What was the reason for delaying the burial of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for two days, even though honoring the deceased involves hastening their burial?

The delay in burying the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is not a violation of showing respect for the deceased for several reasons: The body of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was preserved from change, and nothing was seen from him that is seen from other deceased persons. The proof of this is Abu Bakr's kissing him and saying, "You were good, alive and dead." The Companions were also secure that his body would not change.

The delay in burial was due to the eagerness of all the Companions to pray over him individually, and this took a long time. Likewise, their disagreement regarding his ritual washing, who would wash him, and where he would be buried also played a role. The shock of his death affected the Companions, which delayed decision-making. The Companions also engaged in consultation regarding the issue of succession to ensure the stability of the Ummah, and this took some time. All these reasons did not take more than 48 hours at most. Historians have differed on the day of his burial, with some saying it was the night of Wednesday (which is the majority opinion), and others saying it was Tuesday. As for his death, it was on Monday, by agreement of the hadith scholars.