- Some Muslims consider death as transition from this life to the next life. During this life, Muslims try to maintain righteous conduct and perform regular prayers, as commanded by their holy scripture, the Koran. Some staunch Muslims believe that death is the time when the almighty God embraces good souls in heaven, while bad souls face humiliation in Hell.
- A popular Muslim religion's view on death is that the soul of a human being leaves the body when the person sleeps at night, and the same soul re-enters the body when the person wakes up in the morning. This belief might sound irrational, but it is well accepted by the Muslim community. However, according to Islamic Center of Blacksburg for Islamic Information & Education, death is the time when the soul of the dead person unites with the soul of almighty God.
- The human body comprises vital organs such as heart, lungs, brain and liver, and it cannot sustain life without their functioning. When the heart stops beating and breathing stops simultaneously, the person is declared dead, according to traditional view of the Muslim community. As soon as the family members of a dying person notice cessation of his heartbeat and absence of breathing, they deduce that the person is no more alive, and they start preparing for his burial.
- Developments in medical science, life-saving drugs, and technology continue to delay the death of sick and terminally ill patients, and consequently, there has been transformation in views about death within the Muslim community. A patient can continue to breathe and sustain life, even when the vital organs stop functioning temporarily, by using a life-support system. Muslims now agree with physicians' views on brain death that leads to no response from the patient in the presence of an external stimuli.
Transition
Separation of Soul and Body
Cessation of Cardiac and Respiratory Activities
Brain Death
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