What it means
کفن (kafan) refers to the white cloth used to wrap a body before burial in Islamic tradition. The word is borrowed from Arabic كَفَن (kafan), from the root ك-ف-ن meaning to wrap or shroud. In Persian it is used without modification and carries the same meaning. The kafan is considered a final act of dignity for the deceased and is prescribed in Islamic law as a required preparation before burial. A common idiomatic phrase is کفن پوشیدن (kafan pushidan), literally “to put on a shroud,” used figuratively to mean someone is ready to sacrifice their life for a cause.
How to use it
- بدن را در کفن سفید پیچیدند. (badan râ dar kafan-e sefid pichidand.) “They wrapped the body in a white shroud.”
- کفن پوشیده بودن که رفتن تظاهرات. (kafan pushide budan ke raftan tazâhorât.) “They were wearing shrouds when they went to the protest.”
- خرج کفن و دفن خیلی بالا رفته. (kharj-e kafan o dafn kheyli bâlâ rafte.) “The cost of burial and shrouding has gone up a lot.”
- از اون وقت کفنش رو دوخته. (az un vaght kafanesh ro dukhte.) “Since then he has sewn his own shroud.” (meaning: he is prepared to die for it)
Cultural note
Islamic burial law (fiqh) specifies that the kafan for a man consists of three layers of white unstitched cloth, while the requirements for a woman are five pieces. The cloth is typically cotton and must be clean and free of adornment. In Iranian culture, the phrase کفن و دفن (kafan o dafn, shrouding and burial) is used as a set expression referring to the entire cost and process of a funeral. The image of putting on the kafan before a dangerous act, such as a protest or battle, has deep roots in Persian poetry and political rhetoric, carrying a meaning of total commitment with no expectation of return.