[Q 448] Best Method of Burial in the UK, Should Soil Touch the Coffin? Ruling on Slab Chambers and Coffins

QUESTION:

Can you advise what the best method of burial in the UK is? Some people bury the body in a slab chamber with no soil touching the coffin because of water in the UK, while others bury the coffin in the ground with soil on top, saying that soil touching the coffin is better for the deceased. Can you please advise what is the best method of burying, and should the soil touch the coffin? Does soil benefit the deceased?

ANSWER:

The Sunnah ruling is that the grave should remain unpaved (unlined) from the inside, and this is the best method of preparing the grave. If the land is hard and solid, then the grave should be entirely made of natural soil from within.

However, if due to softness of the ground or another necessity the grave must be reinforced inside, then the interior walls that will be in contact with the deceased should be coated with soil so that the body is touching earth. Therefore, if a slab chamber is needed, the inner side should be coated with soil. Similarly, if burial in a coffin becomes necessary, then the inner side of the coffin should also be coated with soil.

Thus, as far as possible, the deceased should be buried in a grave prepared from natural soil. If, due to need, a coffin or slab chamber is used, then it should be prepared in the manner explained. If burial can be done using only a slab chamber, then it should be used without a coffin, and without necessity, both coffin and slab should not be used together.

It is mentioned in Fatawa Hindiyyah and Fatawa Shami:

“وحكي عن الشيخ الإمام أبي بكر محمد بن الفضل – رحمه الله تعالى – أنه جوز اتخاذ التابوت في بلادنا لرخاوة الأرض قال: ولو اتخذ تابوت من حديد لا بأس به لكن ينبغي أن يفرش فيه التراب ويطين الطبقة العليا مما يلي الميت ويجعل اللبن الخفيف على يمين الميت وعلى يساره ليصير بمنزلة اللحد ويكره الآجر في اللحد إذا كان يلي الميت، كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان ويكره الدفن في الأماكن التي تسمى فساقى، كذا في فتح القدير.”
(Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 166, Dar al-Fikr)

Sayyidi A‘la Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan علیہ رحمۃ الرحمٰن states:
“Not lining the grave (leaving it unpaved) is better, but if it is lined, then the inside should remain natural soil, while the top may be reinforced.”

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, Vol. 9, p. 425, Raza Foundation, Lahore)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 6th September 2025