Is it permissible to act upon the instructions of a deceased mother not to inform relatives and friends of her death, and that no one attend her funeral except her children and husband, and to suffice with handing over her body to the mosque for the rites of washing and shrouding? And is it considered disobedience to her if one goes against this for the sake of preserving the family and relatives?

It is recommended to execute the will of the deceased unless it contains something forbidden by Islamic law or leads to corruption. Therefore, the mother's will not to inform relatives and friends of her death is not binding for two reasons:

1. It may corrupt family relationships, and Islamic law encourages maintaining kinship ties.

2. Islamic law encourages attending funerals and increasing the number of mourners, hoping for prayers for the deceased's forgiveness and mercy, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "There is no deceased Muslim for whom a community of Muslims, reaching one hundred, pray, all of whom intercede for him, but their intercession will be accepted for him." Narrated by Muslim (947). And his saying: "There is no Muslim man who dies, and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his funeral, but Allah will accept their intercession for him." Narrated by Muslim (948).