Question:

What do the scholars of religious understanding say regarding the laying of the deceased upon the Dais – should the body lay facing from east to west, or should the feet [of the deceased] point towards the Qibla? Or should the body lay facing from south to north, so as to tilt the face of the deceased onto the right side of the body facing towards the Qibla? Please explain.

Answer:

All positions are in fact correct. According to all of the correct Madhhabs, there are no stipulated directions under this section; whichever way it is possible, one should act upon it.

It is mentioned in Fatawa Hindiyyah:

‘That according to some of our scholars, the description of laying the body to rest, is to do so longitudinally – as one would lay facing towards the Qibla when ill and perform his or her Salah, by form of indication. Some scholars have preferred laying the deceased breadthways, as is the case when placing the deceased into the grave. However, the correct method is to lie the deceased on to the dais
however it is possible. ( Fatawah al-Hindiyyah, vol. l, pp. l58, al-Fasl al-Thani Fil Ghusl min al-Jana’iz, Matbua Niirani Kutub Khana Peshawar)

This is also reported in Bahr al-Ra’iq and Durr al- Mukhtar.

And Allah ﷻ knows best

Imam Ahmad Rida Khan رحمة الله تعالى عليه

Translation by Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari Translator of Majestic Quran, www.majesticquran.co.uk