Death & Burial Arrangements

UPON DEATH: Those with the deceased are encouraged to remain calm, pray for the departed, and begin preparations for burial. The eyes of the deceased should be closed, the two hands resting closely at the sides, the two feet placed closely in to each other and the body covered temporarily with a clean sheet. It is forbidden to those in mourning to excessively wail, scream, or thrash about. Grief is normal when one has lost a loved one, and it is natural and permitted to shed tears.

Muslims strive to bury the deceased as soon as possible after death, avoiding the need for embalming or otherwise disturbing the body of the deceased. An autopsy may be performed, if necessary, but should be done with the utmost respect for the dead.

Currently, Ottawa Muslim Association and Jami Omar are the two (2) Muslim organizations in Ottawa assisting families with funeral services in the Ottawa region. These services includes: a) Help filling out the necessary forms and making the necessary arrangements, b) Help transporting the body from home/hospital to the said funeral facility, b) Taghseel (i.e. washing of the body), c) Takfeen (i.e. preparing of the body),           d) provide casket, Kafan and all other necessary items,  f) Provide cold storage in case of delayed burial,  g) Janaza prayers, and h) Help transport the body to the cemetery.

  • If death occurs at home:Call your family doctor (or the last doctor the patient had seen) for a home visit (for the due process) and issuance of a Medical Certificate of Death (Form 16) or call 911 and the body will be transported by an ambulance to the Hospital where after the due process a Medical Certificate of Death (Form 16) will be issued and the body will remain in the Morgue until the other formalities are completed.
  • If death occurs in the Hospital: Hospital will complete the due process and issue a Medical Certificate of Death (Form 16) and the body will remain in the Morgue until the other formalities are completed.
  • The Ottawa Muslim Association will provide a Statement of Death (Form 15)
  • Contact the Ottawa Muslim Cemetery for information about the purchase of the burial plot at 613-851-7444 or visit their website at this link http://muslimcemetery.ca/
  • Form 16, Medical Certificate of Death will be obtained from the hospital upon the pickup of the body by the OMA’s funeral director. Upon completion of all documents the funeral director will take them to the City get the burial permit.
  • Please note that the cemetery will onlyopen the grave upon issuance of burial-permit by the City.