Should the deceased be turned to face the Qiblah when he dies?
Question I’ve been told that a hadith is found where it says that as soon a muslim passes away that one should be immediately moved so that one is facing the Qabaa. Also that the grave itself should be facing the Qabaa in that the persons feet should be towards the Qabaa. The explanation given…
Question
Jazak Allaah khair akhi.
May Allaah (SWT) reward you for your hard-work.
Praise be to Allah.
Ibn Hazam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Turning the deceased to face the Qiblah is good, but if this is not done it does not matter. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allaah (and He is High above, over His Throne) [al-Baqarah 2:115]
and there is no text (nass) which indicates that the deceased should be turned to face the Qiblah.
(al-Muhallaa, 5/174)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died in the arms of Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), and she described the moments of his death in detail, and she did not say that she turned him to face the Qiblah.
Her hadeeth was narrated by al-Bukhaari (4440) and Muslim (2444).
This was not reported from any Sahaabi either. The report that Abu Qutaadah asked that he should be turned to face the Qiblah when he died, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of this by saying He has followed the fitrah is daeef (weak), not saheeh.
(See Irwaa al-Ghaleel, 3/153, concerning its being daeef).
With regard to how the deceased should be placed in the grave, Imaam Ibn Hazm said:
The deceased should be placed in his grave on his right side, with his face towards the Qiblah and his head and legs to the right and left. This is the practice of the Muslims from the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until the present day, and this is how all the graveyards of the Muslims are throughout the world.
(al-Mahallaa, 5/173).
With regard to the claim that people will be resurrected to the Kabah, this is a matter of the Unseen which needs proof what proof is there? What has been proven is that when the people are resurrected from their graves, they will head directly for the place of their gathering. And Allaah knows best.
