Recommended Partمستحبات

The depth of the grave should be equal to the height of an average person. The corpse should be buried in the nearest graveyard unless a further graveyard is better for some reason; for example, righteous people are buried there, or because people visit there more often to recite Fateha etc. for those buried there. The corpse should be placed on the ground at a short distance from the grave and be taken slowly towards the grave in three stages; and at each stage, the corpse should be placed on the ground and then lifted up; and the fourth time the corpse is put down should be when it is lowered into the grave. If the deceased is male, then on the third time that the corpse is put down, it should be placed on the ground in a way that the head is at the feet end of the grave; and on the fourth time, it should be lowered into the grave head-first. If the deceased is female, then on the third time that the corpse is put down, it should be placed at the side of the grave facing qibla and then lowered into the grave sideways; and a cloth should be held over the grave while it is being lowered into the grave. The corpse should be taken out of the coffin and lowered into the grave gently. The recommended duas should be recited before and during the burial. After the corpse has been placed in a niche in the side of the grave (as is done in some countries), the ties of the kafan should be unfastened, and the face of the corpse should be placed on soil, and an earthen headrest should be formed and placed under its head. Unbaked bricks or clods of earth should be placed behind the back of the corpse so that it does not come to lie flat on its back. Before the niche is covered, a person should hold the right shoulder of the corpse with his right hand, and firmly take its left shoulder with his left hand, and place his mouth near the ear of the corpse, and vigorously shake the corpse, and say three times: ISMA-EE’ IF-HAMEE, ISMA-EE’ IF-HAMEE, ISMA-EE’ IF-HAMEE, YAA FULAA-NABNA FULAA-NIN (take the name of mayyit along with his father’s name) and then recite Talqeen.

It is recommended that the person who places the corpse in the grave should have wuzu or ghusl, and be bare-headed and bare-footed, and he should climb out of the grave from the feet-side of the corpse. Persons other than the relatives of the deceased should put the soil into the grave with the back of their hands and say: INNAA LILLAAHE WA INNAA ILAIY-HE RAAJE-OON. If the deceased is a woman, someone who is her maheram should lower her in the grave; and if a maheram is not present, her other relatives should do this.

It is recommended that the grave should be four sided, and be raised to the height of four fingers from the ground, and that a sign be kept over it so that it is not mistaken, and that water be splashed over it, and that after splashing water over it those who are present should place their hands on the grave, spread their fingers, press them into the soil, and recite the blessed Surah Qadr seven times, and ask forgiveness for the deceased, and recite this dua…

It is recommended that after the people who attended the funeral have departed, the guardian of the deceased or the person who has been given permission by the guardian should recite the recommended duas ie. if the deceased is of male then he should recite the Talqeen of Male and if the deceased is of female then he should recite the Talqeen of Female.

After burial, it is recommended that the grieving family should be given condolences. However, if after the passing of some time giving condolences would cause them to remember their grief, it is better to avoid it. It is also recommended to send food to the grieving family for three days, and during this time it is disapproved to eat food with them and in their house.

It is recommended for one to be patient on the death of his near ones, especially on the death of a child; and whenever he remembers the deceased, he should say: INNAA LILLAAHE WA INNAA ILAIY-HE RAAJE-OON. Furthermore, he should recite the Qur’an for the deceased, and at the grave of his father and mother he should pray to Allah for his needs and make the grave solid so that it is not easily ruined.

Based on obligatory precaution, it is not permitted for a person to scratch his face and body or to cut his hair in mourning someone. However, it is permitted to slap one’s own head and face.

Based on obligatory precaution, it is not permitted for one to tear his collar in mourning the death of anyone except his father and brother. And the recommended precaution is that one should not tear his collar even in mourning their death.

If a woman scratches her face in mourning a deceased person and makes it bleed, or if she pulls out her hair, then based on recommended precaution she should free one slave, or feed ten poor people (fuqara), or clothe them. The same applies to a man who tears his collar or his clothes in mourning the death of his wife or child.

The recommended precaution is that when crying for a deceased person, one should not raise his voice very much.