By Mass L. Usuf –
Mass Usuf
Triple tragedy! Not being able to be close to your loved one at the time of his/her death. The death itself. Then, the undignified send off. These are the after-effects of a Covid-19 death. It is a deeply painful experience for the loved ones which no word dares to express. A feeling that will keep on upsetting you, renewing the grief each time and this will continue for quite some time after the loss. All of us are destined to die and die only once. Funerals are, therefore, unique as it takes place only once and it is overwhelming. Any stricken family normally tries to seek transitory consolation by ensuring that the loved person is given a dignified and memorable farewell. If this is also not possible, what can anyone do? Such are wickedly drowned in hopelessness, helplessness and extreme vulnerability unable to fulfil whatever is desired to the departed soul. This state further engulfs them with an inextricable sense of sorrow.
Before continuing further, in these most trying circumstances, it is very important that we recognise with honour and respect those in the frontline of this pandemic. The medics and all the ancillary services directly or indirectly engaged in the frontier. They are bravely fighting this ‘war’ on our behalf, you and me, obviously putting their life at high risk. We ought to remember that they too have families.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government being aware of this great danger are doing their best, the bureaucracy, the task forces and the various adhoc bodies that have been formed are all struggling in facing this challenge. Those persons in uniform and others are also rendering a huge service. So many others, all of whom cannot be named herein, deserve our prayers, well wishes and gratitude. Let us shed all our differences and collectively bond to face and overcome this scourge unitedly.
Sky Burial, Burial, Cremation
Almost everyone, some way or the other, is bounded by religion and religious traditions. Naturally, the disposal of a dead body is also bound by religious significance since the deceased has departed from his/her earthly sojourn. Beliefs, traditions, rituals and practices dictate as to how the dead has to be laid to rest. The ancient Zoroastrians believed that the burial or cremation of the corpse would pollute water and soil which was forbidden in their religion. Therefore, in India, a Parsi’s dead body is placed in a built-up place called a ‘Dakhma’ known as the Tower of Silence. Here birds of prey like vultures would devour it. This 3,000-year-old ritual is called ‘sky burial’.
The Tibetan Buddhists also practise Sky burials in their traditional methods of body disposals. It is their belief that such a disposal illustrates the impermanence (anicca) of life.
In Islam, the religious instruction is to bury the dead. Cremation is forbidden.
Today, in this crucial and challenging times, the third of the triple tragedy lies in the thought of a loved one being cremated. An absolutely unacceptable proposition to a Muslim or a Jew and for most Christians. It is unimaginable for a Muslim to allow his/her loved one to be cremated. This religious sentiment has to be recognised with humanity and mutual respect. It is not something new that is demanded but has been in practise for thousands of years as is in all religious traditions.
It must be emphasised that this prohibition in Islam is flexible. Islamic jurisprudence has provision for cremation if that is what is medically required for the common good of all the living beings – maṣlaḥah (public interest). Rationally, in addressing this topic, specific to burial, what needs to be looked at is the medical viewpoint.
Medical Science Considerations
Incubation: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the incubation period for the novel corona virus is estimated at 5 to 6 days, ranging from 0 to 14 days. When compared with the Ebola virus, the incubation period, or the time interval from infection to onset of symptoms, is from 2 to 21 days. Comparatively, Ebola virus is a high-risk contagion identified as a fatal disease.
Mortality Rates: The death rate for Ebola virus disease (formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever) can go up to 90%. The mortality rate of the new coronavirus is around 1% according to UK’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty. The World Health Organization’s director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, talked of 3.4%. (The Guardian, 24.03.2020).
Infection After Death: Levels of Ebola virus remain high after death, thus bodies of those who have died from Ebola virus disease must be handled only by people wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and must be buried immediately. WHO advises that bodies of people who may have died from Ebola virus disease should be handled only by trained burial teams, who are equipped to properly bury the dead, safely and with dignity.
In contrast, the after-death infection in Covid-19 is explained very clearly by the Royal College of Pathologists, U.K. It states as follows “with regard to the risk to Mortuary staff, it is greater from visitors than the deceased from the Covid-19.”
Burials: Ebola virus can persist in used needles, syringes or vials for several weeks. The virus can persist in the body fluids of survivors for many months, and can be transmitted well after recovery, or in rare cases can result in relapse – as we have already seen during the outbreak. Despite the high-risk levels of the Ebola virus disease 26,000 safe and dignified BURIALS had been conducted as per the remarks by Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall (World Health Organization Assistant Director-General, Emergency Response, 6 March 2020 Statement).
From a medical science point of view burial of a covid-19 corpse has been accepted.
Countries Which Allow Burials
The protocols for BURIAL of the deceased of the Covid-19 are already in place in several countries.
NSW Government, Australia: In the Statement on handling of bodies by funeral directors, it said that “Funeral directors and mortuary personnel are unlikely to contract COVID-19 from deceased persons infected with the virus, however the following precautionary strategies should be used to minimise public health risks and to prevent spread of disease:
Nevada, USA: At this time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that decedents with COVID-19 may be BURIED or cremated according to the family’s preferences. The state of Nevada specifically clarified and said “Decedents with COVID-19 can be buried or cremated.” (National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), 23.03.2020)
Malaysia: Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has issued strict orders on how to prepare covid-19 bodies for BURIAL. (THESTAR, 24.03.2020).
India: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has issued these guidelines for its citizens with regard to protocols to be followed in the case of BURIALS.
United Kingdom: The National Burial Council has been working with Public Health England to best plan for facilitating the BURIAL of Muslims who pass away from COVID-19. In answer to the question, “What is the UK Government position on enforced cremation?”, the following was the reply.
“On 23 March, the UK Government has confirmed that the emergency legislation to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic will now recognise the importance of ensuring faith communities are able to bury the deceased instead of cremating in the event of significant deaths due to Coronavirus. The legislation has now made clear that enforced cremation against the wishes of the individual, will not take place when there are burial facilities available.
Europe: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Technical Report: Decedents with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can be BURIED or cremated as usual. (Stockholm: ECDC; 2020).
An examination of these precedents will help us to formulate our local policy in this regard. It is very clear that there is no danger to public in burying the dead from Covid-19. Of course, the final wish of the deceased and/or the family members have to be respected. Anyone who wishes to be cremated, such wish has to be carried out. In any event, a Muslim’s wish will always be a burial. Those who died of the Ebola virus disease had been buried even though it was a more infectious virus. In comparison, there should not be an issue in burying the decedents of the Covid-19 virus. However, it is extremely important that guidelines for handling covid-19 bodies are strictly followed.
Amarasiri / March 27, 2020
Mr. Mass Usuf
RE: Burial Practices and COVID-19
“Before continuing further, in these most trying circumstances, it is very important that we recognise with honour and respect those in the frontline of this pandemic. The medics and all the andcillary services directly or indirectly engaged in the frontier. They are bravely fighting this ‘war’ on our behalf, you and me, obviously putting their life at high risk. We ought to remember that they too have families. “
Yes, but don’t forget the virologists, biologists, immunologists and the other scientists who will ultimately win this war of viral RNA.
“The ancient Zoroastrians believed that the burial or cremation of the corpse would pollute water and soil which was forbidden in their religion. “
“In Islam, and Judaism as well, the instructions are to bury the dead. Not cremation “
These burial practices were dictated by the environment, and ingrained in the religions and cultural beliefs. In the dry Middle East, it it far more environmentally friendly to bury than cremate. Burial, will give the energy contained in the body back to the microorganisms in the soil. The problem with COVID-19 bodies is that will it out at risk those who are handling the bodies, and lead to further contamination. It is all about the living. The soul of the dead, based on belief, has already left.
Irrespective of the various practices and beliefs impacted by the environment in which humans live. it is the safety of those living that matters, and that is what evolution and natural selection dictates. Remember only about 2 to 5 percent die, and the others are “immunized “ by the virus ,until a vaccine is developed, by the scientists, not the monks, Priests and the Ulama..
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Asgar / March 27, 2020
Cremation can cause extreme smoke pollution.
scientific evidence that crematoriums produce dangerous pollutants which are linked with serious health problems, especially for children. These pollutants include mercury, dioxins, dibenzofurans, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrogen chloride.
In 2010, the United States Environmental Protection Agency stated that toxins are released into the environment through the cremation of human bodies. The most dangerous of these is mercury. During the cremation process, the mercury in the body becomes vaporized into a colorless, odorless gas. Even the new state-of-the-art facility that Galbreaith-Pickard wants to build is not capable of filtering the mercury vapors out of the exhaust from the smokestack.
Mercury is especially dangerous in this heated vaporized form because when it is inhaled, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the brain and other organs. Even very small amounts of mercury can be dangerous. The EPA confirms that there are serious health effects from even low-level exposure to mercury.
Young children and unborn babies are the most vulnerable because their brains and nervous systems are still developing. Studies done by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that close proximity to sources of mercury release were associated with increases in learning disabilities, autism and special education rates. Adults can also develop problems with the brain and nervous system, as well as the lungs, kidneys and immune system.
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Amarasiri / March 28, 2020
Asgar,
Agree that cremation compared to burial is not environmentally friendly. However, under extraordinary conditions, like with the COVID-19, that is very infectious, one needs to protect those who handle the body. Besides, it is not known for how long the virus will last in the dead body, as the virus is not living, but a biological program with RNA.
However, religious beliefs, should not be the basis for burial.
So far, there is no conclusive data or evidence that anybody has got to Nirvana, Nibbana or Heaven. They all are just beliefs, aided by consistent brainwashings.
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00 owl / April 2, 2020
I think you read too many comic books
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Lanka Perera / March 28, 2020
Muslims must learn to conform to civic responsibilities without citing religious beliefs to circumvent them. When government ordered that people should not congregate in order to prevent spread of disease, other religions observed it and cancelled service in their places of worship, but Muslims chose to disobey and have prayer at mosques. When government ordered that all dead bodies due to Corona virus be cremated according to the practice adopted in other serious infectious diseases, people of other religions who bury their dead decided to conform to it, but Muslims want to continue to bury. Government takes steps in order to protect all its citizens. A good example is when a person is murdered the law says that the body must be buried so that it could be exhumed if necessary at a later date. People of religions who cremate their dead, never objected to it. It is clear that Muslims want to be treated as a special entity from the rest. It is time that all other religions get together and tell Muslims where to get off.
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Nosey Parker / March 28, 2020
Mr . Usuff has craftily tried to build a case for continued special privileges for his community . It’s time our administration woke up to the fact that the law of the land should apply equally to all citizens irrespective of caste creed or religion particularly at a time of s national crisis.
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Mohd / March 28, 2020
Don’t bother these things. Mass Usuf usually writes useless things to show the capacity of his brain to the world, this is another piece of him. This time, there are other useless Muslim writers seem to have joined expressing the same. How idiotic it is to ask special privilege at a time like this? Typical selfish Muslim fellows, it is not their honest concerns, but trying to earn a name from gullible people through easy ways.
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You few mass selfish buggers, you worry so much about a Muslim’s last rites, ever worried about the person when he was alive? When a living Muslim does drug business, you’re fine with it, don’t tell him it is against Islam. When he dies, and the govt want to cremate him for whatever reason, you jump in to say it is not Islamic? I am a Muslim too
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Sumeda / April 2, 2020
Why are you cherry picking the guidelines of WHO?
Please advice !
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Amarasiri / March 28, 2020
Mass Usuf,
COVID-19 is vey egalitarian. Praying , prostrating to monks etc have no effect. However, avoiding getting infected by social distancing etc. will have an effect.
Unfortunately there are many imbeciles. Given below is an example of Sri Lankan Muslim imbeciles. Praying in a congregation, putting the forehead and nose on the carpet give easy assesses to the virus to the nose and the respiratory system,
Is stupidity s virtue for some Muslims guided by their imbecile Ulama and Moulavis? Fortunately, not all Muslims are that stupid, thanks to the Gaussian distribution.
A group of 18 devotees who participated in a prayer meeting at a mosque in Kivilekada, Horowpathana have been arrested on charges of violating curfew.
The group had been arrested following a tip-off received by the Police. At least 80 devotees attended the prayer meeting, Police said. However only 18 devotees had been arrested as the others had fled the scene, upon the arrival of the Police and other government officials.
The Maulavi and the President of the mosque had also been among those arrested. The duo were granted police bail following severe warnings.
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Amarasiri / March 28, 2020
Mr. Mass Usuf,
The mean measured IQ of Sri Lanka is 79. So, there are a lot of imbeciles. Given below is a report of the arrests of the imbeciles.
Earlier, they arrested 18 Muslim imbeciles congregating in a Mosque and potentially spreading the Egalitarian COVID-19 virus, out of 80, and the other imbeciles ran away from police.
The imbeciles should have run away from the virus. Idiots.
Over 5,000 arrested, says police.
In a statement, police said those who violate the curfew will be immediately arrested, even without a warrant, and legal action will be taken against them.
According to the Police, a majority of the arrests were for loitering along the roads while people have also been arrested over incidents of gathering and consuming alcohol, travelling by vehicle on the roads, keeping restaurants open, behaving in an unruly manner on the roads while intoxicated and engaging in trading.
The government imposed an island-wide curfew since Friday with the intention of minimizing public movement in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in the country.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / March 27, 2020
Here’s a video of Indian Police distributing Corona Medication to Muslim law breakers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snMl0XcSzOU
LOL! Time SL follow suit.
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Leelagemalli / March 27, 2020
SHEMALE@
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What is being displayed on the VIDEO is what you guys did it with Notherners right. That comes that close to your thoughts, you guys were no better. Bps now in power would even go an extramile to hurt own people, but the background created by Good governance govt, would not let them… abuse the nation the way Hindians would do.
:
Uncivilized south asia would sink in all problems, and civilization is still new to them.
If any european POLICE officers reacted that way, entire world would cite HITLERs nazi era. So please dont amuse by having watched the kind of medieval acts … of the barabarians.
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Eagle Eye / March 28, 2020
Despite your laborious efforts, your comment is pure gobbledygook. Learn some basic English language before writing comments or stick to your native tongue
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Baskaran / April 1, 2020
What a sack load of sewerage from someone struggling to portray his English; get a life you gobsmack!
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Amarasiri / March 28, 2020
Mass Usuf,
Hope Sri Lankan Muslims are not as idiotic as the Indian Muslims.
The police by caning the stupid Muslims, probably saved them and many others from COVID-19.
The idiotic Ulama should take the lead and tell the Muslims, that the virus is very egalitarian, and that other than isolation, prayers, purith noolas etc. will not have any effect.
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Lanka Perera / March 28, 2020
Police at Horowapatana should have done the same.
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Amarasiri / March 29, 2020
Lanka Perera,
Over 5,000 imbeciles have been arrested for their own good,
The imbeciles are so so stupid, they do not know it.
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rbh / March 28, 2020
Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera
Males and females and those who opposed for covering face and abiding the covering policy, Virus is teaching the modesty , Exposer is understood for flushing Toxic impurities
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Jay Chambers / March 27, 2020
The only acceptable way to dispose of the cadaver is to dispose of it in the most hygienic manner, to prevent those who are still alive being infected from whatever caused the death in the first place. In times like these when the Corona virus from Wuhan is causing mass death the only acceptable way to dispose of the bodies is by hygienic means and that is always by incineration. If conditions deteriorate in Lanka then they should follow the hygienic guidelines and not special treatment expected by Moslems. Also, the writer must answer how the Easter Sunday murderers were able to blow themselves up, in strict Islamic tradition, and maybe one way to dispose of Moslem bodies is to gather them and dynamite the whole lot? Would that be acceptable?
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ekelbroom / March 27, 2020
ONE
The question of ‘cremation’ is not addressed directly in the Holy Quran or in any of the Hadeeth texts. Scholars have by using a judicious mix of Prophetic sayings arrived at the conclusion that ‘cremation’ is haram for Muslims under any and all circumstances.
If it was deemed to be Haram under all circumstances by the Almighty (swt) and the Holy Prophet (sal), would it not have earned a mention in the Quran and/or the Hadith where even the ban on the consumption of pork and alcoholic beverages has been mentioned ?
The issue appears to have resulted by the extension of a prohibited practice under ‘normal circumstances’ to include ‘any and all circumstances’.
The situation demands that instead of using taqlid (blind obedience), the local Muslims engage in some critical thinking to resolve this issue. Our actions should not be perceived or interpreted as being against the best interests of our motherland, especially at a time of national crisis. In these extremely sensitive times, the urging of the Holy Prophet (sal) that we use Consultation (shura) and Consensus (ijma) to resolve our problems has much relevance and must be heeded.
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ekelbroom / March 27, 2020
TWO
Burial-at-sea- is forbidden for Muslims. But if a Muslim dies at sea and if it is going to take a long time to bring the body home, wouldn’t the Muslims follow the instructions of the Prophet (sal) to “Hasten the burial” (Bukhari 1315) and do the needful while still at sea ?
And what about all those Muslims who may have been killed and burned (cremated) by their enemies during war over the past 1400 years ? Will they be treated as ‘non-Muslims’ by the Almighty (swt) ?
The more progressive Islamic Scholars have deemed that while cremation is forbidden for Muslims under normal conditions, the only exception is if the person died due to a contagious disease (which is not ‘normal’). Simple logic dictates that there must be exceptions such as in the case of burial-at-sea.
And what about the performance of ghusl on the corpse (bathing) without which burial is considered haram ? Are the local Muslims also insisting that they be permitted by the authorities to bathe the Covid 19 infected corpse in accordance with Islamic rituals ?
Are Muslim Sri Lankans able to distinguish between ‘normal circumstances’ and ‘all circumstances’ ?
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” – Galileo Galilei
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Abdul Kader / March 27, 2020
Mass Usuf & Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera,
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“An examination of these precedents will help us to formulate our local policy in this regard. It is very clear that there is no danger to public in burying the dead from Covid-19”
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When you both had all the freedom to roam around freely, you guys acted “pissu-double” wage. For the god’s sake, Mass, you don’t write articles, and Regio.., you don’t write comments.
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K. M. Asgar / March 27, 2020
Cremation can cause extreme smoke pollution.
scientific evidence that crematoriums produce dangerous pollutants which are linked with serious health problems, especially for children. These pollutants include mercury, dioxins, dibenzofurans, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrogen chloride.
In 2010, the United States Environmental Protection Agency stated that toxins are released into the environment through the cremation of human bodies. The most dangerous of these is mercury. During the cremation process, the mercury in the body becomes vaporized into a colorless, odorless gas. Even the new state-of-the-art facility that Galbreaith-Pickard wants to build is not capable of filtering the mercury vapors out of the exhaust from the smokestack.
Mercury is especially dangerous in this heated vaporized form because when it is inhaled, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the brain and other organs. Even very small amounts of mercury can be dangerous. The EPA confirms that there are serious health effects from even low-level exposure to mercury.
Young children and unborn babies are the most vulnerable because their brains and nervous systems are still developing. Studies done by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that close proximity to sources of mercury release were associated with increases in learning disabilities, autism and special education rates. Adults can also develop problems with the brain and nervous system, as well as the lungs, kidneys and immune system.
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K. M. Asgar / March 27, 2020
Cremation can cause extreme smoke opollution.
scientific evidence that crematoriums produce dangerous pollutants which are linked with serious health problems, especially for children. These pollutants include mercury, dioxins, dibenzofurans, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrogen chloride.
In 2010, the United States Environmental Protection Agency stated that toxins are released into the environment through the cremation of human bodies. The most dangerous of these is mercury. During the cremation process, the mercury in the body becomes vaporized into a colorless, odorless gas. Even the new state-of-the-art facility that Galbreaith-Pickard wants to build is not capable of filtering the mercury vapors out of the exhaust from the smokestack.
Mercury is especially dangerous in this heated vaporized form because when it is inhaled, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the brain and other organs. Even very small amounts of mercury can be dangerous. The EPA confirms that there are serious health effects from even low-level exposure to mercury.
Young children and unborn babies are the most vulnerable because their brains and nervous systems are still developing. Studies done by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that close proximity to sources of mercury release were associated with increases in learning disabilities, autism and special education rates. Adults can also develop problems with the brain and nervous system, as well as the lungs, kidneys and immune system.
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Asgar / March 27, 2020
Cremation can cause extreme smoke opollution.
scientific evidence that crematoriums produce dangerous pollutants which are linked with serious health problems, especially for children. These pollutants include mercury, dioxins, dibenzofurans, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrogen chloride.
In 2010, the United States Environmental Protection Agency stated that toxins are released into the environment through the cremation of human bodies. The most dangerous of these is mercury. During the cremation process, the mercury in the body becomes vaporized into a colorless, odorless gas. Even the new state-of-the-art facility that Galbreaith-Pickard wants to build is not capable of filtering the mercury vapors out of the exhaust from the smokestack.
Mercury is especially dangerous in this heated vaporized form because when it is inhaled, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the brain and other organs. Even very small amounts of mercury can be dangerous. The EPA confirms that there are serious health effects from even low-level exposure to mercury.
Young children and unborn babies are the most vulnerable because their brains and nervous systems are still developing. Studies done by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that close proximity to sources of mercury release were associated with increases in learning disabilities, autism and special education rates. Adults can also develop problems with the brain and nervous system, as well as the lungs, kidneys and immune system.
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JD / March 27, 2020
I have seen Photos from Italy in which some people brought the coffin of a dead individual to the place where firmly was living. But the coffin was closed and one woman cried keeping head the coffin but she could not see the face of the dead individual. You know EBOLA was highly infectious and it existed and exist only some african country. It was out of control until they separated disease individuals from the living.
In the west, in all these countries, Even Colombo has it, for health reason, they do not take the coffin with the dead body home. It is not opened even at the time of conducting religious offerings. Evan in the funeral house, the body can be seen only in a isolated room. If muslims want burial, govt has to keep guards to see that coffin is not opened at all. For the benefit of the living, coffin should not be allowed in homes. Even in the mosque, it should be outside disinfected and must be sealed for the benefit if living.
But, remember, so far Sri Lanka has been very lucky. It continues that way, if people listen to what the authorities say. Just behave.
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Eagle Eye / March 27, 2020
“An examination of these precedents will help us to formulate our local policy in this regard”
Maas Usuf is being a typical Muslim in wanting the best of both worlds for benefit of his community. Of the countries he quotes, Australia including NSW, USA, UK and Europe does not recognise polygamy (Muslim men in those countries may not have more than one wife) and marriage of girls who are minors. Sri Lanka should examine laws in those countries and abolish MMDA.
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Rajash / March 27, 2020
HI Mass Usuf – Burial or Cremation – which is more comforting to the loved ones who have lost a father, mother, husband, wife, son, daughter, girl friend, boy friend , bread winner.
in this time of deaths in mass scale all over the world —is it a subject worth debating?
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Shamil / March 27, 2020
NO ONE has died or will die from Covid 19 in Sri Lanka , as the virus mutates to mild in hot and humid tropical climates!
When will folks like Mass Ulaf or or this Amarasiri clown wake up and focus on the main point?!
Sri Lanka needs to stop over-reacting and locking down the whole population to boost the GMOA doctors egos and Rajapaksa brothers grip on power.A country cannot be locked down forever, on the stupid instructions of GMOA and Rajapaksa brothers and WHO?
Lock downs delay but do NOT prevent infections as epidemiologists have said.
The policy should be to let ‘herd immunity’ happen in the hot season, by controlled spread in the population so folks develop anti-bodies to Covid 19
GMOA is also paid by big drug companies and is part of the Rajapaksa brothers power base and is slavishly following the WHO which is also funded by big drug companies that will benefit from vaccine in the future and until then is Sri Lanka to be locked down till the vaccine is out?!!!
Miracle of Modayas. UK is going for herd immunity and most of the population has had it including the PM, Prince Charles etc.
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Abhaya Premawardena / March 28, 2020
look if the Christians can follow these steps during a crisis so can you. Your religion does not get any priority into admission into heaven with the virus
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Hamlet / March 28, 2020
I am sure that prophet Mohamed would have consulted God, and decreed that In the current Situation, Cremation is the best Option.
God would have advised Cremation, as that would require the least Handling, and so cause the least amount of Spread of the Disease!
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Good Sense / March 28, 2020
The author of this article after a lengthy analysis, including an appreciation of the health personnel and the risk they face, makes a case for the burial of victims who are Muslims citing precedents elsewhere. Sri Lanka still practices the old British theory that a dead body is allowed a funeral entirely at the discretion of the state and not as a matter of right. In fact the death certificate briefly specifies how the body should be disposed. Under such circumstances a specification for the disposal of those dead out of COVID 19 is a prerogative of the State. In exercising such a prerogative it is not a bad idea to consider the sensitivities of various communal groups although the law is the same for everyone. A person could be dead and gone but if those who live feel that the dead was not given the proper funeral rites then we breed frustration amongst the society. In short it is fully worth for the authorities to study the practices of other territories in disposing the COVID 19 dead bodies.
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Eagle Eys / March 28, 2020
Also fully worth to study practices of other territories and abolish MMDA as few non-Muslim majority countries permit it, don’t you think so Good Sense???
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rbh / March 28, 2020
Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera
Males and females and those who opposed for covering face and abiding the covering policy, Virus is teaching the modesty , Exposer is understood for flushing Toxic impurities
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T. Vartharajan / March 28, 2020
Is leaving the dead body of the faithful out to as food to animals not allowed in your religion/
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Consider.
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Because life on earth is much bigger than the Muslims.
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rbh / March 28, 2020
Virus power is overtaking the all intelligent , This is gods power. When all afraid of sneezes or cough overtaking the science and people power. the pandemic has brought the world down to its knees. Not only developing countries like India, even the developed nations like the US are struggling to keep up with the speed at which the deadly disease is spreading,
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kali / March 28, 2020
*** I am shocked but not surprosed at some of the comments from people such as the RETARDED Reginald Shamal Perera who stuck up for the friend of a Jaffna man who critisised the LTTE. I dont not understand his intentions.
But this coming from Gotha LOVERS, WELL WISHERS and SYMPATHIZERS and this includes ordinary RACISTS , ACADEMICS PROFESSORS so not surprising.
The State LYING Machine is putting out messages such as 2nd 3rd so on CORONA Free day. This is the GOSL which lied about the number of Tamils the Sri Lankan army illed and then the man at he helm now admitting that they are all dead. In my view in Sri Lanka there are thousands who are infectedan hundreds who are dead if not thousands . Many are ferried to Tamil Araes to infect Tamils.
The Country is ruled by by a man who is on DEATH ROW who PARDONED a WAR CRIMINAL who is on DEATH ROW in defiance of the Highest Court in the Land.. I am disgusted and Sinkala Lanka should be ashamed. .
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Rationalist / April 3, 2020
Once a person dies , family ,relatives & friends grieve over the death but dead person does not see or hear that. However, any Corona virus on the dead body still alive & well and awaiting to get across to whoever handles the body. One need to question seriously whether the dead person wants to be remembered as the one who caused misery to his/her family and the society at large by transferring a lethal dose of the virus.
COVID-19 is causing havoc all over the world irrespective of how affluent you are. Developing poor country like Srilanka has to adopt a rigorous means like universal cremation across all faiths to restrict spread of this dreaded disease.
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Ramya Wickremeratne / April 3, 2020
I’ve read a lot to understand why the government of Sri Lanka acted in this manner to cremate the bodies of the 2 Muslims against the wishes of their family. I personally think that the govt. should have come forward and expressed their views. But sometimes it may be difficult for them to express some of the views I wish to indicate below,
(1) In Sri Lanka, we find unruliness and indiscipline most times at various events and occasions. Its very visible when it comes to elections, rallies, protest marches, on the roads, etc., So given that there are more rule breakers, which is very visibly seen via the statistics provided with regard to curfew violations, the govt. should have taken this decision in the best interest of the masses. Infact, when there was a request not to hold any group gatherings, it was violated by a few Muslims in Horowpathana. One violation is adequate for the govt. to impose strict controls against all the others. Why do most foreign nations request Sri Lankans to obtain visa when visiting their country ? Its because of a few violators in the past and the attitude of some Sri Lankans, the rest have to face the consequence.
(2) In Sri Lanka the cremation was handled by the govt. and not the funeral service providers. The govt. did not trust the funeral service providers / family to have handled the situation as per strict guidelines required in the current situation. Also, I am not sure whether there was a doubt as to whether adequate expertise is available with those who performed the act, and hence, in the best interest of the masses to prevent infecting those many more people and to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, the govt. would have based its decision to cremate.
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