Life Is Temporary A death has occurred

Home · A death has occurred · New York

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn. Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return. Qurʾān, al-Baqarah 2:156

When a Muslim dies in New York

You do not have to do this alone, or all at once. Your masjid has done this many times. Follow the steps in order, and open each one when you reach it.

Ink drawing of a folded white cloth on a wooden bench beside a sprig of red sidr leaves.

As soon as you can, call your masjid’s funeral committee.They will arrange the washing, the shroud, the prayer and the burial, and tell you which funeral home to use.

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Who to call in New York All listings in New York
What New York law says
Death certificate filing
The funeral director files the death certificate with the local registrar where the death happened, and the death must be registered within 72 hours. Ask the funeral home to confirm the certificate has been filed so the burial permit can be issued. N.Y. Public Health Law §§ 4140, 4142
Ordering death certificates
Outside New York City, certified death certificates come from the New York State Department of Health's Vital Records Section. If the death happened in one of the five boroughs, order from the NYC Health Department's Office of Vital Records instead. Where to Write for Vital Records: New York
Embalming and refrigeration
Embalming is not always required by law in New York, and the funeral home must tell you when it is actually necessary. Refrigeration and prompt burial can avoid the need for it, so ask the funeral home before agreeing to embalming. Funeral services: Know your rights
Objecting to an autopsy
A surviving relative or friend can object to an autopsy because it is against the deceased's religious beliefs, and the coroner or medical examiner generally must then not perform one. An autopsy can still go ahead in a homicide investigation, for an immediate public-health threat, or if a court allows it, usually after a 48-hour wait. N.Y. Public Health Law § 4210-c
Small estates
If the person left personal property (not real estate) worth $50,000 or less, the family can use a simpler small-estate process called voluntary administration through the Surrogate's Court. Ask the Surrogate's Court in the county where the person lived about the forms. N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 1301

From official New York sources, checked October 2026. Laws change; your funeral home and an estate attorney can confirm them.

0 of 37 done

  1. Have the death pronounced

    In the first hour · 0 of 3

    A death has to be confirmed before anything else can happen.

  2. Close the eyes, cover the body, make duʿā

    In the first hour · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 4

    Gently and without hurry. Those present can do this while the calls are made.

  3. Call the masjid’s funeral committee

    In the first few hours · 0 of 3

    They arrange the washing, the shroud, the prayer and the burial, and usually know which funeral home to use.

  4. Ask whether a coroner is involvedPaperwork

    If the death was sudden · 0 of 3

    After an unexpected death a coroner or medical examiner may need to examine the body, which can delay burial.

  5. Choose a funeral home that allows ghuslPaperwork

    Within the first day · 0 of 3

    Many funeral homes work with Muslim committees. Your committee will usually name one.

  6. Wash and shroud the body

    Within the first day · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 2

    Done by trained Muslims of the same sex, or by the spouse. The committee usually provides the cloth.

    How the washing and shroud are done

  7. The janazah prayer and the burial

    As soon as possible · 0 of 3

    The prayer is often held after one of the daily prayers, and the burial follows straight after.

    How to pray the janazah prayer

  8. Get copies of the death certificatePaperwork

    In the first week · 0 of 2

    Banks, insurers, the DMV and government offices will each want a certified copy.

  9. Pay the funeral costs and list every debt

    In the first weeks · 0 of 3

    The funeral is paid from the estate first, then the debts. Nothing is inherited until both are settled.

  10. Find the will, and tell Social SecurityPaperwork

    In the first weeks · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 4

    The executor named in the will leads what follows.

  11. Settle and divide the estatePaperwork

    In the months after · 0 of 4

    Small estates may qualify for a simpler process in New York. One call to a local estate attorney will tell you.

    See how the estate divides

  12. Look after the family

    Four months and ten days · 0 of 3

    Mourning is kept to three days, except by a widow, who mourns four months and ten days, the length of her ʿiddah, or until she gives birth if she is pregnant.

    What to say and do when you visit

General guidance, not a fatwa or legal advice. Rules on autopsies, embalming, burial permits and probate differ by state; your funeral home and a local estate attorney can confirm them. All sources