Medical students have to experiment with dead human bodies.

Answer

It is never permissible. It is haraam. The human body has to be compulsorily buried. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that breaking the bones of a mayyit is just like breaking the bones of a living person.

Once when Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) saw a Sahaabi leaning against a grave, rebuking him, our Nabi (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Do not inconvenience the inmate of the Grave."

There are other Ahaadith also which confirm that the „dead‟ person has perception and is aware of what is being done to him/her. Whether the person is interred under ground, cremated, drowned or devoured by a lion, he is alive in the state of Barzakh.

HARAAM / BID‟AH MAY- YIT CUSTOMS

Questions

My grandmother's sister passed away.

1. While her body was lying in the lounge, some people said that the face must be opened before the Yaaseen recital or before she departs to her grave. Is this permissible? They say that it is the last time in your life you will see her, so those who wish to see, may come see her. Even ghair mahrams are there to see.

A. These people are morons. It was not permissible to have opened the face of the deceased grandmother nor was it permissible to have recited Yaaseen. This practice is bid‟ah. The evil was aggravated by allowing even ghair mahrams to be present and to look at the face of the female mayyit.

2. A ghair mahram man came to read Yaaseen by my grandmother before they picked up the body. I was surprised. I thought it is not allowed in the Shariah. please explain.

A. Reciting Yaseen in the scenario is bid‟ah. This bid‟ah is aggravated by the jaahil ghair mahram. His presence was haraam. It was despicable and haraam for the ghair mahram to have come to recite Yaaseen by the female mayyit.

3. Before the body arrived, some people were reading Yaaseens. is this permissible as ghusl was not yet done!!! Or can one send isaale sawaab before ghusl if the body is not there?

A. While Isaal-e-Thawwab is permissible even before ghusl without being present at the mayyit, the practice explained by you is bid‟ah and not permissible.

4. Before they picked up the body, a Haafiz Saheb came to read Yaaseen loudly, Is this permissible?

A. The hafiz also committed bid‟ah. It was not permissible. He is a jaahil bid‟ati.

5. Then after Yaaseen, a big shot (the main guy) came to make a loud Dua before picking up the body. Is this bidah?

A. The dua made by the „big shot‟ was also bid‟ah. It was not permissible. The bid‟ah is aggravated by the pride of the big shot.

6. A woman in Niqaab came to the Janaazah house. She wanted to enter. But, all the men were at the entrance. She never knew how to enter. She just had to file pass the men. Should there be different entrances and separation at Janaazahs? The men are full up at the entrances. How does a purdah woman enter the home in such a case? or must she sit in the car? or the must the men be told to move out of the way? Kindly explain how to go about it in detail for the benefit of the masses. It is obvious that many womenfolk are going to be at janaazahs, especially the close relatives.

A. Firstly it is not permissible for women to be at the janaazah house. Only those women who are immediate family members may be present. The men blocking the entrance are ignoramuses. They were not supposed to crowd at the entrance. They were not supposed to be there. Their presence would be required only when the janaazah has to be carried.

7. At the graveyard, the Imaam of our Musjid read a loud Faatihah after the grave was filled. He read Surah Fatiha, Aayatul Kursi, etc, loudly without raising his hands. Is this permissible?

A. The practice at the graveyard is a bid‟ah custom.

8. After the Faatihah, the Imaam of our Musjid raised his hands and made a loud Dua. It was congregational. Is there any basis in the Hadeeth for a loud congregational Dua after burial?

A. All of these graveyard practices are bid‟ah customs.