The method of burying the deceased among us is that the grave is oriented lengthwise toward the qiblah, not widthwise
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 19186 )
Q 1: The cemeteries in our country, where we bury our dead, follow a burial method where the grave is oriented lengthwise toward the qiblah, not widthwise. This means that if we place the deceased inside, the feet of the deceased face the qiblah. They say that the two angels sit the deceased up to question him, and that the deceased sits facing the qiblah. Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good, about the validity of this burial, which is the opposite of the burial method here in the Kingdom. If this is not permissible, what should we do, especially since the cemeteries have been designed in this orientation?
A 1 : The Shari'ah-prescribed manner of placing the deceased in the grave is to place him on his right side, with his face and body facing the qiblah; because this is what is established from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Anything that contradicts this manner is not prescribed, so it must be abandoned. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q 1: The cemeteries in our country, where we bury our dead, follow a burial method where the grave is oriented lengthwise toward the qiblah, not widthwise. This means that if we place the deceased inside, the feet of the deceased face the qiblah. They say that the two angels sit the deceased up to question him, and that the deceased sits facing the qiblah. Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good, about the validity of this burial, which is the opposite of the burial method here in the Kingdom. If this is not permissible, what should we do, especially since the cemeteries have been designed in this orientation?
A 1 : The Shari'ah-prescribed manner of placing the deceased in the grave is to place him on his right side, with his face and body facing the qiblah; because this is what is established from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Anything that contradicts this manner is not prescribed, so it must be abandoned. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.