What is the ruling on moving the body of a martyr from the numbered graves to bury it in another place? What is the Sharia benefit in doing so? What is the ruling on praying over the martyrs in these graves? What is the ruling on the existence of such graves in Muslim countries during times of war?
It is not permissible to exhume the grave of a Muslim buried in a Muslim cemetery, except out of necessity or for a legitimate religious benefit, such as fear of the sea eroding the grave, or to bury him among his family, or to transfer him from the graveyards of theinfidels to the graveyards of Muslims. If one of these three conditions is not met, then the transfer is forbidden. As for praying over the martyrs of the graveyards who died during combat, prayer is not obligatory upon them, although it is permissible. As for the ruling on the existence of such cemeteries for belligerents in Islamic countries, the basic principle is that a Muslim is not obliged to bury a disbeliever unless there is no one from his relatives to bury him, in which case burying him is obligatory. If there is a recognized benefit in preserving the remains of these individuals and burying them in designated cemeteries and preserving their names, there is no harm in that for the sake of the benefit, such as exchanging Muslim prisoners for these bodies.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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