The organizers are usually accompanied by the relatives and close friends of the family. The deceased person is treated according to the tradition by seeing either his/her verbally or written last heritage note "Waciya" (his/her will statement. My desire is as follow: …)

With the approach of his/her death, the surrounding persons must turn his/her head in the direction of “Mecca” and incite him/her to pronounce the certificate of faith "Chahada" "ACHADOU YEAR ILLAHA ILLA ALLAH OAU MOHAMAD RASSOUL ALLAH". "I swear that there is no god except Allah and that Mohamed is it his prophet", in order to facilitate the interrogation, two angels will subject it in the tomb, in the mean time he/she raises his finger as a witness to pronounce the "Chahada".

When announcing the death, usually women are unable to contain their sufferings which will lead to a strident cries going until disappearing in a circle of fright. Formerly called "nawaha" (whining) to stimulate their grieves.

The true funeral ceremony "maâtem" starts with the "nebbah" circulating in a hearse equipped with loudspeakers in the main streets of the city announcing the death of the person, its address, the day and the hour of its burial according to a formula specifically to the city of Kairouan whose origin goes up to “Imam Sahnoun” (Renovater of the school of “Malikite” sect in Kairouan in 234 H).
Formerly, with sharp voice while circulating on feet in local markets.

سبحان من قد لا ينقضي دوامه سبحان من هده أحكامه سبحان من عنده مفاتح الغيب وهو علامه يا دوي العقول و الألباب و الفضل و الأداب و خير أمة أنزل علي نبيها الكتاب فمن أراد منكم الأجر و الثواب فليحضر الصلا ة علي...ابن المنعم المرحوم,,,يصلي عليه عند صلاة العصرالموت سبيل لا بد منه سبحان الحي الداء م الباقي بعد فناء خلقه مقبور بحومة...قرب...الله يثيبكم الله يا جركم الله يرحم الوالدين

The burial takes place in "jnah lakhdar" with a funerary marble stele bearing the name and the date of his/her birth and death. The deceased person is washed (purifying wash) and scented with special perfumes then surrounded by white shroud "Kfan".

If the deceased one had made the pilgrimage to “Mecca” or "Haj", he/she have brought this peace of clothing with him/her back home and save it to those final moments in which he/she is covered after the purification.

Before removal of the corpse, the family cries deeply with sincere tears, in the mean time they ask for "Smah" (forgiveness) while carrying a small kiss in the front head then it must be quickly buried.
The family and the close relatives accompany the corpse towards the mosque while going behind the funeral convoy "janaza". Where the "meddebs" direct the funeral process by stressing" rahman ya rahman hadha abdek...)

رحمان يا رحمان هدا عبد ك و اليو م يا رحمان قاصد فضلك

مولا ي صلي و سلم داء ما أبدا علي حسبك خير الخلق كله

People help each other to carry the stretcher "Naach" or "tabout" on the shoulders (offered by private individuals for the good reward and on which the name and the date of death of the deceased is written). In the cases of bachelor persons, they are carried straight forwardly on the shoulders without stretcher.
Since the seventies the corpses can be transported by a hearse. Passing cars are stopped in respect to the death for a moment; the people gathered in a coffee shops rise until the passage of the funeral passes. Only men accompany the funeral to the cemetery. The women remain at home to continue their tears and mourning.

The burial takes place either in the morning around 9:00 or in the afternoon around 16:00 after “El asr” prayer. At the cemetery and before the burial, a prayer is set facing the coffin "salat el maïet" (prayer of the dead).
During the burial process, one begins with the funeral praise "taâbin", one recites some verses of the Quran while making special "Doa" (wishes).
Once the dead is buried under the ground, they place him on his/her right side facing “Mecca” to be awaken "yougheth" "ya flan ibn flana" (Mr. so-and-so, he/she will be called by his/her first name followed exclusively by the first name of his/her mother as to tell him/her "kon ala ma konta alayhi fi dar eddounia... (to remain a believer in god and in his prophet Mohamed as you were on your regular life).

يا فلان ...ولد فلانهكن علي ما كنت علبه في دار الدنيا أشهد أن لا ا لاه الا الله و أن محمدا رسول الله و لقد رضيت بالله ربا و بالاسلام دينا

Then the family members of the deceased line up one beside the other in front of the principal door of the cemetery to receive the condolences. People say to each one with a sharp voice without handshaking “Barka fik" (blessing on you) and the other answers "Ibarek Fik". While the “meddebs” repeat in loop "God bless you and rewards you".

الله يثيبكم
الله يأجركم

During the first three days of mourning, the family of the deceased does not need to cook; they receive their meals known as "acha mit" from close relatives and neighbors.
People usually are very respectful during the death period even they are keenest enemies before. They do not miss such occasion to reconcile themselves. People can not come to a marriage invitation but with the death of close relative, friend or even a member of their family their presence is strictly personal and even rewarded by Allah "Thawab". People do not hesitate to take the plane and to go to a funeral. It is a spiritual and spontaneous solidarity with respect to death.
Among Muslims, death is only provisional. We believe in resurrection of dead and with the redemption.
The Quran mentions that at the Day of Judgment "hissab", dead people will rise to be judged by God. Those with good deeds will go to paradise "Jenna ", the others which made great sins and rejected the word of God will be condemned to the flames of fire "Jehannem".
The second day after the burial, the women come to the cemetery then every Friday to make a "Zyara" (occasion for the family to remember the life of the deceased, to maintain the burial and to sprinkle the grave with water).
In next “Aïd seghir" (after fasting Ramadan) or "El kebir" (festival of the sacrifice) the women installs a tent and makes charity for the poor (1st Aïd of the deceased).
People prevented from coming to the cemetery can present their condolences at the first commemoration of the dead "fark" (the good-bye) or "khoujat" (a label of Turkish origin refer to a Quran reader), the second or third day of death.
Sometimes it is necessary to await the second commemoration which comes on the 40th day after the death "Arbaïne" which is actually an old pharaonic tradition to make a last homage where the "meddebs" recruited for the circumstance come to recite all the Quran the night after the prayer "El Ichaa".
On serve exclusively the "Meddebs" a hearty meal, tea and coffee , then everyone else is served. Thus this commemoration buckles the ritual of death and mourning.
The same ceremony of commemoration will take place in one year "Al aâm".
Here, we summarize the social practices of the city of Kairouan concerning deaths and mourning as well as the funerary rituals which constitute a cultural tradition well established until our present time.

Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org