FatwaFederal TerritoriesFunerals & Death
AL-KAFI #1734 : HUKUM MENOLAK PENGEBUMIAN JENAZAH COVID-19
Is it permissible to refuse or block the burial of a Covid-19 victim out of fear that the virus will spread?
Short answer
Refusing the burial of a Covid-19 body on the grounds of preventing the spread of disease is haram.
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
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Funerals & Death
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Refusing the burial of a Covid-19 body on the grounds of preventing the spread of disease is haram. The virus does not spread through the cemetery soil, and in Malaysia such bodies are shrouded carefully with full precautions. In isolated cases where a body was not shrouded according to procedure, the grave must not be dug up to move it, unless the authorities order it based on considerations of benefit and harm.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Hukum mengebumikan jenazah adalah perkara yang diwajibkan ke atas orang Islam secara fardhu kifayah terhadap jenazah orang Islam, selama mana tidak wujud keuzuran daripada mengebumikannya seperti kematian di laut dan sebagainya.
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. “AL-KAFI #1734 : HUKUM MENOLAK PENGEBUMIAN JENAZAH COVID-19”, 12 June 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/4540-al-kafi-1734-hukum-menolak-pengebumian-jenazah-covid-19. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-refusing-burial-covid-19-bodies/