Fatwa ID: 07701
Answered by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Question:
Assalaamualaykum here in the UK most people are buried in a coffin.
Should the ties securing the kafan of the mayyit be left tied as they can’t be untied in the grave as the coffin is closed?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In Hanafi Fiqh, the general practice is to untie the ties of the kafan (shroud) once the deceased (mayyit) is placed in the grave. This tradition is based on the guidance to remove any restrictions on the deceased so that they are laid to rest as naturally as possible. However, when burial practices require the use of a coffin, as is common in the UK, this practice is adjusted to accommodate the local circumstances.
Ruling on Leaving the Kafan Ties Tied in the Coffin
In cases where a coffin is required and cannot be opened in the in the grave, the Hanafi scholars have provided guidance on leaving the ties secured.
The Hanafi scholars have accepted that burial in the coffin is accepted.
Based on Hanafi jurisprudence, if the coffin cannot be opened once the deceased is placed in it, then it is permissible to leave the ties of the kafan as they are. This allowance is given to accommodate local burial practices while upholding the respect and dignity of the deceased.
May Allah grant ease and acceptance for the deceased and provide comfort to the bereaved.
I hope that this answers the question.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
وإن كان رجلاً لا يسجى قبره عندنا، وعند الشافعي رحمه الله: يسجى لما روي أن النبي عليه السلام لما دخل قبر سعد بن معاذ وأسامة بن زيد معه سجى قبره، ولأصحابنا رحمهم الله ما روي عن علي رضي الله عنه أنه مر بميت وقد سجي قبره فنزعه، وقال: إنه رجل، وأوصى شريح أن لا يسجى قبره؛ ولأن مبنى حال الرجل على الانكشاف، فلا يسجى قبره إلا لضرورة وهي ضرورة دفع الحر أو الثلج أو المطر عن الداخلين في القبر
ص191 – كتاب المحيط البرهاني – الفصل الثاني والثلاثون في الجنائز – المكتبة الشاملة
Mufti Ebrahim – https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/29773
