ABSTRACT
There are special needs in every Indo-Asian community in coping with death and bereavement and abiding by particular religious rituals and beliefs. This chapter summarises these needs by consulting religious leaders, using personal experiences and checking available literature. It describes the five pillars of Islam: praying five times a day; giving alms; fasting during Ramadan; Zakat or giving charity to the needy; and Hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca at least once. Different Hindu communities have different methods of expressing their faith and practising their rituals in their own local temples. They exhibit great tolerance for other people's beliefs, revere the old and offer hospitality to any visitors. They believe in reincarnation and the caste system. Most Hindu homes will have a holy shrine. The Buddhist faith centres on the teachings of Buddha and the example of how he lived his life.
