The Coronavirus has acquired the status of a global pandemic and it has impacted most of the countries in the world. More than 2 million people have been affected by it and caused more than 1,35,000 deaths. In India too the death toll has crossed 400 including those belonging to the Muslim community. Questions are being asked regarding the last rites of Muslims who die of Coronavirus including the ghusl (bath), takfeen (exequy), tadfeen (burial) and namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer). The Shariah Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind reflected on these questions and came up with the following clarifications regarding the same:

1. The patients infected by Coronavirus deserve our sympathy. Hating and boycotting them is not correct. Efforts to provide them the best medical treatment by exercising all recommended precautions are required.

2. The ghusl (bathing) of the dead body is obligatory in normal conditions. However, if the medical experts are expressing the opinion that this may lead to the spread of the virus and if it is not possible even to do ‘tayammum’ (dry ritual purification), then this obligation shall not be applicable.

3. The same ruling applies to give ‘kafan’ (shrouding the dead body). If the medical experts are expressing the opinion that undressing the dead body and then shrouding it, may lead to the spread of the virus, then the plastic (body) bag in which it is brought from the hospital is sufficient.

4. The namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer) is farz-e-kifaya (communal obligation). The namaz-e-janaza of a person who died of Coronavirus will be offered after exercising all due precautions. If for some reason, the namaz-e-janaza of a person who died of Coronavirus could not be offered then the namaz-e-janaza can be offered near his grave later on till as time the dead body has not decomposed. According to the Shafi Fiqh (jurisprudence), the ‘ghaybana – namaz-e-janaza’ (funeral prayer in absentia) is permissible.

5. Respecting the deceased demands a burial for his/her body. It is prohibited to disallow the burial of any person who died due to Coronavirus. Those who prevent this burial will be committing a sin. Such dead bodies can be buried in the common Muslim cemetery. There is no need to make a separate cemetery for those who died of Coronavirus.

6. Efforts should be made to have a separate cemetery for Muslims (in villages, towns and cities). However, in places where Muslims do not have their separate cemetery, Muslims can be buried in a shared cemetery or a cemetery belonging to non-Muslims as a last resort.

7. Burning (cremating) the dead body of a Muslim is absolutely ‘haram’ (prohibited) in the Shariah. If the government tries to make any law to that effect then it will become incumbent on Muslims to make efforts for modifying it and pressurize the government to refrain from passing any legislation that is contradictory to the Shariah.

8. The Ulema (religious scholars) and office bearers of religious organizations should try to create awareness about the Islamic guidelines regarding the issues related to burial (of those who died of the virus) and they should take the initiative in carrying out their burial in coordination and collaboration of the hospital and authorities.

President
Maulana Jalaluddin Umari

Secretary
Maulana Raziul Islam Nadvi