During my father's funeral
About 26 years ago Obek Arshad was the one who read the Talkin at the funeral of my maternal grandfather and my dad. Similarly, he had done the same during the funeral of my maternal grandmother as well as his two brothers whom I used to call Obek Adnan and Obek Ali. Everytime Obek Arshad read the Talkin, a sense of remorse could be felt for all the unpleasant actions and wrongdoings that had been done in the past. With his stern, firm voice, he was able to send the message across into the minds of those who were present at the funeral listening to his Talkin speech. However, on Tuesday, 10th June 2008, 6 Jamadilakhir, he was the reason the Talkin was read at his funeral.
Generally, since the days of their forefathers, the Baweanese in Singapore have been practicing the reading of Talkin on the grave of a dead person after the burial is done. However, today there are some among them who considered the act to be bidaah and abandoned the practice. Some Muslims considered reading the Talkin is not only bidaah but, it is a form of deviation from the correct teaching of Islam because it was never done by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) nor by the four Caliph.
Ibnul Qayyim wrote in his book entitled 'Ar-Ruh' that there are some Ulama who think that Talkin is bad and without basis as the dead is not able to hear. Debating on this issue, he quoted a Hadith recorded by Abu Daud on an incident in which Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) attended a funeral. When the dead body was buried the Prophet (s.a.w.) had advised the dead person's relatives to supplicate for the dead to be strong in facing the reality of death because at that moment he (the dead person) was being questioned in his grave. Ibnul Qayyim argued that if the dead person could hear those questions in his grave, surely he could also hear the Talkin from his grave too.
Ibnul Qayyim also wrote that it was in the opinion of Imam Ahmad that reading Talkin to the dead on the grave after burial is a good thing to do. He also mentioned that Muslims in the past and present practiced it for the dead to hear and benefited from it.
What is Talkin actually about that there are many controversial issues on it?
Talkin is merely a speech made on the grave of a dead person after the burial. The purpose is to tell the dead that he is in the world of Barzakh facing the reality of death and will be questioned in the grave by the two angels, Mungkar and Nakir. To the living, the Talkin is a reminder that the world of Barzakh is real. It is a speech of advice, highlighting that this worldly life is not permanent and the need to be prepared for death is necessary. Every human being will face death eventually and the Talkin provides a reflection to the followers of Islam the importance to be good Muslims –one who is God-fearing and continuously seeking for Allah's (s.w.t.) guidance to lead him to the straight path of Siratal Mustaqeem, the safe path to be taken on the journey to the world of Hereafter.
Talkin has been practiced generation after generation that it had become a tradition. Due to this, some Muslims think that it is compulsory to read the Talkin. It should be known that in accordance to the Islamic rites in handling dead bodies, to read the Talkin is not an act of wajib. According to Islam, there are four compulsory things that need to be done when a person passed away. First, the dead body has to be cleaned and bathed. Second, it has to be wrapped in shroud. Third, Sholat has to be performed on it. Finally it has to be buried in the earth.
Personally I think that the Talkin is beneficial to all because it reminds us about the reality of death, the questions that will be asked in the grave and the fate of the souls while waiting for Resurrection Day. There is nothing wrong in giving advice, in fact it is a good act encouraged by Islam. Regardless of whether the Talkin is read or not is unimportant because the Talkin is not a requirement in Islam. What matters most is that, reading of the Talkin should not affect the observance of the Aqidah of an individual Muslim. It is important to know that the Talkin is not compulsory as it is not wajib in Islam. Hence according to Islam, there is nothing sinful for not practicing the reading of Talkin.
Ibnul Qayyim also wrote that it was in the opinion of Imam Ahmad that reading Talkin to the dead on the grave after burial is a good thing to do. He also mentioned that Muslims in the past and present practiced it for the dead to hear and benefited from it.
What is Talkin actually about that there are many controversial issues on it?
Talkin is merely a speech made on the grave of a dead person after the burial. The purpose is to tell the dead that he is in the world of Barzakh facing the reality of death and will be questioned in the grave by the two angels, Mungkar and Nakir. To the living, the Talkin is a reminder that the world of Barzakh is real. It is a speech of advice, highlighting that this worldly life is not permanent and the need to be prepared for death is necessary. Every human being will face death eventually and the Talkin provides a reflection to the followers of Islam the importance to be good Muslims –one who is God-fearing and continuously seeking for Allah's (s.w.t.) guidance to lead him to the straight path of Siratal Mustaqeem, the safe path to be taken on the journey to the world of Hereafter.
Talkin has been practiced generation after generation that it had become a tradition. Due to this, some Muslims think that it is compulsory to read the Talkin. It should be known that in accordance to the Islamic rites in handling dead bodies, to read the Talkin is not an act of wajib. According to Islam, there are four compulsory things that need to be done when a person passed away. First, the dead body has to be cleaned and bathed. Second, it has to be wrapped in shroud. Third, Sholat has to be performed on it. Finally it has to be buried in the earth.
Personally I think that the Talkin is beneficial to all because it reminds us about the reality of death, the questions that will be asked in the grave and the fate of the souls while waiting for Resurrection Day. There is nothing wrong in giving advice, in fact it is a good act encouraged by Islam. Regardless of whether the Talkin is read or not is unimportant because the Talkin is not a requirement in Islam. What matters most is that, reading of the Talkin should not affect the observance of the Aqidah of an individual Muslim. It is important to know that the Talkin is not compulsory as it is not wajib in Islam. Hence according to Islam, there is nothing sinful for not practicing the reading of Talkin.
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