Soon after there is a death in the family, the bereaved family member calls MBOLA hotline. (1.323.49.MBOLA or 1.323.496.2652). The MBOLA attendant receiving the call provides the family member with a choice list of Mortuaries and Cemeteries that the body can be washed and laid to rest. If the family chooses Wadi-us-Salaam as the cemetery, then the attendant informs the MBOLA Cemetery Team.
The family contacts the mortuary of choice to transport the remains from its origin (Hospital / Home etc.) to the Mortuary (where the body will be washed and shrouded). The family also contacts the cemetery of choice to prepare for burial on the decided date/time and performs the required paperwork and make all necessary payments.
Meanwhile, MBOLA prepares a team of volunteers to wash the body at the next available day (normally between 1-2 days). The MBOLA Ghusl Team arrives at the Mortuary along with their "Ghusl Kit", that includes the Kafan and other amenities needed to perform a complete Ghusl as well as Shroud the body. The Ghusl Team complies by the Fiqh-e-Jafaria process for washing (Ghusl) and shrouding (Kafan) the body.
After the Ghusl, the Mortuary transports the body to the Cemetery, where the body is received by the family as well as the Cemetery staff. If the cemetery of choice is Wadi-us-Salaam, then an MBOLA Cemetery team representative will be present on site.
As soon as the MBOLA Cemetery Team finds out about the burial, they inform Abbey Mortuary of the date/time of burial. They also assign a Funeral Director internally who will be assisting the family throughout the burial process. While the family is coordinating the activities related to the Mortuary, the Funderal Director coordinates the date/time of burial with the Ghusl (washing) Team to ensure timely arrival and burial of the body. He/She also informs the family member so they can invite the family for burial.
At the cemetery, the body should "arrive by 2:00pm Pacific time" to avoid overtime charges (on weekdays). Weekends are always treated as overtime (anytime of the day). The Burial process MUST by "completed by 4:00pm Pacific time".
The family needs to pay balance to the cemetery team, as well as clear any unpaid dues to MBOLA.
For the burial, the family needs to assign/select upto 4 relatives/friends who will help lower the body into the grave. It is a state law for the 4 selected folks to sign a form (day of service) prior to performing the actual act of lowering the body. Burial is performed based upon Fiqh-e-Jafaria process.
Once the body is in the ground and prayers/recitation are completed, the family steps out of the grave. Abbey team closes the lid of the grave and pushes dirt onto the grave. Abbey team is free to leave at that point in time. MBOLA orders the headstone (tombstone). After 'x' number of burials, the headstones will be installed on to the graves.
You can download Laverne Cemetary day of burial forms here.
