Prominent Muslim cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali issued a fatwa in an attempt to clear misconception among the community over burial of COVID-19 patients who die.
In a fatwa issued by his seminary, Darul Uloom Farangi Mahali on Thursday night, Maulana Khalid Rasheed said the victims of coronavirus infection who die should be given decent burial as per rituals and their bodies should not be treated as untouchable.
The fatwa comes in the wake of a controversy in Lucknow on Wednesday night when a section of Muslims protested against the burial of a coronavirus victim in Aishbagh graveyard.
The deceased, a a64-year-old man, died in King George’s Medical University hospital on Wednesday.
As per Islamic Centre of India’s statement, Lucknow resident Sayed Ejaz Ahmad sought a fatwa on the last rites of a coronavirus victim. Ahmad sought answers about the ritual bath (gusl) before burial, shroud, janaza-e-namaaz (last collective prayer for the departed soul) and burial in the graveyards.
The fatwa said that `gusl’ for the body of coronavirus victim should only be formal and water be poured on the body bag.
“There is no need to open the body bag or a separate shroud. The body bag should be treated as a shroud,” the fatwa said.
Similarly, the fatwa said that last prayers be held keeping COVID-19 protocol of social distancing in mind and the body could be buried in a public graveyard.
The boycott of the burial on Wednesday was condemned and it was said that it was not only against Shariat but also against social courtesy and human behaviour.
The fatwa was given collectively by Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Maulana Nasrullah, Maulana Naimur Rahman Siddiqui and Maulana Mohammad Mushtaq.
Speaking to reporters through video conferencing, Maulana Farangi Mahali said that in its March 24 guidelines, the WHO had clearly mentioned that a coronavirus victim was not untouchable and be given a decent burial with customary respect.