What is the ruling on gradually informing the deceased's family of his death?
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Question:
Does the one who conveys the news of death have an impact on the deceased's family? Should he, for example, inform them gradually and so on, because they might be shocked, and then their shock at hearing the news of death causes them to wail and so on?
Answer:
They must hear it; if they do not hear it today, they will hear it tomorrow. But he should tell them and console them, and praise be to Allah. As for lying, he does not lie.
Q: For example, he softens it by saying: He is sick, or he is in a critical condition, meaning gradually.
A: And they have no news that he is sick?
Q: They have no news. For example, he had an accident and died, so he informs them gradually, saying for example that he is in a critical condition and so on, and it is possible that he is in the throes of death and so on?
A: Allah knows best.
Does the one who conveys the news of death have an impact on the deceased's family? Should he, for example, inform them gradually and so on, because they might be shocked, and then their shock at hearing the news of death causes them to wail and so on?
Answer:
They must hear it; if they do not hear it today, they will hear it tomorrow. But he should tell them and console them, and praise be to Allah. As for lying, he does not lie.
Q: For example, he softens it by saying: He is sick, or he is in a critical condition, meaning gradually.
A: And they have no news that he is sick?
Q: They have no news. For example, he had an accident and died, so he informs them gradually, saying for example that he is in a critical condition and so on, and it is possible that he is in the throes of death and so on?
A: Allah knows best.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.