the true messenger of God.
If the deceased had been “lax” in performing his religious duties, according to Muslim belief, at the time of questioning he would forget the basic tenets of his faith and fail to answer the questions. Failure to provide the two angels with correct answers condemned the dead to eternal torment and torture. The two angels beat the condemned with iron mallets and filled the grave with snakes and scorpions. On the other hand, those who passed the test and convinced the interrogating angels of their faith were allowed to rest until the day of resurrection and enjoy the fragrance of paradise. On the Day of Judgment, all were raised from the dead and judged once again according to their deeds on earth, before being forced to walk over the bridge of Sirat that stood over the fire of hell and led ultimately to paradise. The evildoers slipped and fell into the fires and torments of hell while the innocent crossed the bridge with ease and dignity. Those who were guaranteed a safe passage over the bridge included infants, soldiers who had fought and died in the name of Islam, and all those who had perished during a plague.
The mourning ceremonies of the living varied from one religious community to another, with each practicing its own unique mourning and funeral rites, customs, and traditions. In many Muslim communities, relatives and close friends observed a mourning period during which they received visitors expressing their grief and condolences. Those in grief dressed in black and avoided jewelry or brightly colored and decorative clothing. If “the deceased” was “well-to-do,” alms were paid to the poor and “specially prepared dishes, consisting chiefly of pastry and stewed fruits,” were sent “to the houses of friends” and distributed among the poor “in return for which their prayers” were “requested for the soul of the departed.” On the 7th and the 40th day after the funeral these activities repeated and “ceremonies of commemoration were held.” Widows were expected to mourn for a much longer period. During this time, a widow was not allowed to remarry, move from her house, or wear jewelry and colorful dresses.
In some parts of Albania, the natives mourned their dead relatives for many years. Every Sunday, all the relatives of the deceased gathered in a house and paid professional mourners who would weep and wail. When they had finished their lamentation, the host prepared “various pastries, including . . . saffron-flavored sweets to be distributed in town from house to house . . . free of charge to rich and poor alike and to all travelers and sojourners . . . for the sake of spirits.” Immediately following the death of a loved one, Albanian families performed many of the same rituals as other families in the empire. After the funeral, the family of the deceased distributed money and gifts among the poor. They also prepared dishes of food as well as pastry that were sent to the homes of relatives, friends, neighbors, and the poor—who were asked to pray for the soul of the dead. Two other memorials were organized on the 7th and 40th day after the funeral.
In the daily life of the Ottoman state, many met a violent death. Those members of the sultan’s household who had been condemned to death were first imprisoned before they were strangled in secrecy and neither their heads nor bodies were displayed publicly. Rebels and enemy leaders, however, were beheaded or hanged publicly to cause them disgrace and humiliation.
About the Author
MEHRDAD KIA is the associate provost for international programs and the director of the Central and Southwest Asian Studies Center at the University of Montana.