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The proper manner of burial (1)
Question
What is the ruling of Islamic law on the manner of burying the dead? Please note that the deceased's feet, and not his face, are turned towards the qibla (direction of prayer). We would like to know the proper manner of burial and how to place the dead facing the qibla.
Answer
The manner of burial sanctioned by all the schools of jurisprudence is as follows:
The deceased is to be positioned on his right side facing the qibla. Ibn Abdin said in his meta-commentary on Dur Al-Mukhtar Sharh Tanweer Al-Absar, "It is obligatory to turn the body towards the qibla and it is necessary to place the deceased on his right side."
Al-Dusuqi, the Maliki scholar, wrote in his meta-commentary on Sharh Al-Dardir 'Ala Mukhtasar Khalil, "It is recommended to place the deceased on his right side facing the qibla."
The Shafi'i scholar, Al-Nawawi, said his book Al-Majmu', "The deceased should be placed in his grave facing the qibla." He then said, "Scholars have agreed that a deceased is to be placed on his right side. [However], it is permissible, though not preferable, to lay the deceased on his left side facing the qibla."
Ibn Muflih, the Hanbali scholar, wrote in Al-Mubdi' Sharh Al-Muqni', "[A deceased] is to be placed in his lahd (a lateral hollow dug into the side of the bottom of the grave) on his right side facing the qibla because this is how the Prophet was buried."
Based on the above, it is necessary to change the present manner of burial (mentioned in the question).
Allah the Almighty knows best.
