Question and answers on Burial and Funeral

Q: How soon the deceased be burried.
A: After the Janazah Salah has been performed the deceased should be buried as soon as possible.

Q: Who should enter the grave to lower the body if the deceased is a female.
A: It is desirable that MAHRAMS or close relatives should enter the grave to lower the body into it. The husband of the deceased female should not enter the grave to bury his wife. MAHRAMS are grandfather, father, father's milk-partner, brother, paternal uncle, son, nephew, real maternal uncle, etc. If no such person is available then either any relative or any pious person may lower her into the grave.

Q: How the grave should be covered and shaped.
A: It is MUSTAHAB to begin closing the trench from the leg side for men and from the head side for women.

Q: How the shape of the grave should be.
A: It is Makrooh to add more soil to the grave than that which was dug out from it. The shape of the grave when filled should be like the hump of a camel. All types of buildings and enclosures on and around the grave are not permissible. Buildings on grave have been emphatically denounced in the Hadith of Rasulullah (upon him be peace).

Q: Should water be sprinkled over the grave.
A: It is Mustahab to sprinkle water over the grave once it is filled with earth. The grave of our beloved Prophet's (upon him be peace) son Hazrat Ibrahim was watered, by our beloved Prophet (upon him be peace). Mishkat

Q: What to recite from the Qur'an and what Dua to make at the grave side.
A: After the grave has been filled and shaped it is MUSTAHAB to recite Quran and make Dua. It has been related by Hazrat Usman that after Prophet(upon him be peace) buried the dead, he paused and said; Beseech forgiveness from Allah for your brother and make Du'aa for his steadfastness because he is going to be questioned now by the MUNKAR and NAKEER. After the burial the first Ruku of Surah Bakarah should be recited at the head side of the grave and the last Ruku of Surah Bakarah should be recited at the leg side of the grave.

Q: Is it permissible to leave Quran, Ahadnama (book of oath), Ganjul Arsh or any other Dua inside the grave.
A: It is not permissible to leave any of the above inside the grave as it contains name of Allah and Prophet(upon him be peace) and owing to the dirt of the deceased body there will be disrespect. (Shami 847/1)

Q: Is it permissible to plant tree over the grave.
A: It is Mustahab to plant a green branch of a tree on the grave. (Shami 846/1)

Q: Is cremation haraam in Islam.
A: The procedure of honorably dispensing the corpse by burying is explained in the Qur'an and Ahaadith. Even in the burial procedure, the corpse must be handled with utmost care. The beloved Prophet (upon him be peace) said, ‘ Breaking the bone of a corpse is like breaking the bone of a living person.' Obviously, in the cremating procedure, the entire body is damaged. In view of the above, cremating a body is Haraam.

Q: Is it permissible for a man to bathe his wife's dead body.
A: It is not permissible for a husband to bathe his wife after her death. If there are any females, they should do so.

Q: What are the teaching /hadith about putting flowers on a grave.
A: The practise should be shunned. One should do pious deeds that will be of benefit to the deceased, for example reciting the Qur'an, giving charity, etc. on behalf of the deceased. Placing flowers on the grave does not benefit the deceased in any way. It is waste of money. Rather, that money be given to the poor and needy as charity on behalf of the deceased. InshaAllah, the deceased will benefit from that immensely.

Q: When a Muslim dies, why must we cover there faces.
A: Among other reasons, one is to conceal any ill appearances on the face of the deceased.

Q: Can a non Muslim attend a Muslim's funeral.
A: There is no problem in Shariah for non Muslims attending the funeral of their Muslim associates.