In Egypt, regarding the burial of the deceased, they bury the body on its back with the right hand over the left hand on the stomach.
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The questioner : In Egypt, regarding the burial of the deceased, they bury the body on its back with the right hand over the left hand on the stomach. I have found here in the Kingdom that they bury the deceased on his right side. Please provide information on this matter, may you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : The correct practice is that the deceased is buried on his right side, facing the qiblah. The Ka'bah is the qiblah for people whether they are alive or dead. Just as the sleeper sleeps on his right side, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded, so too the deceased is laid on his right side. Sleep and death share the characteristic that each is a passing away, as Allah the Exalted said:[Az-Zumar 39:42] And He said: [Al-An'am 6:60].
The prescribed practice in burying the deceased is to lay him on his right side, facing the qiblah. Perhaps what the questioner witnessed in his country was the result of ignorance on the part of those who handled it. Otherwise, to my knowledge, no scholar has said that the deceased is laid on his back with his hands placed on his stomach.
The Shaykh : The correct practice is that the deceased is buried on his right side, facing the qiblah. The Ka'bah is the qiblah for people whether they are alive or dead. Just as the sleeper sleeps on his right side, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded, so too the deceased is laid on his right side. Sleep and death share the characteristic that each is a passing away, as Allah the Exalted said:
Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep
الله يتوفى الأنفس حين موتها والتي لم تمت في منامهاAnd it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled
وهو الذي يتوفاكم بالليل ويعلم ما جرحتم بالنهار ثم يبعثكم فيه ليقضى أجل مسمىThe prescribed practice in burying the deceased is to lay him on his right side, facing the qiblah. Perhaps what the questioner witnessed in his country was the result of ignorance on the part of those who handled it. Otherwise, to my knowledge, no scholar has said that the deceased is laid on his back with his hands placed on his stomach.