Burying a Muslim in the lands of northern Canada
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 16722 )
Q: A Muslim is buried in a simple shroud and covered with earth. How is it possible to bury a Muslim in the lands of northern Canada ( the Inuit regions ) where there is no (earth), but only layers of frozen snow? If these are broken, (stone is the closest comparison to it), the body will not decompose or dissolve, and it will remain in the same state in which it was buried for decades or centuries. Factors of erosion and the melting of the snow cause it to move, making the buried body susceptible to appearing on the surface of the snow again after a few years. This has actually happened, and the bodies of humans are then eaten by hungry animals in those regions. Is this permissible, and is it better than placing the body in a shroud after washing it and then burning it in fire to turn it into ash? I tried, O honorable Shaykh, to explain the situation to you, and I wish you would issue a ruling on it with consideration of what is possible in those lands here in the north, and not from the perspective of one looking at what exists in the Middle East, which is full of earthy and sandy areas where burial and covering the body of the deceased with earth is possible. There are no layers of earth in the far north of Canada, nor even perhaps tens of meters deep.
A: It is not permissible to burn the body of a Muslim who dies in the frozen regions such as ( the Inuit regions ). Rather, the one in authority over him must do what is within his
capacity and power to transfer him to a non-frozen area where he can be buried, if that is feasible, or to dig a grave for him in the frozen layers and bury him like his counterparts; this is due to the generality of the evidence for ease and expansion for the Muslim, as in the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Taghabun 64:16] , and His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:286] . And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Q: A Muslim is buried in a simple shroud and covered with earth. How is it possible to bury a Muslim in the lands of northern Canada ( the Inuit regions ) where there is no (earth), but only layers of frozen snow? If these are broken, (stone is the closest comparison to it), the body will not decompose or dissolve, and it will remain in the same state in which it was buried for decades or centuries. Factors of erosion and the melting of the snow cause it to move, making the buried body susceptible to appearing on the surface of the snow again after a few years. This has actually happened, and the bodies of humans are then eaten by hungry animals in those regions. Is this permissible, and is it better than placing the body in a shroud after washing it and then burning it in fire to turn it into ash? I tried, O honorable Shaykh, to explain the situation to you, and I wish you would issue a ruling on it with consideration of what is possible in those lands here in the north, and not from the perspective of one looking at what exists in the Middle East, which is full of earthy and sandy areas where burial and covering the body of the deceased with earth is possible. There are no layers of earth in the far north of Canada, nor even perhaps tens of meters deep.
A: It is not permissible to burn the body of a Muslim who dies in the frozen regions such as ( the Inuit regions ). Rather, the one in authority over him must do what is within his
capacity and power to transfer him to a non-frozen area where he can be buried, if that is feasible, or to dig a grave for him in the frozen layers and bury him like his counterparts; this is due to the generality of the evidence for ease and expansion for the Muslim, as in the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلا وُسْعَهَا
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.