Answers to Some Questions Related to Burial (Part 2)
Answers by Sheikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi
Islamic Da’wah Center, Northern Ta’if (Masrah)
October 11, 2018
In response to several additional questions regarding burial, I am providing brief answers below:
(1) Is it necessary to bury the deceased in a grave in the ground, or can they be buried above the ground?
Answer: In Islam, the practice of burying the dead in the ground has been followed from the beginning. Muslims have always adhered to this method. Allah has also mentioned this fact, that humans were created from clay (earth), and upon death, they return to the earth and will be resurrected from it on the Day of Judgment. The verse of Allah says:
مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى (طه:55)
Translation: “From the earth, We created you, and into it, We will return you, and from it, We will bring you out once again.”
During the time of the Prophet (PBUH), whenever someone passed away, the Prophet (PBUH) instructed the digging of a grave in the earth for burial. Even today, the graves of the Companions, including the Prophet’s (PBUH) own grave, stand as evidence of this practice.
When the daughter of the Prophet, Umm Kulthum (RA), was being buried, the Prophet (PBUH) asked, “Is there anyone among you who has not been to his wife tonight?” Abu Talhah (RA) replied, “I haven’t.” The Prophet (PBUH) then said, “You descend into the grave.” (Sahih Bukhari: 1285)
Hisham bin Amir (RA) narrates that during the Battle of Uhud, when the Ansar were wounded and tired, they asked the Prophet (PBUH) what they should do. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Dig graves, make them wide, and bury two or three in one grave.” (Sahih Abu Dawood: 3215, 3216)
Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “The Lahd is for us, and the Shiq is for others.” (Sahih Tirmidhi: 1045)
Translation: “The side grave is for us, and the box-like grave is for others.”
The side grave refers to digging a rectangular hole in the ground according to the length of the deceased’s body, and the Shiq refers to digging a long hole in the ground.
All these proofs indicate that the deceased should be buried in a grave in the ground. In some areas where digging a grave leads to water coming up, it may become difficult to bury the deceased. In such cases, burial above the ground can be done if necessary, but the first preference should always be to bury the body in the ground. Since the world is developing, solutions to burial problems can be found. For example, if a cemetery is created and the ground is raised enough, water can be avoided, thus allowing for proper burial.
(2) Is it correct to give the Adhan (call to prayer) at the grave after burying the deceased, because I have seen this practice at two places?
Answer: Giving the Adhan at the grave or in the cemetery is an innovation (Bid’ah) and innovation is considered misguidance. There is no mention of giving the Adhan in the cemetery in the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH), nor is there any such practice in the four Sunni schools of thought. The practice of giving the Adhan at the grave is common among the Barelvi sect because their leader, Alah Hazrat, wrote a book about giving the Adhan at the grave. For us, the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) are sufficient, and there is no evidence of giving the Adhan at the grave in these sources. Any act that contradicts the Quran and Sunnah is rejected and invalid.
(3) After burying the deceased, is it correct to stand at the head and feet of the grave and recite the last part of Surah Al-Baqarah?
Answer: Imam Tabarani has mentioned a narration in Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir (13613) and Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman (8854):
إِذَا مَاتَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلَا تُحْبِسُوهُ وَأَسْرِعُوا بِهِ إِلَى قَبْرِهِ وَلِيُقْرَأْ عِندَ رَأْسِهِ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ وَعِندَ رِجْلَيْهِ بِخَاتِمَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فِي قَبْرِهِ
Translation: “When one of you dies, do not delay him but hurry him to his grave, and at his head, recite Surah Al-Fatiha, and at his feet, recite the last part of Surah Al-Baqarah.”
However, this narration has been classified as weak by Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawa’id (3/47) and by Sheikh Albani in Al-Silsilah al-Dha’ifah (4140). Therefore, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha at the head and the last part of Surah Al-Baqarah at the feet of the deceased after burial is not a practiced Sunnah. It is an innovation and should be avoided. Moreover, there is no authentic evidence for reciting Quranic verses in the cemetery at all.
(4) When some soil falls into the grave while placing the deceased in the Ladh (side grave), some people immediately shout to prevent the soil from falling in, even taking the soil out. Why is this practice followed?
Answer: It seems that people are instructed to be careful to prevent soil from falling into the grave because, due to negligence, the edge of the grave might break, or someone might fall into the grave. This is likely the intention behind the warning. If a small amount of soil falls into the grave, it is not necessary to remove it, whether it falls during the burial or before. Grave diggers put in a lot of effort to dig the grave, and they may not tolerate even the slightest bit of soil falling into the grave. It’s similar to how one might not tolerate dirt falling into their own house when they have cleaned it.
(5) After laying the deceased in the Ladh, some people cover the grave with wooden planks or concrete slabs, and at certain places, small gaps are sealed with stones, bricks, or paper. Is this process necessary?
Answer: This is done to ensure that when soil is placed on the grave, it does not fall into the grave, and to prevent animals from entering the grave and disturbing the body. We are forbidden from dishonoring the deceased, so it is essential to securely close the grave before filling it with soil.
(6) Is it necessary to recite the Shahada (Testification of Faith) throughout the entire route when carrying the deceased to the cemetery?
Answer: It is better to maintain silence while walking with the funeral procession. Some people recite the Shahada and engage in loud dhikr, which is an innovation in religion. The Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) disliked raising their voices during the funeral procession.
كان أصحابُ النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللهُ علَيهِ وسلَّمَ يكرهونَ رفعَ الصَّوتِ عند الجنائزِ. (أحكام الجنائزللالبانی : 92)
Translation: “The Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) disliked raising their voices during funeral processions.”
Sheikh Albani said that the narrators of this chain are trustworthy.
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
لا تُتبَعُ الجَنازةُ بصَوتٍ ولا نارٍ (سنن أبي داود:3171)
Translation: “Do not follow the funeral procession with sound or fire.”
Sheikh Albani stated that while the chain of this narration is unknown, it is supported by other authentic and disconnected narrations. (Ahkam al-Jana’iz: 91)
This means that just as raising voices behind the funeral procession is prohibited, so is carrying fire, as it resembles the practices of the People of the Book.
(7) Is it permissible to announce the death using a microphone in the mosque or through a loudspeaker in a rickshaw, etc.? This practice has become common in our area.
Answer: Announcing the death as a public matter is prohibited, as it falls under Nayi (informing of death). However, there is no harm in notifying family, relatives, and fellow Muslims about the funeral or asking them to join in supplications for forgiveness, either through a phone call or through an announcement in the mosque using a loudspeaker. It is not correct to announce the death by attaching a loudspeaker to a rickshaw or vehicle to broadcast the news across villages.
(8) When the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) is performed, which direction should the deceased’s face face?
Answer: Whether the deceased’s face faces the Qibla or not is not an issue. The important matter is where the Imam stands. If the deceased is a man, the Imam should stand at the head, and if the deceased is a woman, the Imam should stand in the middle. If there are multiple men, women, and children, the women should be positioned towards the Qibla, followed by the children, and then the men should be placed near the Imam.
(9) Can women form their own congregation and offer the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) at home?
Answer: Some people believe that women cannot offer the funeral prayer, and they cite a narration to support this view:
لَيْسَ للنِّسَاءِ في الجنازَةِ نصيبٌ (مجمع الزوائد:16/3)
Translation: “Women have no part in the funeral.”
This narration is weak and cannot be used as evidence. Sheikh Albani has classified it as very weak (Da’if al-Targhib: 2069).
In reality, women can perform the funeral prayer. When Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (RA) passed away, Aisha (RA) said:
ادخُلوا به المسجدِ حتى أصليَ عليه (صحيح مسلم:973)
Translation: “Bring Sa’d’s body to the mosque so that I can perform the funeral prayer on him.”
The best place for women to pray is in their homes. Therefore, after performing the ghusl (ritual washing) and shrouding of the deceased, women can gather to offer the funeral prayer at home in congregation. There is no harm if they wish to perform it in the mosque alongside the men, as evidenced by Aisha’s narration above.
When Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen (RA) was asked whether it is permissible for women to gather at home to perform the funeral prayer, he replied:
“There is no harm. Women can pray the funeral prayer either with the men in the mosque or in the home where the deceased is, as there is no prohibition on women offering the funeral prayer. However, visiting the graves is prohibited for women.” (Majmu’ Fatawa Ibn Uthaymeen: 17/157)
(10) A brother objects to the use of the term “Esaal-e-Thawab” (sending rewards) because it is not mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. He claims that it is a practice associated with innovators and has a specific method and environment. Could you clarify this matter?
Answer: There is no harm in using the term “Esaal-e-Thawab” (sending rewards). Just because some innovations exist in the practice does not mean we cannot use the correct terminology. A living person can benefit the deceased through certain acts, and this is essentially “Esaal-e-Thawab.” Just as some people consider the method of intercession (Waseelah) among innovators as polytheistic, does that mean we should abandon the concept of intercession? No.
Just as there are lawful and unlawful means of intercession, there are also permissible and impermissible methods of Esaal-e-Thawab. Therefore, using the term “Esaal-e-Thawab” is not problematic. Many Salafi scholars have used this term, and it is commonly used in Arabic as well.