Funeral and Burial Expenses in Islam
Under Islamic law, the settlement of a deceased person’s estate follows a strict order.
The first obligation upon the estate is the payment of funeral and burial expenses.
Principles Governing Funeral Expenses
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Funeral and burial expenses must be paid out of the deceased person’s estate.
These expenses include all necessary costs required for washing (ghusl), shrouding (kafan),
prayer (Salat al-Janazah), burial, and related essential arrangements.
In modern practice, these expenses are often initially paid by the deceased person’s
wife if she is alive. In the absence of a wife, the responsibility may fall upon
the children or other close blood relatives. However, such payments are ultimately
recoverable from the estate.
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The funeral should be simple.
Islam emphasizes moderation; the funeral should neither be extravagant nor deficient.
Unnecessary display, excessive spending, or neglect of essential rites is discouraged.
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Funeral expenses generally take precedence over debts.
Before any debts are settled or inheritance is distributed, reasonable funeral and burial
expenses must first be satisfied from the estate.
“The deceased is honored in Islam through simplicity, dignity, and the fulfillment of
obligations before the division of wealth.”