Abstract
Abstract In the following article, I aim to provide an insight into the Islamic understanding of death as perceived by a typical Indonesian Muslim family in South Sumatra. The discussion on what it means to die a good death is used as a central theme to introduce the Islamic rituals and practices surrounding death. I pay special attention to the signs observed by the members of the family while accompanying the dying person and examine how these are grounded in the particular religioscape of South Sumatra. The article is written at the crossroad of area studies and Islamic theology.
Highlights
When I received the news that my father had passed away, I supplicated to Allah to please make it just suspended animation
In this article I aim to provide an insight into the way in which the Islamic worldview of an Indonesian Muslim family in South Sumatra is reflected in their specific approach towards death
The interpretation of these signs is of vital importance to understand what it means for Indonesian Muslims to die a good death
Summary
The 40th day after the death of a person is seen as an extremely important day to commemorate. One important element of the ritual of remembering the 40th death day is the giving away of a small Yasin booklet on behalf of the deceased. This is a practice observed all over Indonesia and in other parts of the Muslim world, for example in Malaysia, Turkey and India. A few years ago, the Helandri family had joined a group of what is locally referred to as Wahhabi Muslims This group opposes all forms of traditional, localized Islamic practices such as Yasinan which, according to their point of view, are not rooted firmly in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad and are considered as a deviant or unlawful innovation (bidah sayyiah)..
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