Graves of Adults and Graves of Children in Separate Rows

Question

A graveyard has been in use for 60–65 years. 4–5 years ago a committee was formed, and by everyone's consultation a man named Shamshun Khan was appointed its secretary. By the opinion of the committee and the secretary it was decided that the graves of adults would be dug in one row and the graves of children in another row. This decision was followed properly. On 8 February '74 a girl aged 7 died. Measurements were taken in order to have the grave dug; at that time one member of the committee was present.

Answer

This restriction — that adults' graves be in a separate row and children's graves in a separate row — is not a ruling of the Shari‘a, and to insist on it so strongly is itself wrong. Even if this arrangement in rows was proposed for the sake of the graves' neat appearance, even then one who is tall in stature suits a grave among the adults' graves, though his age be young.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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