Soyem, Dasvan, Chaliswan and Barsi: A Plain Guide for Muslim Families
By the ShokSabha team · Published · Updated · 7 min read
Janazah and burial normally happen quickly, often the same day. The gatherings that follow are not prescribed in the same way everywhere, so what you see below are common practices rather than rules.
| Name | Usual day | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Soyem / Teeja | 3rd day | Quran recitation, Fatiha and dua at home or masjid |
| Dasvan | 10th day | Observed in some communities with dua and food for the needy |
| Bisvan | 20th day | Seen in a few regions, not widely observed |
| Chaliswan / Chehlum | 40th day | Larger gathering with Quran khwani and dua |
| Barsi | 1 year | Remembrance with dua, usually by the Islamic calendar |
Counting
Families commonly count the day of death as day one. The Islamic day begins at sunset, which can shift the date by one on the Gregorian calendar. Confirm with your imam or elders.
A note on cards
Some families send no printed notice at all and spread the word by phone and masjid announcements. Where a card is used, the Inna Lillahi line, the date, the place and a contact are enough, and a photograph is generally left out.
Words you will see on a notice
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un | 'We belong to Allah and to Him we return' (Quran 2:156), said on hearing of a death |
| Marhoom / Marhooma | The late (for a man / for a woman), written before the name |
| Namaz-e-Janazah | The funeral prayer |
| Tadfeen | Burial |
| Qabristan | The graveyard |
| Dua-e-Maghfirat | Prayer for the forgiveness of the deceased |
| Quran Khwani | A gathering to recite the Quran |
| Isaal-e-Sawab | Recitation or charity done so that its reward reaches the deceased |
What to put on a janazah notice, in order
- The Inna lillahi line at the top
- The name with Marhoom or Marhooma, and the relation to the family
- Namaz-e-Janazah: the masjid or ground, and the time
- Tadfeen: the name of the qabristan
- One contact number
Janazah timings are often announced against a prayer, for example 'baad namaz-e-Zuhr'. Add the clock time next to it. Relatives coming from another city do not know that masjid's jamaat time, and it changes through the year.
Why the Barsi date moves every year
The Islamic year has 354 or 355 days, about ten or eleven days fewer than the Gregorian year. A Barsi kept by the Islamic date therefore falls about ten or eleven days earlier on the ordinary calendar each year. Write down the date of death in both calendars at the time; it is hard to reconstruct later.
Mourning period and iddah
Mourning for relatives is generally observed for three days. A widow observes iddah, a waiting period of four months and ten days (Quran 2:234). Families usually plan gatherings so that she does not have to travel or host during this time.
Where scholars differ
Fixing gatherings on the 3rd, 10th or 40th day is a matter of custom, and scholars do not agree on it. Some hold that fixed-day gatherings have no basis in the Sunnah and discourage them. Others permit them as occasions for Quran recitation, dua and feeding the poor. Practice differs between families in the same city, so follow your own elders and imam, and do not assume a neighbour's family does the same.
Customs differ between families, communities and regions. This guide describes common practice, not a religious ruling; confirm dates and rites with your own priest, imam or elders. See our disclaimer.