Issue No.571- A person offering the prayer for the dead individual should recite the takbīrs and supplications consecutively, so that the prayer does not lose its form and, as an obligatory precaution, one should not talk to anyone while performing the prayer.
Issue No.572- It is recommended to perform the prayer for the dead individual in congregation, however if one offers it in congregation, he should recite all the takbīrs and supplications himself, and as was mentioned before, the detailed supplications mentioned above are recommended. However, in case someone does not know them by heart, he may recite them from a book.
Issue No.573- It is recommended that a person who offers the prayer for the dead individual, performs ghusl, wuḍū or tayammum. And, as a recommended precaution, one can only perform tayammum when it is not possible for him to do ghusl or wuḍū, or he fears that if he goes for ghusl or wuḍū he will miss the prayer. In addition to this, it is recommended to observe the following points in the prayer for the dead individual seeking the reward of almighty Allah (swt):1- If the deceased is a male, the imam or a person who is offering the prayer alone should stand before the middle part of the dead body and if the deceased is female, he should stand before the chest of the dead body.2- To pray barefooted.3- To raise one’s hands (up to the ears) while pronouncing every takbīr.4- The distance between the person performing prayer and the dead body should be so short in a way that, when the wind blows, his clothes would reach the body. 5- In congregational prayer, the imam should recite the takbīrs and the supplications loudly and others participating in the prayer should recite them in a low voice.6- The prayer-performer should persistently pray for the dead body as well as for all the believers.7- Saying the word “al-ṣalāh” three times before prayer.8- The prayer to be at a place where more people would go for the prayer for the dead individual.9- It is better not to perform the prayer for the dead individual in mosques, except in Masjid Al-haram.10- If a ḥā’iḍ (woman in her menses) participates in the congregational prayer, she should stand alone and not join the lines.
Issue No.575- If it is not possible to bury a dead body in the ground, it may be kept in a sealed building or sealed coffin.
Issue No.576- The dead body should be laid in the grave on its right side so that the face is towards the qiblah.
Issue No.577- If a person dies on a ship and there is no fear of the decay of the corpse and there is also no problem in keeping it on the ship it should be kept on board and buried in the earth after reaching land. Otherwise, after performing ghusl, camphorating, shrouding and prayer, it should be placed in something that prevents the access of sea animals to it, and its door should be closed tightly and then lowered into the sea. And if that is not possible, a heavy object should be tied to its feet when dropping it into the sea. Furthermore, so far as possible, it should not be lowered into water at a place where the animals may eat it up at once.
Issue No.579- The expenses of reinforcing the grave on land, if necessary, or lowering the body into the sea can be taken from the estate of the deceased (before distribution to heirs and beneficiaries).
Issue No.580- If a non-Muslim woman dies with a dead child in her womb, and the father is a Muslim, she should be lain in the grave on her left side with her back towards the qiblah, so that the face of the child is towards the qiblah. Even if it is a soulless foetus (one that does not move yet), the same instruction should be acted upon, as an obligatory precaution.
Issue No.581- As an obligatory precaution, it is not permissible to bury a Muslim in the graveyard of non-Muslims or to bury a non-Muslim in the graveyard of Muslims. Moreover, it is haram to bury the dead body of a Muslim in a place which is disrespectful, like places where garbage is thrown.
Issue No.582- It is neither permissible to bury a dead body in a usurped place, nor in a place endowed for purposes other than burial (e.g., in a mosque or religious schools). Unless a part of such an endowed place has been excluded from it and allocated for burial.
Issue No.583- There is no problem in burying a dead body in the grave of another dead body provided that it does not lead to exhumation (i.e. the body of the previous dead person being disclosed), and the land is mubāḥ to bury in or endowed for general use [1] [in the case of the land being endowed].
Issue No.584- As an obligatory precaution, anything separated from the dead body, even the hair, nails or teeth, should be buried along with it in a manner that does not lead to exhumation. However, it is not obligatory to bury the nails or teeth cut off or extracted during lifetime but it is better to do so.
