Ruling on burying more than one deceased person in a single grave

Question:
Following this, a message was received for the program from one of the female listeners. The listener (G. D.) has a collection of questions, among which is a question stating: If a person dies and they wish to bury him with a relative who died before him, when they open that grave, they distribute charity for the one who died previously, and they call it al-fatashah. Is this forbidden?

Answer:
There is no basis for this; rather, it is a religious innovation, and it is not permissible to do it, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . The Sunnah is that he is buried alone; the first grave is not opened. Rather, a separate pit is dug for him, and the new deceased is buried alone. This is the Sunnah: every deceased person is to be alone in a separate grave, except in cases of dire necessity when the number of deceased is very large and it becomes difficult for people to have each one in a separate grave. In that case, there is no harm in combining two or three in one grave out of dire necessity and pressing need. Otherwise, the Sunnah is that every deceased person is in a separate grave. This is the Sunnah. Yes. This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims used to bury each one alone. However, when the Battle of Uhud occurred and the number of deceased was large, and the people were suffering from wounds and hardship, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) buried two and three together in one grave out of need. Otherwise, the Sunnah is that each one is in a separate grave. This is the Sunnah. Yes.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.