The Grave and the Burial
Law: To bury the Mayyit (deceased) is Fard-e-Kifaayah, and it is not permissible to merely place the deceased on the ground then erect walls around it on four sides, sealing it in. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.165; Raddul Muhtar vol.1 pg.835]
Law: A person should not be buried in the
actual spot (or room or chamber etc) where he passed away, as this is Unique to
the Ambiae-Kiraam علیہ الصلاۃ والسلام but he should be buried in the Muslim Cemetery (Qabristaan).
The objective is that a special place of burial should not be made specifically
for him, be the Mayyit Baaligh or Na-Baaligh. [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar
vol.1 pg.736/737]
Law: The length of the grave should be
equal to the height of the deceased, and the width should be that of half his
height, and the depth should be at least half of his height, and it is better
for even the depth to be equal to his height, and the average is that it should
be upto the chest. [Raddul Muhtar vol.1 pg.835] This means that the Lahd or the
Sanduq (Box) should be of such size. It does not mean that from where one
started digging upto the end should be of these
dimensions.
Law: The grave is of two types:
1. The Lahd (Niche)[1]:
is the type where the grave is dug and at the bottom of the grave on the side
closest to the Qibla, a niche (place) is dug in which the deceased is placed.
2. The Sanduq (Box or Trench)[2]:
is the type that is commonly used in India. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.165]
Law: It is not permissible to place a grass
mat inside the grave, as this is an unnecessary waste of money. [Durr-e-Mukhtar
vol.1 pg.836]
Law: It is Makruh to place a deceased into
a Tabut (Box built with plank, i.e. a coffin etc) and then place him (or her)
into the grave, unless there is a special need for this, for example, if the
grave is too wet, and in doing so the cost of such a casket must be from the wealth
left by the deceased. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.166; Durr-e-Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar
vol.1 pg.836]
Law: If he is buried inside a casket, then
it is Sunnat to layer it with sand and to place unbaked bricks to the right and
left and the top should be plastered with mud; in other words the inside should
be made like a Lahd. To use a steel (iron) casket is Makruh. If the base of the
grave is moist, it is Sunnat to first scatter dust onto it. [Sagheeri vol.1
pg.296; Raddul Muhtar vol.1 pg.836]
Law: To place baked bricks on the side(s)
of the grave which is closest to the Mayyit is Makruh, as bricks are baked with
fire. (May) Almighty Allah protect the Muslims from the effects of fire.
Law: Those who go into the grave should be
two or three persons, who are adequate. There is no fixed limit for this and it
is better for it to be strong (minded) and pure (pious) people, so that if they
see anything unsuitable, they should not disclose it to the people. [Alamgiri
vol.1 pg.166]
Law: To keep the Janaazah from the Qibla
side of the grave is Mustahab (desirable), in other words so that the deceased
is lowered into the grave from the Qibla side. It should be such that the he should
be kept at the foot side and lowered into the grave from the head side.
[Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.836/837]
Law: Those who lower the body of a female
should be her Mahaarim (Next of kin). If these are not available, then it
should be done by her other relatives. If none of them are available, then
there is no harm in a pious stranger lowering her into the grave.
Law: When lowering the Mayyit into the
grave, recite the following
Dua: بِسْمِ اللہِ وَ بِاللہِ وَعَلٰی
مِلَّۃِ رَسُوْلِ اللہِ
Another narration has mentioned that after بِسْمِ اللہِ one should say وَفِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللہِ. [Alamgiri vol.1
pg.166; Raddul Muhtar vol.1 pg.837]
Law: The Mayyit must be placed on its right
side, and its face should be turned towards the direction of the Qibla. If one
forgot to turn the face towards the Qibla and after placing the wooden planks
one remembered, then remove the wooden planks and turn the face towards the
Qibla. If one remembered after putting in the sand, then it should not be done.
Similarly if one placed the Mayyit on its left or place the head where the feet
should be or the feet where the head should be, then in all these cases if the
sand has not been put in as yet, it should be rectified, otherwise not.
[Alamgiri vol.1 pg.166/167; Durr-e-Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar vol.1 pg.837]
[1]
The deceased is placed in this niche on his right side
facing the Qibla, then this hole is filled in with bricks or plank behind the
deceased, then the sand is filled in.
[2]
This is the type where a trench is dug in the middle of the
grave and its sides are built up with either bricks or wooden planks and after
the deceased is placed inside on his right side facing the Qibla, the top is
closed like a ceiling with bricks, stones or with planks so that the sand is
not put directly on the deceased.
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