Islamic Funeral and Burial Procedures

General Rules of Ghusl, Kafan & Janaazah

If one forgets to place the deceased towards the qiblah when burying him and only remembers this after burying him and filling the grave with sand, then it is not permissible to dig up the grave. However, if only the wooden strips have been placed and no soil has been thrown as yet, it will be permissible to remove the timber and place him towards the qiblah.
It is prohibited for wailing women and those women who give lectures to accompany the janaazah.
It is a bid'ah to give the adhaan while lowering the deceased into the grave.
If a person passes away in a ship and the coast is so far away that there is a fear that the corpse will begin to decompose, then in such a case ghusl and kafan should be given to him and thereafter he should be lowered into the sea. But if the coast is not so far and there is hope of reaching land soon, the corpse should be left aside and upon reaching land, it should be buried in the ground.
Once sand has been thrown over the grave, it is not permissible to remove the deceased from the grave. However, if in burying him, the right of someone has been transgressed, then it will be permissible to dig up the grave. Examples: (i) the land on which he is buried belongs to someone else and the owner is not happy about the burial taking place on his land, (ii) someone's wealth has been left behind in the grave.
If a woman passes away and there is a living child in her womb, then her womb will have to be cut and the child removed. Similarly, if a person passes away after swallowing someone else's money, and the person asks for the money, his stomach will be cut and the money removed. However, if the deceased has left behind some wealth, this money will have to be given from his wealth and his stomach will not be cut.
It is permissbible to praise the deceased person irrespective of whether it is in the form of a poem or in prose. This is on condition that there is no exaggeration in praising him, and he is not praised for characteristics that were not found in him.
It is permissible to do the following: sympathize and comfort the relatives of the deceased, to mention the virtues of patience and thereby create an inclination towards patience, to make dua for them and the deceased. All this is known as ta'ziyat.
It is permissible to keep the kafan ready for oneself.
It is mustahab to place a green twig on the grave. If a plant or tree begins to grow near it, it will be makruh to chop it off.
More than one corpse should not be buried in one grave. However, this will be permissible if there is an absolute necessity for it. If all the corpses are males, the most virtuous among them should be placed in the front. Thereafter, all the rest should be placed behind him in order of their position. However, if there are a few males and a few females, the males should be placed in front and the females behind them.
It is mustahab for men to go and visit the graves. It is preferable to visit the graves at least once a week. It is preferable that this day be Friday. It is also permissible to undertake journeys in order to visit the graves of the pious. This is permissible as long as no belief or action contrary to the Shariah takes place. Like the evils that take place in the present day "birth-anniversary" (meelad, urs) celebrations.
If any of the items which will be required for the ghusl and kafan are found at home and they are clean and pure, there is no harm in utilising them.
The material of the kafan should be of the same quality that the deceased used to wear most of the time while he was alive. It is a waste of money to go into unnecessary expenses.
If a child is born with some indications of life and thereafter dies, it will be named, ghusl will be given and salaat will also be offered over it. However, if no signs of life are found, it will be given ghusl, wrapped in a cloth and buried without any salaat being offered over it.
The deceased should be placed in the grave in such a way that his entire body is made to lie on its side facing towards the qiblah. The knots of the kafan on either side should be loosened. Isaal-e-thawaab should be made for the deceased as shown to us by our pious predecessors. This should be done without subjecting oneself to any custom or specifying any particular day. One should secretly help the poor according to one's ability and from one's halaal earnings. One should also recite the Quran according to one's ability and send the rewards to the deceased. Prior to the burial, in which a lot of time is wasted in futile conversations, one should recite the kalimah and send the reward to the deceased.