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Fatwa CenterExamining the dead
Question
What is your opinion about postmortem examination of a dead body to learn the reason of death?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
First of all, know that Shariah recommends highly that the dead be buried as soon as possible. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Hasten to bury your dead. If the dead person was good, then you will be presenting him to something better. And if he was otherwise, it is a bad (burden) you take off your necks (shoulders)". [Reported by Imams Al Bukhari and Muslim]
However, if there is an advantage in delaying the burial such as examining the corpse to detect the cause of the death if there is probability that the dead person was murdered or the like, then this is lawful, provided the medical examination is not an autopsy. In fact, the anatomization of the human body is forbidden regardless of whether it is the body of a Muslim or a non-Muslim. This prohibition is more emphatic when the body is of a Muslim.
However, if there is a considerable advantage in dissecting the corpse then that is greater than the sanctity of the corpse itself. But if this dissection is necessary, it should be done to the corpse of a non-Muslim and if there is any other way that could be used to get the required knowledge, then it becomes unlawful to make an autopsy on dead body.
Our Fatwa is the same as Fatawa on the same subject issued by the following:
- The Supreme Council of the most Eminent scholars in Saudi Arabia.
- The Islamic Fiqh Council in its tenth session.
- The Committee of Fatwa in Al Azhar on the 29th February 1971.
Allah knows best.
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