CENTRAL JAVA — Dompet Dhuafa Central Java Branch (DD Central Java) held a training on funeral arrangements at Class IIA Women’s Correctional Institution Semarang and Ambarawa on Wednesday-Thursday (25-26/9/2024). This activity was held as an effort to increase public awareness and ability, especially prisoners, in handling corpses. The training is part of Dompet Dhuafa’s Prison Santri Development Programme, which is held in collaboration with these prisons.
For the Islamic community, funeral arrangements are a very important part. This is because it is part of a sense of solidarity between neighbours that has great rewards. As well as a form of condolence for the calamities that befall fellow Muslims.
The process of handling a corpse in Islamic law includes bathing, shrouding, praying, and burying the body. Thus, this training not only focuses on the religious aspect, but also has a significant impact in increasing community awareness and ability to deal with death.
On Wednesday (25/9/2024), DD Central Java carried out funeral training activities at the Class IIA Semarang Women’s Prison. Not long after, on Thursday (26/9/2024), a similar activity was held at the Ambarawa Class IIA Prison. The training was guided directly by Ustaz Pupu Syarifuddin, who is part of Cordofa (Dompet Dhuafa’s Corps of preachers) and has experience handling corpses with the Dompet Dhuafa Corpse Embalming Team (Barzah).
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Prisoners in both prisons seemed enthusiastic about this activity. They actively asked questions and did not leave their places until the event was over. This enthusiasm shows that the prisoners really need knowledge and skills in handling corpses, especially in dealing with unexpected deaths.
DD Central Java Branch Manager, Zaini Tafrikhan, stated that after this activity takes place, the prisoners are expected to have the provision to be useful in the community after serving their prison term. In addition, this activity is also a means for joint reflection and muhasabah by remembering the limited time of human life.
The Head of Development of Class IIA Ambarawa Correctional Facility, Agus Wijayanto, stated that his party felt helped and thanked DD Central Java for helping correctional institutions in providing guidance to prisoners with the implementation of this activity.
The Head of Binadik Section of Class IIA Semarang Women’s Prison, Mardiati Ningsih, also appreciated the Prison Santri Development Programme which not only raised esoteric religious themes with conventional methods, but also brought practical themes that were close to the community. One of them is the training of funeral arrangements.
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The funeral training activities carried out by Dompet Dhuafa Central Java at Class IIA Semarang Women’s Correctional Facility and Class IIA Ambarawa Correctional Facility have shown a significant positive impact. Prisoners have increased their knowledge and skills in handling corpses, as well as increased awareness of the importance of the process of handling corpses according to Islamic law.
In addition, this training has also helped correctional institutions in providing guidance to prisoners, so that they can be useful in the community after serving their prison terms. Thus, this funeral training activity is a good example in an effort to increase public awareness and ability to face death, as well as a means of reflection and muhasabah in view of the limited time of human life. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photo: Dompet Dhuafa Central Java
Editor: Ronna