Statistics show that the trend of body donation among relatives of deceased men has increased significantly in American society. I was a little bit curious after reading one such headline on an online newsportal and clicked to read the details. I generally just read the headlines of news stories before reading them in detail. Usually, by looking at the title, one can predict what is inside. So I clicked on this with suspicion as well, and I realised that my suspicions were true. The title might lead you to think that they are "progressive" people, as they are giving the body to the medical centre for research. One may think that it’s their generosity. But the fact is that many people who donate their parents' and relatives' bodies do not want to pay the high expense of cremation. They think, "What will happen if we spend so much on the funeral of the person who died?" It is better if the corpse is donated to the hospital. As a result, the expense was saved, and it was also recorded as a donation at the medical centre.

Meanwhile, a few months ago, some brothers from Canada asked a question in our Darul Ifta. They want to establish a fund or an association to cover their own funeral expenses when they pass away. They will deposit Canadian dollars into the fund. At the time the question was sent, burial costs in Canada were $3,000 per person. It is a significant expense for someone with a meagre income. According to their plan, by depositing three hundred dollars, a fund would be created. If one of the society's members passes away, the whole cost of burial will be covered out of this fund. The amount spent will be shared among the survivors, who will then deposit that sum back into the fund. Is it acceptable or not?

Darul Ifta will decide what the solution will be. My intention is not to discuss it.

A poem by an Indian poet struck me as I was reflecting on these two incidents. 

بہتر ہے موت کہ دیتی تو ہے کفن

گر زندگی کا بس نکلے تو کپڑے اتار دے

Death is helpful on the one hand; it provides the shroud. When the bus of life is running, then the clothes are taken off. 

Poets think about society. The image of society is reflected in their poems. In this verse, the poet portrayed the harsh reality of societal values. It is a picture of a world in which the powerful and oppressors exploit the weak and tormented, leading to a situation in which they would be willing to strip off their clothing. 

I believe that if the poet were still alive today, he would regret seeing the two aforesaid incidents. The limitations of his poetry would astonish him if they were exposed. The poet has provided illustrations of the subcontinent's social picture. Nowadays, in nations like America and Canada, the cost of funerals, or (in our terms) burials, has gone up. Individuals are cut off from society as well as from their families. They don't even want to pay for the burial. The poet thought that death was better than life because at least it would fetch the shroud. But now the poet will be surprised if he is alive; he thought people would at least give him the shroud. Now they don't even give a shroud.  The poet may attempt to write another poem or revise his old one to include these ideas.

These are not one-off events but general illustrations that epitomise the present state of western culture. The statistics we know are not especially surprising. These are common utterances. Late Ad. Zahirul Islam, a close person who lived next to Pallavi Markazud Dawah. He was a pious and Muttaqi (God-fearing) person. He used to pray a lot. This man of letters compiled two books about Dua. His family lived in America. He used to live in America for six months and stayed in the country for the next six months. He practised law extensively in America and, to a limited extent, in Bangladesh. He was a writer, a journalist, and a literary man. He passed away a few days ago. May Allah have mercy on him.

He described the social picture of American society by going through a story. His mother was receiving treatment for a prolonged period in an American hospital. He often visited his mother. He had to cross an elderly woman's path to reach his mother's ward. He used to say good morning or good night to the woman as he crossed. 

A bearded Muslim like him used to irritate the woman. She didn't respond in any way. The woman's illness worsened one day. Consequently, she defecated on her clothes. Zahir Saheb gave her primary treatment and yelled at the nurses in front of her, "Why are you late?" and "Why don't you take good care of her?" 

From that moment on, the woman began to pay attention to him. From then on, whenever he went to meet his mother, she called him and talked to him. She used to talk about her life and children. Once, the woman asked him to meet her alone. She wished to give him all her wealth. Her sons and daughters didn't care for her. Sometimes they ask about her health over the phone, but they have never met her. 

It isn't just one or a few of these instances; rather, it is how that culture is in general. This is not a new phenomenon. We have been keeping a regular eye on the state of that society. When someone is informed about the death of their parents, many of them say, "I am sending the money." You should arrange the funeral." Then the organization(s) concerned complete the funeral work. Is the responsibility fulfilled by sending money to the bank? Many people do not have time to attend funerals. Some people may attend. Both types of people exist there. The social system of their so-called progressive society is not unknown to us. The topic is being addressed in a new way because it is currently being discussed on social media. These are promoted by those who are cut off from their family and social lives. 

Everyone is busy with themselves and their personal lives. Self-interest is paramount to them. They brought it to social media. These have become very popular. The fact is that they live alone after work. The children are detached from their parents. There is no relationship between brothers and sisters. A large number of them are separated from their parents. They have neither a society nor a family. There are hardly any social or familial bonds. That's why they invented social media. Those who have no family or ties to family have thousands of friends all over the world. Once I was asked, Is it permissible to make friends with non-Muslim colleagues who work with us in our workplace? We eat, drink, and sit down together. 

I say it will be acceptable if it's like “Facebook friends”. Because people have thousands of friends with whom they have nothing to do except spend time online, only likes, comments, and hellos can satisfy a friend's demands. A close friend is a completely different question. Intimate friendships with non-Muslims are forbidden because the Quran forbids having a close relationship with them. 

In the end, close social and familial relationships are one of the main characteristics of Islam. This issue is discussed in several Quranic surahs and the numerous chapters on Hadith. People have forgotten the importance of kinship. Now it remains only a verbally social organism. His society is far away from nearby societies and his own people. 

If people do not come to Islam now, if Muslims fall into the trap of the enemy, if they do not protect their ties with  family, relatives, and neighbours, if they do not respect each other's rights, if the relatives do not look after each other, and if they do not pay attention to the rights that Islam has, then the suffering and hardship will will only get worse day by day. In a hadith, there is a description of some rights: 

حَقّ المُسْلِمِ عَلَى المُسْلِمِ خَمْسٌ: رَدّ السّلاَمِ، وَعِيَادَةُ المَرِيضِ، وَاتِّبَاعُ الجَنَائِزِ، وَإِجَابَةُ الدّعْوَةِ، وَتَشْمِيتُ العَاطِسِ.

"The rights of a Muslim among Muslims are five: to respond to the salaam, to visit the sick, to follow the funeral processions, to accept an invitation, and to reply to those who sneeze. (see Bukhari, Hadith 1240)

Six rights have been narrated in a hadith from Sahih Muslim. Along with these five, there is one more: if a Muslim seeks your wise counsel, give it to them. It should be noted that in the above hadith, the instruction to participate in funerals and burials after death is for everyone around, not just family members and close relatives. When any Muslim dies, this responsibility falls upon the Muslims behind him. Where ordinary Muslims have to do it, it goes without saying how much importance is attached to the matter of near and dear ones. 

خدا محفوظ رکھیں ایسی مجبوریوں سے ہم سب کو/جو مجبوری پڑوسیوں کا جنازہ چھوڑ دیتی ہے

May Allah keep us safe from such a situation where we are forced to leave a funeral for a neighbour.

If we are not aware of these responsibilities and if we do not go back to our traditional and own social system, our situation is bound to be like theirs. Some examples of them are being seen. The number of old-age homes is increasing in our country as well.

A class of educated people neglects their elderly parents and evicts them from the house. What do these signs mean? Thus, in addition to accepting Islamic Tahjeeb and Tamaddun, one should also ensure that the husband, wife, and children  are made familiar with their own culture as well as the family and social spirit of Islam. Otherwise, it will be seen that their children will not have the mentality to bury their parents' bodies. Before your death, you will think about yourself: Well, I have a flat, money, and many other things here. I am abroad earning money and sending it home. I am living a prosperous and comfortable life here. But will the children pay for my funeral? You may have to think again about making an association or depositing money.

People who fly to developed countries like America and Canada and earn millions of dollars—why would they worry about whether or not their children would have to pay $3,000 after their death? Out of this fear, they are considering making an advance deposit for post-death expenses. Here is the point of thought: if Muslims don't go back to their own identity and the teachings of Allah and His Messenger, if they do not understand their own culture, then they will sink into a bottomless pit of depravity. Nobody realises how difficult it will be. In what situation do people think that the cost of my burial will be paid after my death? What could be more tragic than this tendency towards anxiety, if people feel it? Westerners recognised something as civilization, fashion, or development, and we closed our eyes and accepted it. We need to avoid this trend and return to reality. And we need to understand where they have gone and failed. 

One of the key reasons that westerners are accepting Islam is the family and social beauty of Islam. After observing these, they are embracing Islam. Some so-called progressive Muslims are now leaning towards the way westerners are returning. So bring yourself back, bring others back, and lead them in the right direction.

In the poet's words:

رفعتوں کی جستجو میں ٹھوکریں تو کھا چکے/آستان یار پر اب سر جھکا کر دیکھئے

You have encountered several obstacles while trying to get better. Now tuck your head inside your friend's cover.

Translated by Alauddin Rafiq