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Medical tests on the body of a stillborn infant

19-12-2000

Question 11962

I want to know the Islamic ruling for how to deal with a child who was born dead. Her age was six month old before delivery. Is it reuired to burry or pray on her? would it be acceptable to leave the dead body for the hospital for scientific research notably that there were some health complications which we want to know in order to avoid future problems and out of concern to the health of her mother?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

If the doctors want to mess about with the body, dissecting it and experimenting on the body of a Muslim child, this is not permissible. But if they want to take samples for testing, this is OK.

Shaykh Ibraaheem al-Khudayri

She should be buried after being washed (ghusl) and shrouded, and after the funeral prayer has been offered, even if she was a foetus, so long as the soul had been breathed into her.

Funerals and rulings on graves

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