A monetary fine on one who does not take part in grave-digging

Question

When someone dies, everyone together digs the grave without payment. The influential people here, as a warning, as a matter of governance (siyasatan) and for the sake of order, decided that a fine of 4 rupees be collected from anyone who does not take part in the grave-digging, and that ties and friendly relations be cut off with him. As a result, because of this, people began to take part in the janaza and so on, and likewise in the prayer and so on.

Answer

Having a grave dug for payment is also permissible, but digging it among themselves without payment is a matter of fellow-feeling and generosity. The funeral prayer (janaza) is fard kifaya, and to be slack in it is heedlessness and short-sightedness. The five daily prayers are fard ‘ayn, and abandoning them is a major sin; and if one abandons them out of contempt (istikhfaf)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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