Islamic burials for Christchurch mosque attack victims

JAKARTA: Hundreds of mourners gathered in a Christchurch cemetery on Wednesday for the first funerals of those killed in the twin mosque terror attacks.

Grieving families of those killed are anxious to bury their loved ones according to Islamic custom.

Here are some facts about Islamic funeral and burial rites:

Burial doesn't have to be within exactly 24 hours, but the sooner the better as it´s seen as showing respect for the dead. Preparations typically start right away and that can mean not waiting for far-away relatives to attend the funeral. The custom comes from the Holy Prophet's (PBUH) instruction: "When one of your men dies, do not keep him in the house for long. Make haste in taking him to the grave and burying him."

Families of Muslim passengers who died in the Indonesian Lion Air disaster last year were also upset with the time it took to release the remains of loved ones, which had to be identified first through DNA testing.

A Muslim deceased´s body must be bathed prior to burial. Males are supposed to wash men while women are left to do the same with female deceased. However, a man is allowed to wash a woman in special cases, such as the body of his wife.

The deceased is stripped of all clothing except for a small covering over the genitals. They are washed three times from head to toe and dressed with fragrances or perfumes. The body is then covered with a shroud made of white fabric.