I now come to my last section, which deals with the passing of the Afghan from this life to the next.
Customs, Religious Rites, Ceremonies of Burials.
As soon as it is know'n that a man is about to die, in African phraseology, the physicians have "declared their reply"—jawāb dādand, that the patient will not live long, the news spreads like fire, and relations begin to collect.
If the dying man has not made a will, he calls a qazi and dictates and signs one. The women folk dislike to hear of a will; the word is never uttered when anybody is unwell. It is equivalent to expressing an ill wish. If they inquire as to how the patient is, they generally say, "We have heard that the enemies of your husband are indisposed."
A dying man calls his sons, daughters and wife to his bedside. He makes a short speech to them in which he wishes them goodbye, and advises them to live in peace and harmony as they have done during his life-time. Then he places his hand on his wife's head and asks her to be considerate to her children, and appoints his eldest son as the head of the family. All weep most profusely. The dying man warns them—as a rule—that his soul will not rest in peace if they weep after his death or do not live together in harmony and peace.
When death at length comes loud wailing resounds through the Fort. Relations and servants weep profusely. Someone sits down near the dead person and reads the sura yāsīn (one of the chapters of the Korān). Other members of the family and Clan come to join in the burial procession, and the house is soon quite full.
No one is allowed to go into the room where the dead person may be lying, a dim light burns there and two or three hāfiz or chanters of the Korān by rote, read the suras in a low tone, while all without is wailing and crying.
