Funerals: Carrying the Bier, Lahd and Burial

1. Carrying the bier

فَإِذَا حَمَلُوهُ عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ: أَخَذُوا بِقَوَائِمِهِ الْأَرْبَعِ
Translation: When they carry the deceased on the bier, they hold its four supports.

The sarir is the bier and the qawa’im are its four supports. Carrying the bier from its supports distributes the load and keeps it stable.

The etiquette of taking turns at the supports concerns the manner of carrying, not a validity condition for moving the body.

2. Taking turns at the four supports

The practical etiquette concerns the four supports, with some transmitted reports commending taking turns. The principal purpose is respectful and safe conveyance of the deceased.

Recommendations about carrying should not be treated as strict conditions for the validity of burial.

3. Pace of the funeral procession

وَيَمْشُونَ بِهِ مُسْرِعِينَ دُونَ الْخَبَبِ
Translation: They proceed briskly with it, but not at a running pace.

Musri‘in means a suitably brisk pace, while khabab refers to a run or bouncing pace that can disturb the bier.

A hadith states: أَسْرِعُوا بِالْجَنَازَةِ
Translation: Hasten with the funeral.

The objective is prompt, dignified burial, not uncontrolled running.

4. Haste without loss of dignity

The instruction to hasten concerns avoiding unnecessary delay. The dignity of the deceased still requires a steady bier without jolting.

Isra‘ is brisk, controlled movement; khabab implies a running gait. The qualifier “without khabab” preserves that difference.

5. Sitting upon reaching the grave

فَإِذَا بَلَغُوا بِهِ قَبْرَهُ: كُرِهَ لِلنَّاسِ أَنْ يَجْلِسُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ يُوضَعَ مِنْ أَعْنَاقِ الرِّجَالِ
Translation: When the procession reaches the grave, it is disliked for people to sit before the bier has been set down from the shoulders of its bearers.

The wording defines the restriction precisely: while the bier remains on the bearers’ shoulders. It is not an unrestricted prohibition on sitting at the cemetery.

Reports about standing or sitting during a procession describe different circumstances; this text addresses the bier still being carried.

6. Transition from funeral prayer to burial

After funeral prayer, carrying the bier, preparing the grave and burying the deceased are distinct legal topics. Relevant terms include carrying, lahd, shaqq and a raised grave mound.

This section deals with the physical manner of burial and protection of the deceased rather than the rulings of funeral prayer.

7. Digging the grave and making a lahd

وَيُحْفَرُ الْقَبْرُ، وَيُلْحَدُ
Translation: The grave is dug and a lateral recess (lahd) is made.

Lahd is a lateral recess, normally on the qiblah side of the grave. Shaqq is a central trench within the grave.

The form selected must also safeguard the body given the local soil conditions.

8. Lahd versus shaqq

In a lahd, the body lies in a recess to the side of the main pit, closed independently. In a shaqq, the central trench holds the body.

The legal question concerns the recommended form and practical necessity, not automatic invalidity whenever a different sound construction is used.

9. Grave depth and protection

The depth and width should protect the body from exposure or harm and permit dignified placement.

Protection of the grave and selection of a lahd or shaqq are distinct questions: the former concerns safeguards, the latter the recommended construction.

10. Juristic arguments over burial form

The preference for lahd draws on reported early practice and the wording اللَّحْدُ لَنَا وَالشَّقُّ لِغَيْرِنَا
Translation: Lahd is for us, and shaqq is for others.

Arguments permitting or preferring shaqq consider transmitted practice and circumstances such as unstable soil. This is primarily a dispute of preferred form, not respect for the deceased.

11. The side from which the deceased enters the grave

وَيُدْخَلُ الْمَيِّتُ مِمَّا يَلِي الْقِبْلَةَ
Translation: The deceased is lowered into the grave from the qiblah-facing side.

The clause refers to the side of the grave from which the body is brought in, not merely the body’s final orientation.

Transmitted descriptions of lowering include different practical details; the present ruling identifies entry from the qiblah-facing side.

12. Head and feet during lowering

Juristic reports differ in the detailed order of lowering the head or feet.

The present text specifies entry from the qiblah side. Respectful and secure lowering and correct final orientation are distinct considerations; disputes about subsidiary maneuvers do not invalidate burial by themselves.

13. Words spoken when placing the body in the lahd

فَإِذَا وُضِعَ فِي لَحْدِهِ قَالَ الَّذِي يَضَعُهُ: «بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ»
Translation: When the deceased is placed in the lahd, the person lowering the body says: In the name of Allah, and upon the religion of the Messenger of Allah.

Bismillah invokes the name of Allah; ‘ala millat Rasul Allah refers to the faith brought by the Messenger ﷺ.

The phrase belongs to the act of lowering, not to the funeral prayer takbirs, nor is it a condition for the burial’s validity.

14. The transmitted supplication at burial

At burial the wording is بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
Translation: In the name of Allah, and upon the religion of the Messenger of Allah.

Other transmissions have the wording ‘ala sunnat Rasul Allah. Millah refers to the faith and path; sunnah emphasizes the Prophetic way. These are variant transmitted wordings, not competing rituals.

15. Orienting the deceased toward the qiblah

وَيُوَجَّهُ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ
Translation: The deceased is turned toward the qiblah.

The body is laid on its right side so that the face is toward the qiblah. This final orientation is distinct from the direction of the procession or the side used to lower the body.

The rule expresses reverence and the orientation of Muslim worship while preserving safe placement.

16. Untying the shroud fastenings

وَتُحَلُّ الْعُقْدَةُ
Translation: The fastening knot is untied.

Shroud ties are used to keep the wrapping secure while the body is moved. Once the body is properly placed, the temporary fastenings are undone without disturbing the covering.

17. Closing the lahd with unbaked bricks

وَيُسَوَّى اللَّبِنُ عَلَى اللَّحْدِ
Translation: Unbaked bricks are fitted across the opening of the lahd.

Labin is an unbaked sun-dried brick, in contrast with ajurr, a fired brick.

Closing the opening protects the body from direct earthfall when the grave is filled; it is distinct from making an elaborate permanent chamber.

18. Disapproval of fired brick and timber

وَيُكْرَهُ الْآجُرُّ وَالْخَشَبُ
Translation: Fired bricks and timber are disliked for this purpose.

Ajurr is fired brick and khashab timber. They were associated with built structures; simpler burial construction was preferred.

This disapproval concerns the ordinary case and must be distinguished from genuine protective necessity in unstable ground.

19. Reed or cane as a permissible covering

وَلَا بَأْسَ بِالْقَصَبِ
Translation: There is no objection to using reed or cane.

Qasab denotes reed or cane. It may cover the lahd if it safely protects the deceased.

The different ruling for qasab shows that the construction material and its purpose are relevant.

20. Necessity and burial materials

The comparison of unbaked bricks, fired bricks, wood and reeds points to a preference for simple but protective burial.

If wet or unstable ground threatens collapse, the question of necessity arises and must be distinguished from normal-case disapproval.

21. Filling the grave with soil

ثُمَّ يُهَالُ التُّرَابُ عَلَيْهِ
Translation: Then earth is poured over it.

Yuhal means earth is cast into the grave. Once the lahd is closed, the main pit is filled. The order first safeguards the body, then restores the earth above it.

Participants may contribute handfuls of earth; transmitted etiquette also mentions three handfuls, without making that number a condition of burial.

22. Three handfuls of soil

Some transmitted etiquette mentions casting three handfuls of earth by hand. This is distinct from actually filling the grave.

A few handfuls alone do not satisfy the physical requirement to fill and secure the grave.

23. Raising the grave in a gentle mound

وَيُسَنَّمُ الْقَبْرُ
Translation: The grave is formed with a gentle raised mound.

Tasnim is a gentle mound resembling a camel’s hump. The slight rise makes the grave recognizable; it is not permission for monumental construction.

Reports describing mounded graves inform the recommended form.

24. Not making the grave entirely flat

وَلَا يُسَطَّحُ
Translation: It is not left completely flat.

Tastih means leveling the grave’s surface, whereas tasnim leaves a slight central rise.

Different jurists preferred different grave profiles while agreeing on the validity of the burial itself. This text prefers tasnim.

25. Legal reasoning on mounding and flattening

Proponents of tasnim rely on descriptions of raised graves. Those preferring tastih cite other descriptions and arguments for a simple, level appearance.

This is a difference over recommended appearance, not a dispute about whether the deceased has been buried.

26. Soil, marker and construction

The need to protect and identify a grave is not the same as embellishing it.

A simple identifying marker and constructing an elaborate edifice are different questions; practical protection should not be mistaken for an unrestricted building practice.

27. The sequence of burial

1 — Carry: Take the bier steadily and briskly to the grave.

2 — Prepare: Dig a safe grave and lahd; lower from the qiblah side.

3 — Place: Recite the transmitted words, orient the body and untie the fastenings.

4 — Close: Secure the lahd, then fill the earth.

5 — Form: Leave a modest mound without unnecessary monumentality.

28. Key technical vocabulary

Qawa’im: Four bier supports. Khabab: Jogging/running-like gait.

Lahd: Lateral niche; shaqq: central trench.

Labin: Unbaked brick; ajurr: fired brick; qasab: reed.

Tasnim: Raised mound; tastih: leveling the top. Distinguishing the terms prevents mixing questions about construction, burial action and preferred form.