Islamic requirements we respect
- Speed: the documents and the grave are made ready so that burial can happen within a few hours of death or the next morning.
- No embalming: the tradition does not accept it, so if a wait is unavoidable, the body is only kept cool.
- Same-sex care: the body is handled, especially during washing, only by people of the same sex - members of the community or the family.
- No cremation: Islam forbids cremation, and we never suggest it.
- Simplicity: the kafan is plain white cloth, the grave is modest and the ceremony is free of unnecessary display.
What our service covers
| Stage | What we do | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transport | from the home or hospital to the washing place, then to the cemetery | in the package |
| Documents | death certificate and cemetery permit on a fast-track basis | in the package |
| Washing room | a clean private room with water and equipment for the community representative | in the package |
| Kafan | white cotton cloth in the required amount for a man or a woman | in the package |
| Grave preparation | gravediggers, respecting the traditional orientation | from 400 GEL |
| Wooden coffin | plain and untreated, if the cemetery rules or the family require one | from 300 GEL |
| Transport to the regions or abroad | to Kvemo Kartli, Adjara, Azerbaijan or Turkey | by distance or at the repatriation rate |
The basic package from 800 GEL includes transport within the city, documents, the washing room, the kafan and a coordinator. Grave preparation and a coffin are added depending on the family's situation. Inviting the imam and any donation to the community are at the family's discretion and sit outside our price.
Order of the funeral
- The call: the family rings our hotline and says a Muslim funeral is needed. The operator immediately brings in a coordinator who has experience with this kind of arrangement.
- Transport: the team moves the body with care, fully covered. If the family prefers, the body stays at home until the washing.
- Documents: at the same time, the coordinator arranges the death certificate and the burial permit from the cemetery, so that bureaucracy does not hold up the burial.
- Washing: this is performed by community representatives or family members, while we provide the place, water, equipment and kafan.
- Janazah prayer: the imam leads the funeral prayer in the mosque courtyard, at the cemetery or in another clean place.
- Burial: the body is laid in the grave on its right side, facing the qibla - the direction of Mecca - and the grave is filled in.
Ritual washing: what we prepare
The ritual washing (ghusl) is one of the central parts of a Muslim funeral, and it is not carried out by our staff but by community members who know the rite, or by family members of the same sex. Our job is to make sure everything is ready: a clean private room, warm water, a washing table, towels, cloth for the kafan and anything else the community representative needs. If the family prefers the washing to happen at home, we bring the equipment to the house, and if that is not possible at home, we offer a room next to our refrigerated storage facility.
The kafan
The kafan is plain white cloth, usually cotton, in which the deceased is wrapped after washing. By tradition, three sheets are used for a man and five for a woman. We prepare the kafan in the right size and quantity, and the wrapping itself is done by the community representative or the family. If the family has their own cloth - for example, one brought back from the Hajj, which some people keep for years for exactly this purpose - we use that.
Grave and orientation
According to Muslim tradition, the grave is dug so that the deceased lies on the right side facing Mecca. Our gravediggers set the direction by compass, in agreement with the community representative. Some communities ask for a side niche in the grave where the body is placed, and this is agreed in advance. Traditionally the burial takes place without a coffin, in the kafan alone, but if the cemetery rules or the soil require a coffin, we use a plain untreated wooden one. Whether to bury in a Muslim cemetery or in the Muslim section of a general cemetery is decided by the family together with the community, and we obtain the permit.
If a swift burial is not possible
Sometimes a forensic examination is legally required, for instance after a sudden or violent death, and burial is delayed by a day or two. In that case we keep in close touch with the forensic bureau and do all we can to have the body released as quickly as possible. It also happens that relatives are travelling from another city or country. Then the body is kept in refrigerated storage without embalming, and we tell the family how long that is possible.
Keeping the body at home before washing
Many families want their loved one to remain at home until the washing, with relatives praying beside them and reading the Quran. In that case we prepare the body in a way that respects the tradition: we close the eyes and mouth, straighten the arms and legs, cover the body with a clean cloth and, if needed, cool the room. In summer, if the wait lasts several hours, we offer a portable cooling unit that works without any chemical treatment. The family always decides when to move on to the washing.
Women and children at the ceremony
Muslim communities have differing customs about whether women attend the burial. In some, the women stay at home and pray; in others they go to the cemetery and stand apart from the men. We ask the family and the community about this and plan transport, chairs and shelter accordingly. Whether young children attend is the family's decision.
Transport to the regions or abroad
Many Muslim families in Georgia come from villages in Kvemo Kartli, Adjara or Kakheti, and some have relatives in Azerbaijan or Turkey, with the family grave there. Transport from Tbilisi to a home village usually happens on the same day, in a refrigerated hearse. Going abroad requires documents, and we plan the journey to keep waiting to a minimum. Neighbouring countries are reached by road, and our hearse crosses the border accompanied by a family member. See also our page on transporting the deceased abroad.
Days of mourning and receiving guests
After the burial, the family usually receives condolences for three days at home or at the mosque, and depending on the community's custom the seventh or fortieth day is sometimes also marked with prayers and a meal. For these days we supply chairs, tables and a yard marquee, plus ready-made dishes from halal partners whenever the family wants them. Naturally there is no alcohol on such a table, and our staff are well aware of this.
Mixed-faith families
Tbilisi has many families in which spouses or generations follow different faiths. Sometimes this raises the question of which tradition should shape the farewell. We stay out of that decision: it belongs to the family, to the wishes of the person who died and, where needed, to a religious figure of the community. When the choice has been made, we arrange everything in line with that rite and make every effort for all members of the family to feel respected.
The gravestone
In Muslim tradition, a gravestone is usually simple: the name, the dates and sometimes a short Quranic verse in Arabic script. Portraits and images are generally not used, although local custom differs in some families. Our craftsmen make granite and marble stones in keeping with this tradition and carve the Arabic inscription from the text supplied by the family or the community, with confirmation before engraving.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a Muslim funeral be held in Tbilisi?
Usually on the same day or the following morning, if no forensic examination is needed. We prepare the documents, the grave and the washing room in parallel.
Who performs the washing?
Community representatives or family members of the same sex. We prepare the place, water, equipment and kafan.
Is a coffin required?
By tradition, burial is in the kafan alone, but if the cemetery rules or the family call for a coffin, we use a plain wooden one.
Do you invite the imam?
Yes. If the family asks, we contact the community and agree a time. If the family has its own imam, they give us his number, and we take care of all the other coordination, from transport to the grave.
How much does a Muslim funeral cost?
Basic services start at 800 GEL: transport, documents, washing room, kafan and coordination. Preparing the grave comes on top, from 400 GEL.
Can the washing be done at home?
Yes. We bring the equipment, the table and the kafan to the house, and if that is not possible at home, we offer a private room at our premises.
Do you transport the deceased to Azerbaijan or Turkey?
Yes, by road and with all the documents. Timing and cost depend on the country and city, and we will give you both when you call.
When every hour counts, the first minutes of the call should be with someone who knows this rite. Even at night, a duty operator answers +995 568 33 03 18 straight away, and the coordinator personally contacts the community and begins the paperwork at once.