The Supreme Religious Authority Office answers questions about the deceased with a coronavirus.

The Supreme Religious Authority Office issued a number of recommendations in response to a set of questions that were sent to his office.

This came in the response of His Eminence, the supreme religious authority, Sayed Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, to a number of questions that were received by his eminence’s office in this regard, which revolve around washing the deceased with this disease and his embalming, and if the deceased can be buried with the disease in common burial places in the country.

1- When it is not possible to wash the body by fear of contamination, it is better to do Tayammum by the hands of the alive even by wearing gloves, but if the competent authorities prohibit this, then it is buried without Ghusl or Tayammum.

2- In this condition the Tahneet –embalming- is not possible.

3- It is obligatory to cover the body with the three kafan clothes even if it is on top of the bag, but if this is not possible, the body can be covered by sheet that covers the body completely.

4- It is not permissible to burn the body of the dead Muslim. And his relatives should refuse this and insist on the burial following the Sharia.

5- It is permissible to put the body in a coffin before burial, but it is obligatory -if possible- to put the body on his right side in the coffin with the face directed towards the Qibla, like when buried in the ground.

6- It is not permissible to reject burying the deceased in the public cemeteries, and the concerned authorities have to facilitate this.