Is placing the lahd (niche) at the bottom side of the grave, other than the Qiblah side, under the pretext that it is out of respect for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and that the deceased should be beside the one who came after him, considered contrary to the Sunnah?

The Sunnah is to dig a niche (lahd) for the deceased in the earth. This means deepening the grave from the direction of the qiblah (direction of prayer) to accommodate the deceased and cover them. The deceased is then placed on their right side, facing the qiblah. Their face and back should be supported so that they do not lie on their back, based on the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Your qiblah (is for you) alive and dead."