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What to do when a Muslim family member passes away in Ontario

A step-by-step guide combining Islamic obligations with Ontario's legal requirements. Bookmark this page. Share it with your family.

First 1-2 Hours

What to do right now

1

Confirm death and start the legal process.

In hospital: medical staff confirm death and prepare the Medical Certificate of Death (Form 16). At home with an expected death: call the family doctor or on-call service. At home with a sudden or unexpected death: call 911. Police and a coroner may need to investigate and authorize release of the body before burial can proceed.
2

Initial Islamic response.

Gently close the eyes and mouth, straighten the limbs, and cover the body with a clean sheet. If practical and lawful, turn the face toward Qiblah. Make dua for the deceased and keep the environment calm. Avoid loud wailing.
3

Call your mosque's funeral hotline.

Contact a local masjid or Muslim funeral service immediately. They coordinate transport from the hospital or home, help with paperwork (Forms 15 and 16), arrange ghusl and kafan, schedule janazah, and book the cemetery. You do not have to figure any of this out alone.
4

Secure the home and locate important documents.

Find the will (if one exists), identification, and financial documents. Secure the residence, collect keys and valuables, and protect mail from being lost or misused.

This is general educational information. Consult your imam and a licensed Ontario professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Hours 2-6

Paperwork, cemetery, and financial planning

1

Complete the death registration documents.

A family member (the "informant") works with the mosque or funeral coordinator to complete the Statement of Death (Form 15) with the deceased's personal details. The mosque collects the Medical Certificate of Death (Form 16) from the hospital or doctor.
2

Choose a cemetery.

Discuss options with your funeral coordinator. Common choices for Muslim families in the GTA include Toronto Muslim Cemetery in Richmond Hill, Duffin Meadows in Pickering, and Meadowvale in Mississauga. Check whether the family has a pre-purchased plot. If not, the mosque will help arrange one at current rates.
3

Obtain the Burial Permit.

The mosque or funeral home submits Forms 15 and 16 to the local municipality or ServiceOntario to register the death. Once registered, the municipality issues a Burial Permit. This permit is required by Ontario law before any burial can take place.
4

Consider financial assistance if needed.

If the deceased was a Muslim CARE member, the family can claim up to $6,000 to offset funeral costs. Many mosques cover partial or full funeral costs for families in genuine financial hardship, funded through zakat or community donations. Speak privately with the imam or mosque office. Under both Islamic jurisprudence and Ontario law, funeral costs are paid from the deceased's estate before debts and inheritance distribution.

This is general educational information. Consult your imam and a licensed Ontario professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Day 1

Ghusl, janazah, and burial

1

Ghusl and kafan at the mosque.

The body is brought to the mosque mortuary or a licensed funeral facility. Trained same-gender Muslim volunteers guide the family through ghusl (the ritual washing). Family members are welcome to participate. The body is then shrouded in simple white kafan and placed in a plain wooden casket to comply with Ontario cemetery regulations.
2

Janazah prayer.

The mosque schedules janazah prayer, usually after the next convenient obligatory prayer (often Dhuhr or Asr) to allow the community to attend. The community is notified through mosque announcements, WhatsApp groups, and email lists.
3

Burial at the cemetery.

The family or funeral provider brings the Burial Permit and cemetery paperwork to the chosen Muslim cemetery or Muslim section. The grave is aligned toward Qiblah. The body is lowered gently, and soil is filled while those present make dua for the deceased.
4

Collect important documentation.

The funeral provider issues several proof-of-death certificates. Keep these safe. You will need them for banks, insurance companies, employers, and government agencies in the days ahead.

This is general educational information. Consult your imam and a licensed Ontario professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Days 2-7

Administrative tasks and financial matters

Government notifications

Cancel the Ontario health card (OHIP). Visit a ServiceOntario centre with proof of death, the health card if available, and your own ID. This prevents identity misuse.

Cancel or transfer the driver's licence. A partial refund may be available if more than six months remain before expiry and there are no outstanding fines.

Notify the Canada Revenue Agency. Call CRA's individual enquiries line or submit form RC4111 so they can update records and stop benefit payments.

Apply for the CPP Death Benefit. Through Service Canada, the executor or eligible person can apply for up to $5,000 (as of 2025) to help with death-related costs. Separate applications exist for the CPP Survivor's Pension and Children's Benefit.

Financial and housing tasks

Notify banks and investment firms. Banks typically freeze individual accounts upon notification. The executor accesses funds after providing proper documentation. Joint accounts often pass to the surviving holder, but Ontario courts sometimes treat parent-child joint accounts as estate assets.

Cancel credit cards and review debts. Personal credit cards become estate debts. Notify issuers and stop new charges. Joint or co-signed debts remain the responsibility of the surviving co-borrower.

Handle housing. If renting, notify the landlord and coordinate ending the tenancy. If the deceased owned a home, the executor continues mortgage and property tax payments from the estate and maintains insurance.

Cancel or transfer utilities and subscriptions. Contact hydro, gas, water, internet, phone, and any subscription services to cancel, transfer, or update account names.

File life insurance and workplace benefit claims. Locate individual and workplace life insurance policies, contact insurers with proof of death, and submit claims. If the policy names a beneficiary, proceeds go directly to that person and typically bypass the estate.

This is general educational information. Consult your imam and a licensed Ontario professional for guidance specific to your situation.

First 30 Days

Estate administration, guardianship, and inheritance

1

Begin formal estate administration.

The executor (estate trustee) applies for an Estate Certificate (probate) if required and opens an estate bank account. Ontario's Estate Administration Tax applies to estate values over $50,000 at a rate of $15 per $1,000.
2

Reimburse funeral costs from the estate.

Anyone who advanced money for the funeral is reimbursed from the estate before heirs receive their shares. This is consistent with both Ontario's Estates Administration Act and Islamic inheritance principles, which both prioritize funeral expenses.
3

Address guardianship for minor children.

If the deceased's will names a guardian, that person applies to the Ontario court within 90 days to be confirmed as permanent guardian. The court gives significant weight to the parent's choice but decides based on the child's best interests. Without a will, eligible relatives must apply and the court decides. The child's religious and cultural upbringing may not be considered unless a will specifies it.
4

File final tax returns.

The executor prepares the deceased's final personal income tax return and, if the estate earns income before distribution, a separate T3 estate return. Consult an accountant for complex estates.
5

Align estate distribution with Islamic inheritance rules.

Consult a scholar or Islamic estate specialist. The generally accepted order in Sunni jurisprudence is: funeral and burial costs first, then debts, then valid bequests (up to one-third of the estate), then distribution of the remainder to heirs according to the prescribed shares. Ontario courts may also adjust distributions to provide for dependants under the Succession Law Reform Act (Part V).

Does your family have a plan?

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This is general educational information. Consult your imam and a licensed Ontario professional for guidance specific to your situation.

What to Expect Financially

How much does an Islamic funeral cost in Ontario?

The total cost of an Islamic funeral in the Greater Toronto Area typically ranges from $6,000 to $9,000, depending mainly on which cemetery you choose and whether the grave was pre-purchased. Here is a general breakdown.

Mosque funeral services

Ghusl, kafan, janazah coordination, simple wooden casket, documentation, and local transport: typically $1,100-1,600.

Cemetery plot

Interment rights: $2,700-4,000+ depending on cemetery and whether purchased through a mosque plan or at-need.

Grave opening and closing

$1,200-1,500, with potential weekend or holiday surcharges.

Death registration and BAO fees

$60-90.

Total estimated range: $6,000-9,000 for a standard adult Islamic funeral in the GTA.

Pre-purchasing a grave through a mosque or community burial plan can save a family $1,000-5,000 compared with buying the same plot at-need. If your mosque offers a burial plan, it is worth looking into.

All costs are approximate ranges based on 2024-2026 GTA data and are subject to change. Contact your mosque's funeral coordinator or the cemetery directly for current pricing.

Muslim CARE Ontario

Membership-based mutual aid. Up to $6,000 funeral benefit.

ICNA Relief Canada

One-time funeral financial assistance for families in need.

This is general educational information. Consult your imam and a licensed Ontario professional for guidance specific to your situation.

This checklist is general educational information about Islamic funerals in Ontario. It is not legal, financial, or religious advice. Every situation is different. Consult your imam for religious guidance and a licensed Ontario professional for legal or financial questions.

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