However, the letters to the dead were not the only way to communicate with the dead. Alternatively, the dead may also appear in dreams that occur as a result of istikhara – referring to asking Allah for guidance. Additional means of communication is to touch the top of a loved one’s grave and say the Salam greetings, However, Egyptians don’t just try to ‘communicate’ with their dead loved ones through letters. Visiting graves of relatives is also a common practice. It is even really common for most Egyptians to have specific dates that they devote to visiting cemeteries.
