It is not permissible to burn the body of the deceased after death
Question I am a recent convert to Islam. It was somewhat of a tradition in my family to get cremated. I always had that in my head that this was the best thing to do for the environment of the earth. Can you please tell me if this is allowed in Islam? Thank-you very much…
Question
Praise be to Allah.
It must be noted that the teachings and laws of Islam
came to honour people. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And indeed We have honoured the
Children of Adam” [al-Israa’ 17:70]
As the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the one who conveyed
to us the laws of our Lord, he taught us what Allaah has prescribed
concerning the dead, what we are permitted to do in their case and what
we are not permitted to do. Hence the teachings of Islam are different
from the teachings of other nations; they include treating the deceased
with respect and in a manner that will benefit him. Allaah has prescribed
for us that when a Muslim dies, we should wash him and cleanse him,
then shroud him in a white cloth, then we should offer the funeral prayer
for him and pray for mercy and forgiveness for him. Then after that
we must bury him and cover him with earth, then we should visit the
graves and pray for their Muslim occupants. It is not prescribed in
Islam to burn or cremate the dead, rather this is an act of disrespect
and dishonour. Islam forbids us to step, walk or sit on the grave of
the deceased, so how could we burn him? Even non-Muslims are to be buried
according to Islam, and this is what the Muslims do in the case of kuffaar
who die in their countries, but the kuffaar are not buried with the
Muslims in the same place. Some of the kuffaar may burn their dead because
they do not believe in the Last Day. For this reason it is not permitted
to burn the dead; rather it is obligatory to bury the dead. And Allaah
knows best.
