In most of the western world, when somebody dies, the family hire a funeral agency that assists and takes care of all the funeral arrangements such as: the preparation of the body (clean, dress, makeup and hair), to be the most presentable possible, to not shock the family; the selection of the coffin; the grave; the inscriptions of the stone, the photo, the choice of the grave stone; the candles; the church ; the funeral cards; the transportation of the deceased to the church and to the cemetery; everything needed.
With everything taken care of, the deceased will stay in the church that day and night, where all the family and friends will gather for the last goodbye.
In the next day, the body is taken, in the funeral car, to the cemetery, in a slow step, followed by foot of the closest family.
The family will, normally, wear black or dark clothes and bring with them flowers to leave in the grave.
Some richest families build a small "house", where all the coffins of the family will be resting, in shelves.
In Jordan, the muslim funeral ceremony is very different.
When somebody dies, the family will decide if the deceased will go from the hospital directly to the cemetery, or to home for the wake.
If the body goes directly from the hospital to the cemetery, it will be washed and wrapped in the hospital.
If it goes to the home of the family, the body will be washed and wrapped in a white "sheet" by the family. If it's a woman, the face will be also wrapped.
If it goes to the home of the family, the body will be washed and wrapped in a white "sheet" by the family. If it's a woman, the face will be also wrapped.
The deceased will be sitting in the house, for the family members and friends say the last goodbye, until the afternoon prayer. At that time, the body will be transported in a family or rented "van" to the cemetery.
Just the men will follow the body to the cemetery, where the body will be unwrapped and delivered naked, directly, to the grave, that the family dug themselves or paid somebody to do it.
Instead of coffin, the body will be surrounded by stones and covered with soil.
It will have a stone engraved with the name and lifetime dates.
During the burial, a Imam, arranged by the family, will perform prayers.
During the burial, a Imam, arranged by the family, will perform prayers.
The wake will last 3 days.
Men and women will, normally, wear black clothes and have separated wakes.
Men and women will, normally, wear black clothes and have separated wakes.
Men will rent a tend outside and will provide food and tea for the guests.
Women will have the wake inside the house and will, also, provide food for the family and friend during the entire days.
