Mourning ceremonies
Reply #3 - July 28, 2015, 09:23 AM
Was it the fortieth day meal that has become traditional amongst some Muslims? I think the idea is to pray for the deceased and to mark the end of the official mourning period.
There is also a fourth day meal and prayers, plus an annual one after that.
Really? That's quite interesting. I wonder if these have their origins in the Jewish mourning rituals (one week of sitting in the house of the dead person mourning, one year of saying a special prayer for them, and on the one year anniversary every year after, repeat the special prayer). The one year thing is because that's the longest amount of time a person can be in hell in Jewish tradition, so they stop needing your special prayers then but you need to remember them? or something to that effect.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I have a sonic screwdriver, a tricorder, and a Type 2 phaser.