Islamic Manual

Carrying the bier to the grave

How the bier is carried, who may walk where in the procession, and why women do not take part in it.

Carrying the body to the graveyard is itself a good deed, and it is the Prophet's way (a Sunnah) to do it in a particular manner.

The Prophet’s practice (Sunnah)the Prophet’s way

Carrying the body to be buried is an act of worship and a Sunnah.

How the bier is carried

  1. The body is laid on a bier (a simple stretcher-like cot), and four people carry it, one at each corner.
  2. It is recommended that each carrier take a turn at all four corners, walking at least ten steps at each one: ten at the front-right, ten at the right side, ten at the left side, and ten at the back-left, forty steps in all.
  3. The head of the person who has died is kept at the front while walking.
  4. It is good to walk quite briskly, but not so fast that the body wobbles or is jostled.

Carrying the deceased to the burial site is itself an act of worship, and its method is a Sunnah with its own etiquette.

The Prophet’s practice (Sunnah)the Prophet’s way

Carrying the body to the burial site is an act of worship and a Sunnah.

The recommended method

  1. The body is laid on a bier or cot, and four people carry it, each holding one corner, lifting by the edges with the cloth or poles resting on their shoulders.
  2. Carriers take turns in succession, four at a time.
  3. It is preferred that each carrier take a turn at all four corners, walking at least ten steps at each: beginning at the right side of the head, then the right side, then the left side, then the left corner at the foot, forty steps in total.
  4. The head of the deceased is kept at the front while walking.
  5. Walking briskly is recommended, short of a pace that unsettles or jostles the body.
Disliked (Makrūh)better not to

Carrying the body on one's back, or on an animal, is disliked.

Where those accompanying the funeral should walk
Position Ruling
On foot, behind the bier Recommended
Walking ahead Permitted, but disliked if too far ahead, or if everyone does it
Riding ahead of the bier Disliked
Riding behind the bier Permitted
Walking alongside, at the sides Not recommended
Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

Women are not permitted to accompany the funeral procession.

Carrying the bier (janāzah, in the sense of the bier itself here) is an act of worship in its own right, with an etiquette that is sunnah rather than obligatory, alongside one clear prohibition.

The Prophet’s practice (Sunnah)the Prophet’s way

Carrying the body to the burial site is an act of worship and a Sunnah.

The recommended method

  1. The body is laid on a bier, and four people carry it, each at one corner, lifting by the edges, the cloth or poles resting on their shoulders; carriers succeed one another in groups of four.
  2. It is preferred that each carrier take a turn at all four corners in sequence, walking at least ten steps at each: the right corner of the head, then the right side, then the left side, then the left corner of the bier, forty steps altogether.
  3. The head of the deceased is kept foremost while walking.
  4. A brisk pace is recommended, short of one that unsettles or jostles the body.
Disliked (Makrūh)better not to

Carrying the body on one's back, or on the back of an animal, is disliked (makrūh).

Where those accompanying the funeral should walk
Position Ruling
On foot, behind the bier Recommended (mustaḥabb)
Walking ahead of the bier Permitted; disliked where one walks far ahead, or where everyone walks ahead rather than behind
Riding ahead of the bier Disliked (makrūh)
Riding behind the bier Permitted
Walking alongside, at either side Not recommended
Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

Women are not permitted to accompany the funeral procession.

This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 373 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.

Rulings of Funeral Rules for Carrying the Funeral

  • Carrying the body to the burial site is an act of worship and a Sunnah.
  • The recommended method is to lay the body on a bier or cot, and four people should carry it, each holding one corner. The four should lift it by placing their hands on the edges and placing the cloth on their shoulders. They should take turns, with four people carrying it in succession.
  • It is preferred that each person carries the body from all four corners and walks at least ten steps in each direction. Start with the right corner of the head and walk ten steps, then the right side, then the left side, and finally the left corner of the bier, making sure to walk a total of forty steps.
  • While walking, the head of the deceased should be kept at the front.
  • It is recommended to walk briskly while carrying the body, but not so fast that it causes the body to shift or become unsteady.
  • Carrying the body on one's back or on an animal is disliked.
  • For a child's body, it should be carried in the hands, with one person lifting the body at a time, passing it to another person after each stretch.
  • It is recommended that those accompanying the funeral walk on foot and remain behind the bier. It is permissible to walk ahead but walking too far ahead or having everyone walk ahead is disliked. Riding ahead is also disliked, but riding behind is permissible.
  • It is not recommended to walk on either side of the bier.
  • While walking with the funeral, it is not appropriate to read aloud the prayer, Qur'an, or other such recitations. It is fine to recite them quietly in the heart.
  • Sitting people should not stand up just to see the funeral procession unless they intend to accompany it.
  • When the funeral reaches the grave, those accompanying it should not sit down before the body is laid to rest.
  • When placing the body in the grave, it should be positioned in the direction of the qiblah, with the right side facing it.
  • Women are not permitted to accompany the funeral procession.

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