Muslim Burials

[Imraan]

Assalam Walaikum

For the first time in my life I have been involved in organising a burial for a relative who has passed away recently. The burial took place today and everything went well today Alhamdulillah.

I did come across a predicament. When organising the burial the funeral director (muslim) offered me various options

a) no lining, insert coffin straight into grave.

b) wooden slat/panel lining, insert coffin into a wooden enclosure.

c) concrete lining, allow to dry and then insert coffin into watertight concrete enclosure (tyhis is specific for potential water logging i think).

d) brick enclosure, allow to dry and then insert coffin into bricked enclosure.

My first and immediate thought was i'm looking for a simple burial, doesn't even need to be decorated, I need the body buried in the cemetery asap so without hesitation i chose option a, no lining. Simply the grave was dug, coffin was inserted and re-filled with the soil. After burial I was somewhat criticized for not choosing the wooden or concrete option and i quote one person said something along the lines of "when they are asked by the angels, they will have no enclosure... what will they do?". Can anyone elaborate on that.

i must say this burial took place in a Pakistani dominated area in the UK and in that specific community they do regularly take up options other than option a)

obviously burials are supposed to be simple, i'm sure they were very simple some 1400 years ago.

"We shall all return to the soil where we were once made from"

Can i have your opinions please and your experiences in your community and recommendations on the best way to approach a burial for next time?.

Jazak Allah Khair.

 

[BeTheChange]

Walaikumasalaam

Ina lilahi wa ina ilhi rajioon.

I am not sure about the options you discussed however in my area our councils offer a shroud burial Alhamdulilah. This is the sunnah method burial. No coffin is used therefore the body can decompose quickly without nature battling to decompose the wood first. Not all councils offer this option so you will need to enquire. Benefits are obviously many and it is also the least expensive.

You can contact this organisation who deal with burials https://www.zamzamacademy.com/contact-us/

They have lots of burial/COVID videos on youtube as well. Type in ZamZam Academy.

Jazaka Allah.

 

[Caplets]

السلام عليكم


May Allaah forgive them & make their grave from the gardens of Paradise.


Types of Graves

There are two ways of making the grave, the first being the best: (a) ‘al-Lahd,' A grave with a niche in the Qiblah side for the body. (b) 'ash-Shaqq,' A simple grave dug straight down.

"...The shaqq means that a trench is dug in the middle of the grave to suit the size of the deceased, and its sides are built with bricks so that it will not collapse on the deceased, and the deceased is placed in it on his right side facing the qiblah, then this trench is covered with stones or the like and the ceiling is raised a little so that it will not touch the deceased, then the soil is filled in.


The lahd (niche) means that a place is dug at the bottom of the grave on the side that is closest to the qiblah, in which the deceased is placed on his right side facing the qiblah, then this hole is filled in with bricks behind the deceased, then the dirt is filled in. [...]

Both the lahd and the shaqq are permissible according to scholarly consensus, but the lahd is preferable, because this is what was done with the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Muslim (966) narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, during the illness of which he died: Make a lahd (niche) for me, and set up bricks over me, as was done for the Messenger of Allaah (S). [...]

Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (5/360): But if there is a need for the shaqq, then there is nothing wrong with it.

The shaqq may be needed if the ground is sandy and it is not possible to build the lahd, because when a lahd is made in sand it will collapse. So a hole should be dug and a trench should be dug in the middle of it, and the bricks should be placed over both sides of the hole in which the deceased is placed, so that the sand will not collapse, then the deceased should be placed between these two bricks. End quote.

Based on this, the soil should not be filled in directly on the face or body of the deceased, whether the grave is a lahd or a shaqq, because in the lahd the deceased is placed in the niche which is dug in the wall of the grave, and the soil is not filled in above him. In the shaqq, the soil is filled above the roof of the shaqq, and not directly on top of the deceased.

And Allaah knows best...."[SUP]1



[/SUP] Using Coffins

"...Praise be to Allaah.

There is no dispute among the scholars that it is makrooh to bury the deceased in a coffin if there is no need for that. If there is a need for that, such as if the ground is wet or there is the fear that he may be dug up by wild animals, then some of the fuqaha’ say that it is permissible to bury the deceased in a coffin in that case. [...]

Ibn Qudaamah said:

It is not recommended to bury the deceased in a coffin, because there is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions did that, and it also involves imitating the people of this world. And the earth absorbs his remains better.[SUP]2[/SUP] ..."

-------------------

1. https://islamqa.info/en/answers/103880/the-lahd-niche-and-shaqq-trench-in-the-grave

2. https://islamqa.info/en/answers/34511/ruling-on-burying-the-deceased-in-a-coffin

 

[MazharShafiq]

السلام عليكم


May Allaah forgive them & make their grave from the gardens of Paradise.


Types of Graves

There are two ways of making the grave, the first being the best: (a) ‘al-Lahd,' A grave with a niche in the Qiblah side for the body. (b) 'ash-Shaqq,' A simple grave dug straight down.

"...The shaqq means that a trench is dug in the middle of the grave to suit the size of the deceased, and its sides are built with bricks so that it will not collapse on the deceased, and the deceased is placed in it on his right side facing the qiblah, then this trench is covered with stones or the like and the ceiling is raised a little so that it will not touch the deceased, then the soil is filled in.


The lahd (niche) means that a place is dug at the bottom of the grave on the side that is closest to the qiblah, in which the deceased is placed on his right side facing the qiblah, then this hole is filled in with bricks behind the deceased, then the dirt is filled in. [...]

Both the lahd and the shaqq are permissible according to scholarly consensus, but the lahd is preferable, because this is what was done with the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Muslim (966) narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, during the illness of which he died: Make a lahd (niche) for me, and set up bricks over me, as was done for the Messenger of Allaah (S). [...]

Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (5/360): But if there is a need for the shaqq, then there is nothing wrong with it.

The shaqq may be needed if the ground is sandy and it is not possible to build the lahd, because when a lahd is made in sand it will collapse. So a hole should be dug and a trench should be dug in the middle of it, and the bricks should be placed over both sides of the hole in which the deceased is placed, so that the sand will not collapse, then the deceased should be placed between these two bricks. End quote.


Based on this, the soil should not be filled in directly on the face or body of the deceased, whether the grave is a lahd or a shaqq, because in the lahd the deceased is placed in the niche which is dug in the wall of the grave, and the soil is not filled in above him. In the shaqq, the soil is filled above the roof of the shaqq, and not directly on top of the deceased.


And Allaah knows best...."[SUP]1



[/SUP] Using Coffins"...Praise be to Allaah.

There is no dispute among the scholars that it is makrooh to bury the deceased in a coffin if there is no need for that. If there is a need for that, such as if the ground is wet or there is the fear that he may be dug up by wild animals, then some of the fuqaha’ say that it is permissible to bury the deceased in a coffin in that case. [...]

Ibn Qudaamah said:


It is not recommended to bury the deceased in a coffin, because there is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions did that, and it also involves imitating the people of this world. And the earth absorbs his remains better.[SUP]2[/SUP] ..."


-------------------

1. https://islamqa.info/en/answers/103880/the-lahd-niche-and-shaqq-trench-in-the-grave

2. https://islamqa.info/en/answers/34511/ruling-on-burying-the-deceased-in-a-coffin

is complete and authentic information about grave.