Daily Life In The Ottoman Empire (42 page)

For Muslims, a grave was a “halting place” for the soul of
the deceased, while it was interrogated by the two angels, Nekir and Munker,
who guarded the gates of heaven and appeared as soon as the dead had entered
the grave. They asked the dead to sit up and prepare for a harsh interrogation.
This explains why, after the mourners had dispersed, the imam remained by the
grave to assist with the interrogation of the dead. The two angels questioned
the newly deceased on his faith by asking: “Who is your God? What is your
religion? And, who is this man?” The man in the third question was the prophet
Muhammad who was shown to the dead. If the deceased had been a true believer
and a devout Muslim during his life, he answered the first question by stating
that his creator was Allah (God), the second by saying that Islam was his
religion, and the third by recognizing Muhammad and declaring him to be the
true messenger of God.

If the deceased had been “lax” in performing his religious
duties, according to Muslim belief, at the time of questioning he would forget
the basic tenets of his faith and fail to answer the questions. Failure to
provide the two angels with correct answers condemned the dead to eternal
torment and torture. The two angels beat the condemned with iron mallets and
filled the grave with snakes and scorpions. On the other hand, those who passed
the test and convinced the interrogating angels of their faith were allowed to
rest until the day of resurrection and enjoy the fragrance of paradise. On the
Day of Judgment, all were raised from the dead and judged once again according
to their deeds on earth, before being forced to walk over the bridge of Sirat
that stood over the fire of hell and led ultimately to paradise. The evildoers
slipped and fell into the fires and torments of hell while the innocent crossed
the bridge with ease and dignity. Those who were guaranteed a safe passage over
the bridge included infants, soldiers who had fought and died in the name of
Islam, and all those who had perished during a plague.

The mourning ceremonies of the living varied from one
religious community to another, with each practicing its own unique mourning
and funeral rites, customs, and traditions. In many Muslim communities,
relatives and close friends observed a mourning period during which they
received visitors expressing their grief and condolences. Those in grief
dressed in black and avoided jewelry or brightly colored and decorative
clothing. If “the deceased” was “well-to-do,” alms were paid to the poor and “specially
prepared dishes, consisting chiefly of pastry and stewed fruits,” were sent “to
the houses of friends” and distributed among the poor “in return for which
their prayers” were “requested for the soul of the departed.” On the 7th and
the 40th day after the funeral these activities repeated and “ceremonies of
commemoration were held.” Widows were expected to mourn for a much longer
period. During this time, a widow was not allowed to remarry, move from her
house, or wear jewelry and colorful dresses.

In some parts of Albania, the natives mourned their dead
relatives for many years. Every Sunday, all the relatives of the deceased
gathered in a house and paid professional mourners who would weep and wail.
When they had finished their lamentation, the host prepared “various pastries,
including . . . saffron-flavored sweets to be distributed in town from house to
house . . . free of charge to rich and poor alike and to all travelers and
sojourners . . . for the sake of spirits.” Immediately following the death of a
loved one, Albanian families performed many of the same rituals as other
families in the empire. After the funeral, the family of the deceased
distributed money and gifts among the poor. They also prepared dishes of food
as well as pastry that were sent to the homes of relatives, friends, neighbors,
and the poor—who were asked to pray for the soul of the dead. Two other
memorials were organized on the 7th and 40th day after the funeral.

In the daily life of the Ottoman state, many met a violent
death. Those members of the sultan’s household who had been condemned to death
were first imprisoned before they were strangled in secrecy and neither their
heads nor bodies were displayed publicly. Rebels and enemy leaders, however,
were beheaded or hanged publicly to cause them disgrace and humiliation.

About the Author

MEHRDAD
KIA is the associate provost for international programs and the director of the
Central and Southwest Asian Studies Center at the University of Montana.