Funeral of a stillborn baby

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

I was talking to the vicar in our local church yesterday.
He told me that he had been approached by a Muslim family and asked if he would conduct the funeral for their stillborn daughter, because they had been told by the Imam that she could not have an Islamic funeral.

That made me wonder, what are the rules with regards to burying stillborn babies is Islam? (I am not sure how far into the pregnancy the mother was)

The funeral arrangements in Islam, for adults and children are washing, shrouding, the funeral prayer being offered, and the body buried as quickly as possible.

The key words are highlighted in bold. It all depends on how far the lady was into her pregnancy.

If she was 120 days or more (at 120 days the soul is breathed into the foetus), then Islamically the baby should be washed and shrouded, the funeral prayer offered for her, then she should be buried.

If she was less than 120 days, then Islamically the foetus should be shrouded and buried, but the funeral prayer is not offered. Washing depends on how far less than 120 days she was.

See these links:

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/11962/stillborn
http://www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk/what_to_do_p2.htm
http://www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk/what_to_do_p5.htm

It doesn't say anywhere in any Islamic text that you cannot bury your still born child Islamically, and nothing should stop them from performing the Islamic funeral arrangements as outlined above.

Peace.

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

I was talking to the vicar in our local church yesterday.
He told me that he had been approached by a Muslim family and asked if he would conduct the funeral for their stillborn daughter, because they had been told by the Imam that she could not have an Islamic funeral.

That made me wonder, what are the rules with regards to burying stillborn babies is Islam? (I am not sure how far into the pregnancy the mother was)

Apparently the family have prayed and hoped for a baby daughter for a long time, but the woman only seems to be able to bear sons.

Thank you for your replies.

Why did the muslim family ask the Vicar! That is just Weird, wasn’t there any other mosque? And did the vicar bury the child?

This is interesting.

format_quote Originally Posted by sweet106

Why did the muslim family ask the Vicar! That is just Weird, wasn’t there any other mosque?

They asked the imam first.
There are other mosques, but this is the one the local Muslim community uses.

And did the vicar bury the child?

No, he hasn't yet.
I know that the vicar and the imam have a good working relationship. Hopefully they will both discuss this situation and come to a beneficial solution.

As Insane Insaan explained there should be no reason why the little girl cannot be buried Islamically, even if certain rituals such a washing or praying will not be required or permitted. (Thank you, Insane Insaan. That was very informative! )

This is interesting.

That's what I thought. The vicar had never come across such a situation before either.
That's why I thought I'd mention the circumstances too, rather than just ask the question.

format_quote Originally Posted by AhmadibnNasroon

ajeeb, they asked a Christian to conduct the funeral for their child? Perhaps the Imam takes the Hanafi opinion and told them that there is no salaatul janaazah for such a baby. Allaahu'3lam.

there is four schools of thought, imams shouldnt be only following one ruling. he should be looking into all four options. imams have an awful habit of this instead of letting the couple know that other options exist.

glo there is muslims out there who are not really practicing the deen if you know what i mean, so they don't care where a funeral is held. non practicing muslims have little care for these things.

So this could be the reason. also the imam clearly has limited knowledge. he might not have even been an imam. as the sister stated above, there should not have been any problem to hold an islamic burial

format_quote Originally Posted by AhmadibnNasroon

the issue you present is an important one, however thats if the Imam is even aware of other opinions and even if he is....if he understands them and can cite proof for them. I've found the majority of Imams in my area to be quite ignorant that even the average 18 year old knows more than him. Sad, but it is the case in some instances.

However if the Imam has knowledge of his madhab in this case and holds to it while knowing the evidences or the Usool which is used to derive the ruling within his madhab, then he is not blameworthy for telling the couple this.

yeh your right ahki thats why i said he probably has limited knowledge but part of being an imam is learning all of the four schools of thought. they don't have to stick to one. if they wanted, they could learn the others.

format_quote Originally Posted by AhmadibnNasroon

They could learn others, it doesn't mean they have to accept it. Anyway thats a deep fiqhi discussion I just hope this Muslim family doesn't fall into the kufr. They should at the least stick to the Imam, bury their child even if there is no salaatul janaazah.

yeh i know