FatwaFederal TerritoriesFunerals & Death
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-115 : FIQH JENAZAH KEBAKARAN
What is the ruling on calling fire victims martyrs, and how should their bodies be handled, including how they are washed?
Short answer
A person who dies in a fire is among those described as martyrs in the hadith narrated by Jabir RA.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Funerals & Death
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
A person who dies in a fire is among those described as martyrs in the hadith narrated by Jabir RA. Describing martyrdom in general terms based on the qualities named in the hadith is permissible, but declaring a specific individual a martyr with certainty is not allowed unless confirmed by the Prophet SAW or by consensus of the Muslim community. The body of a fire victim must still be washed. If the burns are extremely severe, such as third degree burns where the skin may come off, water is not used and tayammum is performed instead, according to the Shafii school.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Hukum asal atau hak bagi jenazah adalah wajib dimandikan, samada ianya terbakar ataupun tidak.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-115 : FIQH JENAZAH KEBAKARAN”, 15 September 2017. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/665-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-115-fiqh-mati-kebakaran. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-bodies-of-fire-victims-martyrdom/