The depth of the grave

Question

It is widely held that the grave should be so deep that, when the angels come to question him, the dead person can sit up without the plank touching his head. What is the basis of this?

Answer

The upper part of the grave should be as deep as the chest or a full stature, and the place where the deceased is laid should be deep enough that the plank [covering] of the grave does not touch his body: if it is about two spans deep, the plank will not touch the body of the deceased.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.