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Publication

“God’s Land is Vast”. Attitudes and Practices of Moroccan Muslims regarding Burial and Repatriation of the Deceased

Journal Contribution - Journal Article

© 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The aim of this article is fourfold. First, we seek to elicit the attitudes and practices of middle-aged and elderly Moroccan Muslim women towards burial and repatriation of the deceased. Second, we aim to identify whether differences are observable between middle-aged and elderly women’s attitudes and practices. Third, we aim to explore the role of religion in their attitudes and practices. Fourth, we seek to document how the real-world attitudes and practices of our participants relate to the normative Islamic views. Qualitative empirical research was conducted with a sample of middle-aged and elderly Moroccan Muslim women living in Antwerp (Belgium) (n = 30) and with experts in the field (n = 15). Our study shows that theological and eschatological considerations play a central role in Moroccan Muslim’s attitudes and practices regarding burial. A large majority of our participants opt for repatriation to the country of origin due to socio-emotional (attachment to family and territory), religious and financial reasons. One third of our participants–mainly middle-aged–would prefer burial in Belgium to stay close to their children and to ensure remembrance through grave visits. We did not find a more secular practice or understanding of burial among middle-aged women. We found striking similarities between our participants’ views and normative Islamic views.
Journal: Mortality
ISSN: 1357-6275
Issue: 1
Volume: 24
Pages: 32 - 60
Publication year:2017