I just came across a very strange thing on Facebook Tonight. It was like the angel of death stood infont of me, Giving me a trailer or options for my future Facebook account.
“Memorializing Service”
“When a user passes away, we memorialize their account to protect their privacy. Memorializing an account sets the account privacy so that only confirmed friends can see the profile or locate it in search. The Wall remains, so friends and family can leave posts in remembrance. Memorializing an account also prevents anyone from logging into the account.”
Okay, So That’s what They will do with my virtual body after I am dead – Shift my Facebook account to the social net workers’ cemetery and allow my friends to throw a flower or two on my grave once in awhile.
Berra Ghark!!!
I read the content of the page further. I wanted to know how the memorializing is done. (Horrible Horrible and more Horrible)
The page read:
More curiosity, more tension.Memorializing the account:
Please report this information here, so we can memorialize this person’s account. Memorializing the account restricts profile access to confirmed friends only. Please note that in order to protect the privacy of the deceased user, we cannot provide login information for the account to anyone.Removing the account:
Verified immediate family members may request the removal of a loved one’s account. This will completely remove the account from Facebook, so no one can view it. We will not restore the account or provide information on its content unless required by law. If you are requesting a removal and are not an immediate family member of the deceased, your request will not be processed. In this case, the account will be memorialized.If you are an immediate family member and would like to request that we remove your loved one’s account from the site, click here. You may also use this form if you have a special request regarding a deceased user’s account.”
I had instantly scrolled down further and read the whole paragraph for two major reasons.
First : I realized few of the people in my list are very old. I may feel the need in future to report their account for memorializing (In case they …u know what I mean ..) so I better know how to do it first.
Secondly : My Goodness! What If I pass away and people forget to report my account for memorializing? Out of sight out of mind. We have time for status updates these days, post videos, pass random comments on random pictures but hey! c’mon! Its very hectic already. Who has time to stop by and notice if you’re freaking alive on facebook or not.
So I kept reading it and reading it – and the more I read the more depression it gave me.
It made me think of only one thing. If I don’t better set an appointment or some settlement with facebook in advance today that could notify them of my last breath, the moment I say my last Allah hu Akbar, If I don’t do this now – Tomorrow I would have my FB deadbody swimming around in this virtual pool, floating here and there, appearing up in SUGGESTIONS corner. Lurking like a ghost.
Berra Ghark!!! I don’t want that. Nobody would want that even for the real burial. Imagine for once you are dead in real, and nobody is bothering to dig up your grave and bury you ? Nobody is willing to spend on your Kaffan and give you the last bath. Or worse, they don’t know how to do it right. It would be a one horrifying sight.
Ha Ha and Horrible !
The fun part was over for me. A worry more natural and basic sometimes come to us shrouded in a comical attire.
I immediately typed ‘Quran on Burial’ on google and several pages showed up – and that was not my first time for such research but a second attempt to dig deeper. The last time I was worried over right burial procedure of a Muslimah was when my grandmother had died. Some said this, others said that and May Allah forgive us, none of them agreed for once on a single thing so a third person had to be asked.
I, at that time just knew one thing. that nothing extra , whether cloth or any other item is to be buried down with her. We go down, sleep in peace and rest only in whites pieces of clothes. No fancy garments to make us look good to the angels, no ornaments or precious jewels to give them as a bribe. It is simply ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
My grandmother understood this well. And if anyone is to be taken as my mentor on simplicity in family: It would be her first and foremost. She always wore plain and simple dresses. She even offered prayer before passing away , though she was on bed and hardly breathing. It was her consciousness of the situation.
And then, there are those people. May Allah reward them abundantly for their humble actions – who prepare for their journey to the final abode in their lifetime , they buy their kaffan with their own Halal money and never depend on others. My Uncle, May Allah give him long healthy life – bought his kafan long ago and declared he is to be buried , shrouded in the same piece of clothes when his time comes. Neither sadness nor despair, but just God fearing heart and consciousness.I had gone all teary over this. You can’t think of ur beloved’s kafan without feeling the pain and then when you think of your kafan – you get the goosebumps.
How many of us know the formalities of a janazah? and how many of us are concerned with our proper burial once we depart from this world? Shouldn’t be a Muslimah concerned with who will be the one to enter the grave and lower her body? Facebook – twitter – my space ! These are not our abodes that we worry about our graves here Or “thikaney” as we speak in Urdu. It’s just a momentary hot spot where nobody would care if your account is memorialized or not, nor they should be.
We may live here for years and years, even after while we are gone. Appearing once in a blue moon on the side bar among other faces. Whenever they will upload pictures on their accounts- face suggestion would be made and they may remember us in that brief moment and cherish the memory sometimes curse it . But Other than that – Nothing else would make them hold us clear and near.
Not on facebook. Never on Facebook! Never on a cyber grave.
But perhaps, If We leave behind some good words, Yes unless we leave behind some good notes, few words of wisdom, and spiritual healing to be remembered by. Then perhaps we have a good chance to live in people’s good actions.
But perhaps, If We leave behind some good words, Yes unless we leave behind some good notes, few words of wisdom, and spiritual healing to be remembered by. Then perhaps we have a good chance to live in people’s good actions.
khanumsays.wordpress.com 