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Father Died of Covid 19 and Authorities Did Not Allow Them to Perform Funeral Prayer on Him

Question

Burial in non Muslim graveyard without Janaza prayer and Ghusul.My father passed away in India he was presumed of having covid 19.The authorities did not release his body to us they did not allow us to perform Janaza prayer,Ghusl or allow us to bury him in Muslim graveyard.They took his body and buried in a graveyard meant for people dying of covid.We were allowed to watch from a distance when they buried him at night.We do not know his exact place of burial.My father was a pious Muslim all his life he was very compassionate and helpful.What impact will it have on his maghfira for not getting Ghusl or Janaza prayer or proper burial.I am not able to cope with this pain as we were not able to do anything for our father.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

We ask Allah to bestow vast mercy upon your father, and admit him into His vast Paradise, and may He reward you for your misfortune and recompense you for it with what is better.

You should know that there is no effect of what you mentioned on his condition with Allah and Allah's Forgiveness for him. Rather, the righteous deeds that he did will benefit him, Allah willing, and it is hoped that the disease that he was infected with will wipe out his bad deeds and raise his degrees.

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "There is no fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress that befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, except that Allah expiates some of his previous sins for that." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

As far as you are concerned, there is no sin on you and there is no negligence on your part about him, if you have done your best to do what you had to do towards him and you were not able to do it for circumstances that are beyond your own control.

If you are able to find his grave, and go and perform the funeral prayer on him, then you may do so. Otherwise, you may pray the funeral prayer for an absentee and do your best in supplicating Allah to have mercy upon him.

You should take it easy as you are excused, and Allah does not charge a soul more than its capacity.

Allah Knows best.

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