What is the ruling on burial in al-saqaya, which are rooms in which people are buried collectively?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, may Allah preserve you: In some areas, there is something called: "al-saqaya", which is a room built underground. When one of them dies, they bury this man in this room. Every family or every household has a room underground, and they bury all their relatives in it. Sometimes they gather women with men, and they may not be mahram (close relatives). What is your opinion on this?
The Shaykh : What is its name?
The questioner : Al-saqaya.
The Shaykh : Al-saqaya?
The questioner : Yes, I do.
The Shaykh : From al-saqi, which is water?
The questioner : By Allah, I do not know. I went there; it is a saqiyah, and its plural is saqaya.
The Shaykh : Al-saqaya, which is a saqiyah. Some scholars have permitted it out of necessity, such as the narrowness of the land, for example. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gathered two or three people in one grave at Uhud out of necessity, because the Companions were tired and it was difficult for them to dig a grave for each person. So, some scholars have permitted it, and some scholars have prohibited it, saying: It is obligatory for every person to be in his own grave, but this is when it is possible. As for when it is not possible, there is no harm.
As for the matter of gathering men and women, I am not giving an opinion on it right now. But if they were to keep the women separate and the men separate, that would be better.
The Shaykh : What is its name?
The questioner : Al-saqaya.
The Shaykh : Al-saqaya?
The questioner : Yes, I do.
The Shaykh : From al-saqi, which is water?
The questioner : By Allah, I do not know. I went there; it is a saqiyah, and its plural is saqaya.
The Shaykh : Al-saqaya, which is a saqiyah. Some scholars have permitted it out of necessity, such as the narrowness of the land, for example. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gathered two or three people in one grave at Uhud out of necessity, because the Companions were tired and it was difficult for them to dig a grave for each person. So, some scholars have permitted it, and some scholars have prohibited it, saying: It is obligatory for every person to be in his own grave, but this is when it is possible. As for when it is not possible, there is no harm.
As for the matter of gathering men and women, I am not giving an opinion on it right now. But if they were to keep the women separate and the men separate, that would be better.