Is anything required of someone who places earth over the entire body of the deceased, above the shroud, inside the grave in a domed cemetery, and is it necessary for him to open the grave to remove the earth?
Burying in these structures goes against Islamic burial practices due to the roofing and construction over the grave, which has been prohibited in the Sunnah of the Prophet, as narrated in the hadiths of Jabir and Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with them). This contradicts the religious command to dig for the deceased, and the desirability of the grave being deep and wide. The lahd (niche) is sunnah, unless the ground is soft, in which case the shaqq (trench) is used. As for merely placing earth over the deceased without digging, it is insufficient, as it does not fulfill the requirements of an Islamic burial, which prevents odor and protects the deceased from wild animals.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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