Common questions asked by converts / re-verts to Islam
Death and Inheritance
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Death |
| Must Muslims be buried in Muslim cemeteries? Yes. The ahadith (Prophetic traditions) which relate to greeting the deceased Muslims do indicate that the Muslims ought to be collectively buried. |
| Why are Muslims not buried in coffins? Islamic law defines a format for Muslim burial. This format requires deceased Muslims to be given a bath in a particular format, then shrouded with material in a defined manner and then buried in a grave. The architectural style of the grave has also been specified. For Muslims, to thus, be buried in coffins will imply following the religious or other customs of other faiths. Thus, the prohibition for Muslims to be buried in coffins. Also, the coffin is an additional cost and would be a waste of financial resources. |
| Why are Muslims prohibited from incinerating the deceased like the Hindus? Islamic law defines a format for Muslim burial. This format requires deceased Muslims to be given a bath in a particular format, then shrouded with material in a defined manner and then buried in a grave. The architectural style of the grave has also been specified. For Muslims, to thus, be incinerated will imply following the religious or other customs of other faiths will also simultaneously express a rejection of their religious teachings which require the burial of the deceased without harm to even the dead corpse. One prophetic teaching says that 'breaking the bone of the deceased is like breaking it when the deceased was living." Thus, as far as possible, the body of deceased humans will not be interfered with. Thus, the prohibition for Muslims to be incinerated. |
| What if my family buries me in a non-Muslim cemetery or I die in a place where a Muslim cemetery is not available? Allah is Eternal. He knows whether you have died with Imaan (faith in Islam) and thus will not punish you in such a situation. You will be resurrected as a Muslim on the Day of Judgment. |
| What is the Islamic view on a funeral insurance plan? Conventional insurance plans violate Islamic regulations relating to investments and the Islamic prohibition of interest. Also, sometimes, other terms, within such insurance plans, often violate Islamic rules of contract. Muslims are thus prohibited from willfully contracting to invest in insurance schemes. |
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Inheritance |
| Is it true that Islam
does not allow persons to bequeath their entire estate in the manner that
they choose? Yes. Islam has fixed regulations relating to the
distribution of a Muslim estate. Muslims are allowed to bequeath a maximum
of one third of their estate to those who do not Islamically inherit from
their estate. In conformity to a prophetic narration, Muslims cannot
inherit from non-Muslims and non-Muslims cannot inherit from Muslims.
Muslims are allowed to transfer their assets through a gift or contribution during their lifetime to non-Muslims. Thus, converts, have a means to transfer assets to their non-Muslim parents, children or other family members. Likewise, assets from their non-Muslim family members may be received as gifts during the life of such non-Muslims. Many works are available which elucidate the Islamic format of estate devolution. |