Is It Permissible to Reuse Graves?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaikum,

Is it permissible to reuse graves by placing another deceased at a later time? And is it possible to reuse the land for another purpose ?

We are experiencing some issues in the UK and coming under some pressure on this subject. The ‘leasing’ of a grave has been reduced from 99 years to 50 but there is also increasing threat to re-use graveyeard for other purposes.

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

After the body has decomposed, it is permitted to bury another person within the same grave, or even cultivate the land or build upon it. [Zayla`i, Tabyin al-Haqa’iq; Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar]

We would need experts to determine how much time is needed for a body to decompose in the specific climate and land conditions of the place in question.

Please also see: Answers related to Graves

And Allah alone gives success.

wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani