Burying more than one deceased person in a grave
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Fatwa number ( 6455 )
Q: In some areas of the south, people dig graves that are two meters long and approximately one meter wide. This grave is called a *saqiyyah*. The head of the family always digs it, and it is flat. When he or one of the members of this family dies, they bury them in this grave. The minimum interval is six months, but they continue to bury large numbers at times. This grave holds about fifteen individuals, male and female, from the same family. I ask you, may Allah reward you, to issue a ruling on this question. If it is not permissible, I ask you to warn against such practices in the media, so that those who engage in such actions may refrain from them.
A: It is obligatory to bury each deceased person in a separate grave. A niche should be dug for him on the side facing the qiblah, and the niche should be sealed with bricks or the like. It is not permissible to bury a group in one grave unless there is great difficulty in burying each person separately due to a large number of deaths caused by a plague, killing, or the like. In that case, there is no harm in burying two or three people in one grave, and the one who is best in religion should be placed closest to the qiblah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on the day of Uhud. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: In some areas of the south, people dig graves that are two meters long and approximately one meter wide. This grave is called a *saqiyyah*. The head of the family always digs it, and it is flat. When he or one of the members of this family dies, they bury them in this grave. The minimum interval is six months, but they continue to bury large numbers at times. This grave holds about fifteen individuals, male and female, from the same family. I ask you, may Allah reward you, to issue a ruling on this question. If it is not permissible, I ask you to warn against such practices in the media, so that those who engage in such actions may refrain from them.
A: It is obligatory to bury each deceased person in a separate grave. A niche should be dug for him on the side facing the qiblah, and the niche should be sealed with bricks or the like. It is not permissible to bury a group in one grave unless there is great difficulty in burying each person separately due to a large number of deaths caused by a plague, killing, or the like. In that case, there is no harm in burying two or three people in one grave, and the one who is best in religion should be placed closest to the qiblah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on the day of Uhud. 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.