The Myth That There Is a Bird That Eats the Dead After They Are Buried

Question:
The first message in this episode is from our listener Ali 'Abd al-Hamid al-Wa'ili, from North Yemen and al-Sab al-'Ali. We addressed some of his questions in a previous episode, and in this episode he asks and says: Some people are afraid for the deceased after his death in his grave for only forty days, and they place thorns on top of the grave, out of fear of a large bird, the size of a human, with two wings, as they say, which comes at night, digs up the grave, and takes out the dead body to eat it. I am not exaggerating when I say that this belief is prevalent in some areas, and they claim that they have seen the animal when one of the people died. Is this true? And is there any element of shirk (associating partners with Allah) in this belief?
Please direct us, may Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This belief has no basis; rather, it is one of the myths. There is no bird, nor any other creature, that targets graves to dig up the dead. It is a myth among the common people and those like them. Allah has prescribed for us to deepen the graves: you dig it deep, then place bricks on the deceased in his grave, and then bury him. In this way, the problem is resolved, and nothing will harm him, and praise be to Allah. This myth has no foundation. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.