Facing The Feet Of The Deceased Towards The Qiblah

Q. It is a common practice to face the feet of the deceased towards the Qiblah after passing away before burial. This practice does not make sense because a person doesn’t face their feet towards the Qiblah whilst sleeping out of respect, so how would it be correct to do so after passing away? Please advise.

A. In terms of Shariah, when a person is on their deathbed (Sakaraat), they should be turned to their right side facing the direction of the Qiblah. They may also be put to lie on their back and raise their head slightly to face the direction of the Qiblah.

However, after passing away, it is incorrect to face the feet of the deceased towards the direction of Qiblah as this has no basis in Shariah. (Badaai-us-Sanaai’ 1/299 – Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah 8/482)

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com