Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Bequest To Be Buried Abroad

· 20 Safar 1447 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

A person emigrated to a new a country. He made a Wasiyyat for his body to be returned to his home country for burial. Will it be permissible for his family not to fulfil this Wasiyyat, giving preference to the teachings of Shari’ah?

Answer

In principle, it would not be allowed to transfer the body of the deceased abroad without a valid Shar’iee reason, as Shari’ah states that the burial should take place as soon as possible. If the deceased made a bequest to be buried abroad after his death, it will not be permissible to forego the laws of Shari’ah and fulfil his bequest. Hence, in the queried scenario, it will not be binding (in fact, it will be impermissible) for the heirs to carry out such a bequest.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

جامع الترمذي (1075)

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْجُهَنِيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَهُ ‏ “‏ يَا عَلِيُّ ثَلاَثٌ لاَ تُؤَخِّرْهَا الصَّلاَةُ إِذَا آنَتْ وَالْجَنَازَةُ إِذَا حَضَرَتْ وَالأَيِّمُ إِذَا وَجَدْتَ لَهَا كُفْؤًا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَمَا أَرَى إِسْنَادَهُ بِمُتَّصِلٍ

(رد المحتار 2/ 221)

قال الشامي : ( والفتوى على بطلان الوصية ) عزاه في الهندية إلى المضمرات أي لو أوصى بأن يصلي عليه غير من له حق التقدم أو بأن يغسله فلان لا يلزم تنفيذ وصيته ولا يبطل حق الولي بذلك كذا تبطل لو أوصى بأن يكفن في ثوب كذا أو يدفن في موضع كذا أو يدفن في موضع كذا كما عزاه إلى المحيط.

Answered by
Mufti Abdur Rahman Abdur Razak
Checked & approved by
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/bequest-to-be-buried-abroad/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-39461

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