Relocating the body of the deceased from one town to another

Question:-

Is it permissible to relocate the body of the deceased from one town to another town?

Answer:-

According to the jurists, it is permissible to move the body of the deceased within a one or two-mile radius. Fatawa Qaadhi Khan states,

وان نقل قبل الدفن الي قدر ميل او ميلين فلا باس به (قاضي خان ص121 ج1)

If the body is transferred before burial within a one or two-mile radius, then there is no harm

Similarly, it is recorded in Tahtaawi that it is not Makrooh to move the deceased from one town to another if the length of the journey is one or two miles long, or according to another view, less than Safr distance, which is 77 kilometres.

لا تظهر الكراهة في نقله من بلد إلى بلد إلا إذا كانت المسافة أكثر من ميلين وقيل يجوز ذلك الي ما دون مدة السفر (حاشية الطحطاوي ص613)

However, majority of the Hanafi jurists have written that moving the body from one town to another is Makrooh-e-Tahreemi, as there is no need for doing so. Yes, generally there is a need to move the body a few miles, hence there is no harm in doing so.

بيان أن النقل من بلد إلى بلد مكروه” أي تحريما لأن قدر الميلين فيه ضرورة ولا ضرورة في النقل إلى بلد آخر (حاشية الطحطاوي ص613)

In conclusion, we are prohibited from relocating the body of the deceased from one place to another without a genuine excuse. Some scholars have stated that there is some concession to move the body of the deceased so that one may be buried in a sacred place (such as in Haramain Sharifain), but with the proviso that, the journey does not exceed Safr distance (more than 77kilometres). Hadrat Sa’ad Bin Abi Waqqas Radiallahu Anhu and Hadrat Sa’eed Bin Zaid Bin Amr Bin Nawfil had passed away in Waadi-e-Aqeeq, which is four Farsakh from Madinah Sharif. One Farsakh is equivalent to 3 Shari’ee miles, hence, the distance between Waadi-e-Aqeeq and Madinah Sharif is approximately 24 kilometres. Both these Sahaabah were transferred to Madinah Munawwarah and none of the Sahaabah objected to it. [Re:- Muattah Imaam Maalik – Kitaabul Janaa’iz]

مَالِكٌ؛ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِمَّنْ يَثِقُ بِهِ؛ أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَسَعِيدَ بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ، تُوُفِّيَا بِالْعَقِيقِ. وَحُمِلاَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ. وَدُفِنَا بِهَا (موطا مالك ص325 ج2)

Hadrat Abdur Rahman Bin Abu Bakr passed away in a place called Habshi and his body was relocated to Makkah Sharif, which was less than Safr distance. On visiting his Qabr, Aisha Radiallahu Anha stated, “If I was present at the time of your death, then I would have buried you where you passed away.”

عن عبد الله بن أبي مليكة، قال: توفي عبد الرحمن بن أبي بكر بحبشي قال: فحمل إلى مكة، فدفن فيها، فلما قدمت عائشة أتت قبر عبد الرحمن بن أبي بكر، فقالت:

وكنا كندماني جذيمة حقبة … من الدهر حتى قيل لن يتصدعا

فلما تفرقنا كأني ومالكا … لطول اجتماع لم نبت ليلة معا

ثم قالت: والله لو حضرتك ما دفنت إلا حيث مت، ولو شهدتك ما زرتك. (سنن الترمذي ص362 ج2)

It is recorded in Mirqaat, “Whoever passes away in a town, it is Makrooh to move him to another town as it is occupying oneself with something futile which results in delaying the burial, and this is sufficient to render it as Makrooh.”

وذكر أن من مات في بلده يكره نقله إلى أخرى، لأنه اشتغال بما لا يفيد، بما فيه تأخير دفنه، وكفى بذلك كراهة (مرقاة ص73 ج4)

It is recorded in another narration, “Hasten with the Janaazah.”

عن أبي هريرة، يبلغ به النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: أسرعوا بالجنازة، فإن يكن خيرا تقدموها إليه، وإن يكن شرا تضعوه عن رقابكم. (ترمذي – ابواب الجنائز)

Further, it is recorded in a narration of Tirmidhi, when Allah Ta’ala makes a decision of granting death to a servant in a particular place, then he creates a need for him to go towards that place.

عن مطر بن عكامس قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا قضى الله لعبد أن يموت بأرض جعل له إليها حاجة. (سنن الترمذي 36 ج2 النسخة الهندية)

These narrations indicate that the body of the deceased shouldn’t be moved from one place to another. The Fataawa of our Akaabireen also state that it is Makrooh to move the deceased from one place to another. It is recorded in Behishti Zewar page 102 vol.11 that relocating the body of the deceased is Makrooh.

In conclusion, a person should be buried wherever he passes away. To move the body a few miles will be acceptable. However, one should not undertake a lengthy journey that exceeds Safr distance, as doing so is Makrooh-e-Tahreemi. Yes, undertaking a journey less than Safr distance will be acceptable to be buried in a blessed place such as Makkah Sharif or Madinah Munawwarah. It has, unfortunately, become the norm in our era to transfer the bodies of the deceased to their hometowns, despite them having passed away hundreds of kilometres away from home. This is a futile practice which goes against the Shariah and should be discarded.

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 09 Rajab 1444 / 31 January 2023