Is it permissible to exhume and relocate old Muslim graves to make way for a development project?

Short answer

Johor8 February 2018Fatwa committee decision

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: 8 February 2018
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

The Johor State Fatwa Committee ruled that it is permissible to exhume and relocate old Muslim graves on the project site of the developer Seaport Worldwide Sdn Bhd to a nearby cemetery, in order to honour the deceased and to allow construction of a bridge and road. The responsible parties must first determine the number of marked and unmarked graves, and the workers must be experienced, Muslim and cover their awrah. Heirs must be informed, written permission obtained from the authorities, designated officials must attend the work, and all costs are borne by the applicant.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.

Harus menurut hukum syarak menggali dan memindahkan kubur islam lama di atas tapak projek kendalian pemaju Seaport Worldwide Sdn bhd ke tanah perkuburan yang berhampiran.

Excerpt from the original fatwa · Johor

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. “PERMOHONAN FATWA PERPINDAHAN KUBUR LAMA”, 8 February 2018. https://said.johor.gov.my/perkhidmatan/paparan_detail_fatwa.php?id=1302. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-relocating-old-muslim-graves-project/