She placed a heavy blanket on her child and he died
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Fatwa number ( 20724 )
Q: One of the sisters asked me to ask you that she had an infant who passed away twenty years ago. He was afflicted with an illness one week before his death. On the day of his death, his mother nursed him and placed him in his cradle, then draped the usual blanket over him. After a while, she returned and lifted the blanket off him, only to find him gasping for breath with foam coming from his mouth, and then he immediately breathed his last. She is uncertain whether she contributed to his death by placing the heavy blanket
on him, and she requests clarification of what is required of her in this matter from the legal perspective, in light of the following observations: 1 - The blanket mentioned is heavy (a Zuliyyah), and it is his usual blanket, as well as the blanket of his brothers of the same age before him, and it has been the custom among the Bedouin inhabitants for a long time. 2 - The child was ill and close to death, and this occurred one week before his death. 3 - If an expiation is required of her, what is its type? And if she is unable to free a slave due to the little she has, or if she is unable to fast due to her illness or the continuation of an excuse that prevents fasting and prayer, what is the ruling?
A: If the Zuliyyah that her mother placed over him covered his face, then she owes an expiation for accidental killing; because it appears that he died as a result of that. The expiation is freeing a believing slave. If she is unable to do so, she must fast for two consecutive months, sixty days. If she is ill, she fasts after recovering from the illness. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: One of the sisters asked me to ask you that she had an infant who passed away twenty years ago. He was afflicted with an illness one week before his death. On the day of his death, his mother nursed him and placed him in his cradle, then draped the usual blanket over him. After a while, she returned and lifted the blanket off him, only to find him gasping for breath with foam coming from his mouth, and then he immediately breathed his last. She is uncertain whether she contributed to his death by placing the heavy blanket
on him, and she requests clarification of what is required of her in this matter from the legal perspective, in light of the following observations: 1 - The blanket mentioned is heavy (a Zuliyyah), and it is his usual blanket, as well as the blanket of his brothers of the same age before him, and it has been the custom among the Bedouin inhabitants for a long time. 2 - The child was ill and close to death, and this occurred one week before his death. 3 - If an expiation is required of her, what is its type? And if she is unable to free a slave due to the little she has, or if she is unable to fast due to her illness or the continuation of an excuse that prevents fasting and prayer, what is the ruling?
A: If the Zuliyyah that her mother placed over him covered his face, then she owes an expiation for accidental killing; because it appears that he died as a result of that. The expiation is freeing a believing slave. If she is unable to do so, she must fast for two consecutive months, sixty days. If she is ill, she fasts after recovering from the illness. 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.