Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Usually after a person`s death, after ablution and covering the body with kafan, they place the legs of the deceased facing towards Qibla. Is this mentioned in Quran. Please enlighten w.r.t quran and hadees.

 

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Answer:

 

Place legs of deceased in funeral

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.16

Topic: What Should be Done When Someone Dies

…..Lay the dying person so that the ‘qibla’ is on their right side. To this effect it is recorded that Abu Qatadah said: "Upon arrival in Madinah, the Prophet (saws) enquired about a person called Al-Bara ibn Ma'rur. The people told the Prophet (saws) that he had died, and had willed one-third of his property to the Prophet (saws) and that his face be turned toward the ‘Ka'bah’ at the time of his death. Hearing this, the Prophet (saws) said: 'He has been true to his innate nature and I return the one-third of his property to his children.'

Narrated by Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim.

 

The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that one should place the deceased body of a believer in such a way that their right side is facing the ‘qibla’, and their face is turned towards the direction of the ‘Kaaba’.

 

A report recorded from Imam Shafei or the Shafiyi school of thought states that the body of the deceased should be laid flat on its back with its feet toward the ‘Ka'bah’, and its face raised a little, facing it. The absolute majority of scholars and jurists in Islam however favor the first position and hold it to be more preferable.  And Allah Alone Knows Best.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan