What is the ruling of Islamic law on delaying the burial of the deceased for one day until their acquaintances arrive, given that the body is preserved in a refrigerated cabinet due to the absence of a hospital or a place to store bodies in the rural area?
It is recommended to hasten the preparation and burial of the deceased once death is certain, based on the Prophet's (PBUH) sayings: "It is not befitting for the corpse of a Muslim to be kept among his family" and "When one of you dies, do not detain him, and hasten him to his grave." It is permissible to delay it slightly to await someone to pray over him or his guardian, as long as there is no fear of decomposition. If decomposition is feared, then delaying it is not permissible. The honor of the deceased lies in expediting his burial.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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