Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. One of my family members has passed away. My question is, how and where should we place him in our house (before we bury him)?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
First and foremost, we recommend that you and your family to be patient in facing the loss of your family member. This is what is commanded in Islam, which is to be patient when facing any hardship or loss. The same with accepting the fate determined by Allah SWT and pronouncing istirja’. Allah SWT states:
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ . الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."
Surah al-Baqarah (155-156)
You could also praise Allah SWT (with Alhamdulillah) then pronounce istirja’. This is in accordance with a hadith where Allah SWT asked the angels who are responsible to take the soul of the child of His beloved slaves:
مَاذَا قَالَ عَبْدِي فَيَقُوْلُوْنَ حَمِدَكَ وَاسْتَرْجَع
“'What did my slave say?' They say: 'He praised You and said: Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return).’”
Sunan al-Tirmizi (1021)
Thus, be patient when receiving the news of someone passing away. For there are great rewards for those who are patient. Next, you should supplicate the way the Prophet PBUH has taught us:
اللهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا
“O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it,"
Sahih Muslim (918)
Answering the above question, scholars have two differing opinions regarding this matter:
First, the deceased is placed on his back with his head raised a little and both his feet facing the qibla.
Second, the deceased is placed on his right side and facing the qibla, the same position as when he will be buried. This is the opinion of scholars in Iraq and is agreed by most scholars. (See Raudhah al-Talibin, 1/160)
We are inclined towards the second opinion where the deceased is placed on his right side facing the qibla.
Regarding the matter of facing the qibla, there is prophetic evidence regarding it as has been practised by the salafus soleh. From Abu Hurairah RA:
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَيِّدًا، وَإِنَّ سَيِّدَ الْمَجَالِسِ قُبَالَةَ الْقِبْلَةِ
“Everything has a leader, and the leader of a ceremony is facing the qibla.”
Sunan al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Ausat (2375)
From Ibn Abbas R.Anhuma, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَرَفًا وَإِنَّ أَشْرَفَ الْمَجَالِسِ مَا اسْتُقْبِلَ بِهِ الْقِبْلَةَ
“Indeed, everything is honoured, and the greatest honor of a ceremony is by facing the qibla.”
Narrated by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (7706)
In al-Mausu’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (4/76), it is said: The fuqaha’ has agreed that the most honoured direction is the qibla. Thus, it is sunnah to uphold this direction when we are sitting. This is in accordance with the hadith of the Prophet PBUH:
إِنَّ سَيِّدَ الْمَجَالِسِ قُبَالَةَ الْقِبْلَةِ
“The leader of a ceremony is facing the qibla.”
Sunan al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Ausat (2375)
The salafus soleh also directed their family members to face the qibla, which includes the companions, the following are some of the examples:
- From Abi Qatadah, from his grandfather, when the Prophet PBUH arrives in Medina, the Prophet PBUH asked about his companion al-Bara’ bin Ma’rur. Thus, it was answered that he has passed away and has asked that a third of his property is to be given to the Prophet PBUH and he is placed facing the qibla. The Prophet PBUH then said:
أَصَابَ الْفِطْرَةَ وَقَدْ رَدَدْتُ ثُلُثَهُ عَلَى وَلَدِهِ
“He has contended with nature (fitrah). And I have returned a third of his property back to his child.”
Sunan al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (6843)
- When Huzaifah RA is near his death, he said: “Face me to the qibla.”
- From Umair bin Qatadah, the Prophet PBUH explains the matter of Bait al-Haram:
قِبْلَتِكُمْ أَحْيَاءً وَأَمْوَاتًا
“This is your qibla in your life and after death.”
Sunan Abu Daud (2874)
May Allah SWT always guide us to obey His commandments. Amin.