What shall I do if my Christian classmate has died?

[Igence]

Dear brothers and sisters!

I'm very glad to join your forum, may Allah bless you and let me ask you a question.

Yesterday my former classmate has died. I don't know if he was a Christian (Orthodox believer) or atheist at all. We've never been friends, when we studied at school, we used to exchange a few words with each other, that's all. I remember he was a nice person because he never would use bad language, never would call names etc. We was a kind guy. Allah allowed him to live for 19 years...

Now all my former classmates have decided to organize funerals, but I don't understand, what a good muslim should do in this case? Please, help me by answering these questions if you can:

1. Should I give money to organize the funerals (I'm afraid that people would buy alcohol drinks for funeral banquet, but I'm not sure)?
2. Should I attend the funerals (I'm not sure, maybe there will be many things muslims must not see/hear/eat/dink)?
3. Shoud I do anything else, or is it better to avoid doing something? What should a good muslim person do, when he/she is in the present state of affairs?

!

[England]

Dear brothers and sisters!

I'm very glad to join your forum, may Allah bless you and let me ask you a question.

Yesterday my former classmate has died. I don't know if he was a Christian (Orthodox believer) or atheist at all. We've never been friends, when we studied at school, we used to exchange a few words with each other, that's all. I remember he was a nice person because he never would use bad language, never would call names etc. We was a kind guy. Allah allowed him to live for 19 years...

Now all my former classmates have decided to organize funerals, but I don't understand, what a good muslim should do in this case? Please, help me by answering these questions if you can:

1. Should I give money to organize the funerals (I'm afraid that people would buy alcohol drinks for funeral banquet, but I'm not sure)?
2. Should I attend the funerals (I'm not sure, maybe there will be many things muslims must not see/hear/eat/dink)?
3. Shoud I do anything else, or is it better to avoid doing something? What should a good muslim person do, when he/she is in the present state of affairs?

!

Go to the funeral. You don't have to eat or drink the stuff there. It's a sign of respect that you turned up. They will have a prayer at the funeral which will be different to yours but that wouldn't be a problem would it?

[Skillganon]

You can go there but cannot participate with prayer services.

[Umar001]

I hope you ask or at least rely on answers given which have some sort of proof.

Am sorry to hear he died.

If you ask me personally, I would not give money which I would think would be used for haram, I would not go to the funeral, but I would speak to his dad or brother or someone and tell them that I am upset about the sad news and that if theres anything you can help with you would.

[England]

You can go there but cannot participate with prayer services.

You'll have to hide at the back or something during the prayer. By not praying it might be thought of as disrespectful especially with his family being there.

[Jahan]

Walaikum Assalam-

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your friend. I was in a very similar situation not too long ago.

1. Find out the specifics on what the money will be used for. If you’re friends are being dishonest to you then you have no control over that. Allah Subhan Wa Ta’allah knows what’s in your heart. Instead of giving money maybe you should send flowers to the family, that’s always nice.

2. It is my understanding that it is permissible for us to attend the funeral and the Church just as long as you do not worship while they’re worshiping. I was told by one of my Sheikh that a person with weak Iman may not want to attend this type of a gathering. Personally when I hear them worship anyone but Allah I just make Istakfar.

3. Based on what you said about your relationship with him, I think you should go.

A brother at my Mosque who is a convert lost his mother couple of years ago and she did not accept Islam. Her funeral took place at a church but half of the church was filled with Muslims including our Imam. I was not there but SubhanAllah that shows how compassionate we are and gives us a chance to show our character and give Dawa.

I hope this helped, InshaAllah.

[Skillganon]

You'll have to hide at the back or something during the prayer. By not praying it might be thought of as disrespectful especially with his family being there.

It's not about being disrespectful or be seen as disrespectful.
I need to go somewhere, I will let someone else explain.

[Igence]

!

Dear brothers and dear England!

Thank you very much for your replies!

It was very important that not only Muslims, but also Christians have joined this thread!

Your advise was very important for me, and I'll try to follow it. The only problem I have is lack of time on the day of his funeral, I have many things to do Inshallah! But I hope I'll have a moment to visit his family and my former classmates, Inshallah. In fact, I don't like Orthodox funerals for many reasons, but showing respect is improtant too, of course, so I'd like to go there Inshallah!

May Allah bless you!

[England]

!

Dear brothers and dear England!

Thank you very much for your replies!

It was very important that not only Muslims, but also Christians have joined this thread!

Your advise was very important for me, and I'll try to follow it. The only problem I have is lack of time on the day of his funeral, I have many things to do Inshallah! But I hope I'll have a moment to visit his family and my former classmates, Inshallah. In fact, I don't like Orthodox funerals for many reasons, but showing respect is improtant too, of course, so I'd like to go there Inshallah!

May Allah bless you!

No sweat. Good luck.

It's not about being disrespectful or be seen as disrespectful.
I need to go somewhere, I will let someone else explain.

You've got me wrong. I know it's not about being disrespectful but being Christians I doubt they have any knowledge of Islam therefore they won't know that Igence cannot pray in a church.

[Malaikah]

^I dont know if his point was so much about praying in the church or not, but the main point is that Muslims do not pray for a person who died as a non-Muslim at all. We cant ask God to forgive them since they did not believe, we just leave them for God to deal with, and indeed He does not deal unjustly his slaves.

[- Qatada -]

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?re...al%20christian

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?re...al%20christian

[Igence]

Thanks you very much... In fact, I think I can't go there because I have many things to do Inshallah with my studies... Tomorrow is very important for my studies, and you see, I suppose, I've got to make a choice between my studies and funeral of a person whom I hardly knew....