Burying a dead child in a pot without washing or shroud

Question

A Muslim shut his child — who lived for four hours after birth — into a clay pot without washing, shroud or funeral prayer, and buried it. The villagers knew nothing of this; two months later news reached them that he had done this. What ruling does the law of the Shari‘a give concerning this Muslim? Beyond that, we are unaware of this issue.

Answer

This person committed a most improper act and a mistake. It was binding (lazim) on him to wash this child properly, shroud it, perform its funeral prayer and bury it in a grave in accordance with the Shari‘a. Now it is necessary for him to repent of this act of his and to make a firm pledge that he will never do such a thing again.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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