FatwaJohorFunerals & Death
PENGURUSAN JENAZAH TANPA IDENTITI
How should an unidentified body in a Johor hospital be handled when its religion is unknown?
Short answer
An unidentified body that no heir claims must first have its religion determined from its name, country of origin, clothing, bodily marks, items found with it, or the religion of family and close acquaintances, and is then handled according to that religion.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Johor State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Fatwa committee decision
- Series
- Fatwa Negeri Johor
- Topic
- Funerals & Death
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
An unidentified body that no heir claims must first have its religion determined from its name, country of origin, clothing, bodily marks, items found with it, or the religion of family and close acquaintances, and is then handled according to that religion. If the religion still cannot be established, the body is washed, shrouded, not prayed over, and buried at the edge of a Muslim cemetery in a designated area. If an heir later claims a Muslim body with acceptable proof, the absentee funeral prayer is performed, while a body confirmed as non-Muslim is moved to a non-Muslim cemetery after a court order. The hospital must try to locate heirs within three months at the latest before relying on signs on the body.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Jika tidak dapat dikenalpasti tanda-tanda mayat itu adalah mayat orang Islam atau mayat itu mayat orang bukan Islam sebagaimana yang dinyatakan di atas, maka pihak berwajib hendaklah menguruskan mayat itu dengan memandikan, mengkafankan, tanpa disolatkan dan mengkebumikannya dipinggir perkuburan Islam.
Read the full fatwa on the Johor website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Johor State Mufti Department. “PENGURUSAN JENAZAH TANPA IDENTITI”, 10 February 2025. https://said.johor.gov.my/perkhidmatan/paparan_detail_fatwa.php?id=1719. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/handling-unidentified-bodies-johor-hospitals/