Source: Fatāwā Arkān Islām
In some countries, the deceased is buried on their back with their hands tied over the stomach. What is the correct Islamic method of burial in this regard?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
The correct and Sharʿi method of burying the deceased is to lay them on their right side facing the Qiblah. The reason for this is that the Kaʿbah is the Qiblah for both the living and the dead. The Noble Prophet ﷺ also instructed that a sleeping person should lie on their right side, and since both sleep and death are states of a type of wafāt (taking of the soul), the deceased should likewise be placed on their right side.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنفُسَ حينَ مَوتِها وَالَّتى لَم تَمُت فى مَنامِها فَيُمسِكُ الَّتى قَضى عَلَيهَا المَوتَ وَيُرسِلُ الأُخرى إِلى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فى ذلِكَ لَءايـتٍ لِقَومٍ يَتَفَكَّرونَ ﴿٤٢﴾… سورة الزمر
"Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die (He takes) during their sleep; then He retains those for which He has decreed death and releases the others until an appointed term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought."
And in another verse:
﴿وَهُوَ الَّذى يَتَوَفّىكُم بِالَّيلِ وَيَعلَمُ ما جَرَحتُم بِالنَّهارِ ثُمَّ يَبعَثُكُم فيهِ لِيُقضى أَجَلٌ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيهِ مَرجِعُكُم ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ ﴿٦٠﴾… سورة الأنعام
"And He it is Who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, and He will inform you of what you used to do."
◈ The deceased should be laid on the right side.
◈ The face should be towards the Qiblah.
◈ The basis of this is the deep connection between sleep and death, and the Sharīʿah has instructed that one should sleep on the right side; thus, in death this position should also be followed.
As mentioned in the question, in some places people bury the deceased on their back with their hands tied over the stomach. This method is contrary to Islamic teachings. It is likely that such acts come from ignorant individuals, but no scholar holds that the deceased should be buried in this manner.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Question
In some countries, the deceased is buried on their back with their hands tied over the stomach. What is the correct Islamic method of burial in this regard?
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
The correct and Sharʿi method of burying the deceased is to lay them on their right side facing the Qiblah. The reason for this is that the Kaʿbah is the Qiblah for both the living and the dead. The Noble Prophet ﷺ also instructed that a sleeping person should lie on their right side, and since both sleep and death are states of a type of wafāt (taking of the soul), the deceased should likewise be placed on their right side.
Connection Between Death and Sleep in the Qur'an
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنفُسَ حينَ مَوتِها وَالَّتى لَم تَمُت فى مَنامِها فَيُمسِكُ الَّتى قَضى عَلَيهَا المَوتَ وَيُرسِلُ الأُخرى إِلى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فى ذلِكَ لَءايـتٍ لِقَومٍ يَتَفَكَّرونَ ﴿٤٢﴾… سورة الزمر
"Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die (He takes) during their sleep; then He retains those for which He has decreed death and releases the others until an appointed term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought."
And in another verse:
﴿وَهُوَ الَّذى يَتَوَفّىكُم بِالَّيلِ وَيَعلَمُ ما جَرَحتُم بِالنَّهارِ ثُمَّ يَبعَثُكُم فيهِ لِيُقضى أَجَلٌ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيهِ مَرجِعُكُم ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ ﴿٦٠﴾… سورة الأنعام
"And He it is Who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, and He will inform you of what you used to do."
Sharʿi Principles of Burial
◈ The deceased should be laid on the right side.
◈ The face should be towards the Qiblah.
◈ The basis of this is the deep connection between sleep and death, and the Sharīʿah has instructed that one should sleep on the right side; thus, in death this position should also be followed.
Incorrect Burial Practice
As mentioned in the question, in some places people bury the deceased on their back with their hands tied over the stomach. This method is contrary to Islamic teachings. It is likely that such acts come from ignorant individuals, but no scholar holds that the deceased should be buried in this manner.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
