FatwaFederal TerritoriesPurification (Taharah)
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-205 : HUKUM MENANAM URI DI TEMPAT YANG TERTENTU
Is it obligatory to bury a baby's placenta, or may it simply be disposed of, including by maternity hospital staff handling unclaimed placentas?
Short answer
The placenta and the small placenta attached to the umbilical cord are ruled pure when separated from a living child.
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
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Purification (Taharah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The placenta and the small placenta attached to the umbilical cord are ruled pure when separated from a living child. It is recommended to wrap them in cloth, washed or not, and bury them in clean earth as a mark of respect for the person. This is recommended by analogy with nails and hair, but it is not obligatory, and discarding the placenta without burying it is not sinful. Setting up a dedicated burial place is not contrary to Islamic law, and Muslim and non-Muslim placentas are advised to be kept separate to avoid public confusion.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Namun sekiranya tembuni (uri) ini dibuang tanpa ditanam maka perbuatan tersebut tidaklah berdosa.
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. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-205 : HUKUM MENANAM URI DI TEMPAT YANG TERTENTU”, 13 September 2017. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/667-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-205-hukum-menanam-uri-di-tempat-yang-tertentu. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-burying-the-placenta-in-a-designated-place/