✔ Permissibility of Exhuming a Deceased Body Due to a Shar‘i Excuse
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
It is permissible to remove a deceased body from the grave when there is a legitimate Shar‘i reason for doing so.
Renowned scholar Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) supported this view.
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 203
It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came while Abdullah bin Ubayy had already been placed in his grave:
فامر به فأخرج
"He (ﷺ) ordered that he be taken out."
Then the Prophet (ﷺ) placed him on his knees, put his saliva in his mouth, and dressed him in his shirt.
Allah knows best the wisdom behind this gesture – it is said that Abdullah bin Ubayy had once gifted a shirt to Hazrat ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه).
Bukhari: 1350, Kitab al-Janaiz: Chapter – Is It Permissible to Remove a Deceased from the Grave Due to a Valid Reason
It is also narrated from Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) that his father was buried in a grave along with another Companion. However, he was not satisfied with this arrangement.
So he had the body removed and reburied in a separate grave.
Bukhari: 1352; Also narrated by Nasa’i: 4/84
Renowned scholar Imam Shawkani (رحمه الله) held the permissibility of this act.
Nayl al-Awtar: 3/65
❖ Key Point:
When there is a clear Shar‘i reason, it is permissible to exhume the deceased for relocation or other legitimate needs. This is supported by authentic precedents from the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions.
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❖ A Deceased Person May Be Exhumed If There Exists a Valid Shar‘i Excuse
It is permissible to remove a deceased body from the grave when there is a legitimate Shar‘i reason for doing so.
Renowned scholar Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) supported this view.
Ahkam al-Janaiz: p. 203➊ Incident of Abdullah bin Ubayy (Leader of the Hypocrites)
It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came while Abdullah bin Ubayy had already been placed in his grave:
فامر به فأخرج
"He (ﷺ) ordered that he be taken out."
Then the Prophet (ﷺ) placed him on his knees, put his saliva in his mouth, and dressed him in his shirt.
Allah knows best the wisdom behind this gesture – it is said that Abdullah bin Ubayy had once gifted a shirt to Hazrat ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه).
Bukhari: 1350, Kitab al-Janaiz: Chapter – Is It Permissible to Remove a Deceased from the Grave Due to a Valid Reason➋ Incident of Reburial by Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه)
It is also narrated from Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) that his father was buried in a grave along with another Companion. However, he was not satisfied with this arrangement.
So he had the body removed and reburied in a separate grave.
Bukhari: 1352; Also narrated by Nasa’i: 4/84Renowned scholar Imam Shawkani (رحمه الله) held the permissibility of this act.
Nayl al-Awtar: 3/65❖ Key Point:
When there is a clear Shar‘i reason, it is permissible to exhume the deceased for relocation or other legitimate needs. This is supported by authentic precedents from the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions.
