The Muslim Bereavement Support Service (MBSS) exists to help Muslim families across the country cope with the loss of a loved one.
The death of a close relative or close friend is a very difficult experience and the period of grief can leave you feeling empty and alone. Grief is a very personal process and can take many months or years to come to terms with. In the immediate aftermath of the death you may feel any number of emotions. Some of these are shock, pain, anger, guilt, longing, depression and denial.
- Shock – ‘I can’t believe this has happened’ or feeling numb.
- Pain – the pain can be physical, mental or emotional.
- Anger – this can be aimed at yourself, the person who has died or at the situation.
- Guilt – this can be about things said or done while the person was alive or in the time leading up to the death.
- Depression – life can seem too dicult to bear, as though it has lost all meaning.
- Longing – wanting to see or hear the person who has died, or actually seeing or hearing them even though you know it is not possible.
These emotions are completely normal. Grieving is a normal process and you should not feel guilty for feeling any or all of the above. Download the MBSS leaflet on Losing A Loved One here.
It is difficult to cope with losing an adult member of the family, but so much harder if the bereavement involves a child. MBSS has produced a separate leaflet about coping with the loss of a child which you can download here.
To see the full range of support services available please visit the MBSS website at https://mbss.org.uk/