Ghusl And Janaazah For A Miscarried Baby

Question

If a lady has a miscarriage before 4 months, should the baby be given a name, ghusal and kafan. If the miscarriage occurs after 4 months, then what is the ruling?

Answer

Whether the miscarriage occurred before or after 4 months, the criteria to consider is whether any limbs of the baby (hands, nose, mouth, etc) were formed or not. If no limbs at all were formed, then neither will the foetus be given Ghusl, nor will it be wrapped in the normal Kafan, nor will it be given a name. It will merely be wrapped in a single cloth and buried and the grave will be levelled with the ground. 

If, on the other hand, the full foetus was formed or at least some limbs were formed, then the Ulama differ in this case with regard to the ruling of whether the complete Sunnat procedure will be considered in Ghusal, Kafan and burial or not. Some say that it should be done according to Sunnat (by applying the rules applicable to a fully-formed still-born child) and some say it should not be done according to Sunnat. 

The preferred view and verdict is that the Sunnah procedure with regard to Ghusal, Kafan and Burial will be implemented and a name will also be given to the foetus. In both of the above two scenarios where a miscarriage occurred, since seeing that the child was not born alive, Janazah Salaah will not be performed on it.

Checked and Approved By:

Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.

References

( وإلا ) يستهل ( غسل وسمي ) عند الثاني وهو الأصح فيفتى به على خلاف ظاهر الرواية إكراما لبني آدم كما في ملتقى البحار . وفي النهر عن الظهيرية : وإذا استبان بعض خلقه غسل وحشر هو المختار ( وأدرج في خرقة ودفن ولم يصل عليه ) ( قوله : وإلا يستهل غسل وسمي ) شمل ما تم خلقه ، ولا خلاف في غسله وما لم يتم ، وفيه خلاف . والمختار أنه يغسل ويلف في خرقة ، ولا يصلى عليه كما في المعراج والفتح والخانية والبزازية والظهيرية شرنبلالية…قلت : ويؤيده قولهم ويلف في خرقة حيث لم يراعوا في تكفينه السنة فكذا غسله

(قوله وحشر ) المناسب تأخيره عن قوله هو المختار لأن الذي في الظهيرية والمختار أنه يغسل . وهل يحشر ؟…… والذي يقتضيه مذهب أصحابنا أنه إن استبان بعض خلقه فإنه يحشر . أن تسميته تقتضي حشره ؛ إذ لا فائدة لها إلا في ندائه في المحشر باسمه . وذكر العلقمي في حديث { سموا أسقاطكم فإنهم فرطكم } الحديث ( قوله : ولم يصل عليه ) أي سواء كان تام الخلق أم لا
رد المحتار،باب صلاة الجنائز، ج ۲،ص۲۲۸،ایج ایم سعید

احسن الفتاوی، ج۴، ص۲۱۶، ایچ ایم سعید

فتاوی دار العلوم زکریا، ۳، ص۲۶ ،زمزم پبلیشرز

فتاوی محمودیہ ،ج۱۳، ص ۱۵۴، مکتبه محمودیہ

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