The Washing Ritual
The essay titled The Washing by Reshma Memon Yaqub is a piece of writing that was done by the author with intentions of showing the diversity between the Islamic culture and the American culture. Having migrated from Pakistan to America with her family, the author still practiced Islam, which has a very different type of rituals when it came to funerals, which were nothing like the American rituals. In Islam, before a body is buried, there is a ritual of washing it together with its clothes. Yaqub performed the ritual to her Dadee, a woman she had met a few hours before her demise. Since Yaqub had never experienced such a thing in her life, it was frightening and hard for her at the beginning, but she got used to it later.
Throughout the essay, Yaqub illustrates the washing process in detail, which shows her spiritual connection and respect for her culture. The author of this easy wrote it with intentions of educating people on the important Islamic ritual, which might seem weird to some people. She also has the intention of making people know that funerals are not always supposed to be sad but less emotional and sincere as compared to the process of the washing. Yaqub aimed at making her readers acknowledge the gentleness and the spirituality of the Muslim culture and ensure that she tries to change the sad funeral American traditions.
I respect the traditions and rituals that every culture or religion has as it gives them identity. But my point of view, in this case, is that the ceremony was a little bit unnecessary mostly for Yaqub, who had only met the Dadee a few hours before as it was strange and might have been uncomfortable for her. If it is a must that the body should be washed, then the volunteers from the mosque should do it and not family members as it has a devastating effect on them. But also may be participating in the process of washing gives the family members more closure that a loved one has passed on and life has to continue.
Follow Up Questions
Do you believe that washing of a body can be considered as a type of purification before it is buried?
Do you believe that funerals should be less emotional, as Yaqub suggested in her essay?
Is it necessary to include the family members in the washing process even without them volunteering?
Do you think that the washing ritual gives family members closure and reduces their emotions during the funeral?
Should American funeral traditions emulate the Muslim culture and rituals in conducting their funerals?