Fatwa #271018 October 2013United Kingdom
Burial of a still born child
Question
A woman was 9 months pregnant and the baby was fully formed. Under instruction from a friend we buried the body without Janazah and without an imam. The body was cleaned and wrapped in a piece of cloth but the baby had some clothes on that the parent had bought for her.
I just want to ask whether we did the right thing in not offerring a Janazah and whether we should have removed the clothes before wrapping the body. also should we have had an Imam present?
I have the feeling that we did the wrong thing and if we have then is there any solution?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
A still born child should be washed, wrapped in a single cloth and buried without Janāzah Salāh.[1] The presence of an Imām for the burial is not necessary. Accordingly, you have acted correctly. In fact, the piece of cloth on the baby was sufficient.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Nabeel Valli
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
[1] ومن استهل بعد الولادة سمى وغسل وصلي عليه " لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم " إذا استهل المولود صلي عليه وإن لم يستهل لم يصل عليه " ولأن الاستهلال دلالة الحياة فتحقق في حقه سنة الموتى " وإن لم يستهل أدرج في خرقة " كرامة لبني آدم " ولم يصل عليه " لما روينا [الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (1/ 91)]
(قَوْلُهُ وَالسِّقْطُ يُلَفُّ) أَيْ فِي خِرْقَةٍ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ حُرْمَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ [الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/204)، سعيد]
فتاوي محموديه (8/643) ادارة الفاروق
احسن الفتاوي (4/216) سعيد