Islamic Funeral Rites during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Fatwas from Europe

Covid-19 has forced authorities in many countries to enact a series of measures to limit its spread. However, these measures have resulted in a restriction of worship. In the specific case of Muslims, anti-Covid 19 restrictions have affected not only the performance of congregational prayers and the conduct of pilgrimage, but also the performance of funeral rites. In particular, the uncertainty regarding the contagiousness of the corpse has, in many cases, prevented the washing of the body and its wrapping in the burial shroud; the requirement of physical distancing has hindered the performance of funeral prayers; the international travel ban has hindered the repatriation of deceased Muslim migrants to their country of origin, etc. This paper aims to analyze the responses that European Council for Fatwas and Research issued during the pandemic to provide Muslims with the necessary guidance for the conduct of funeral rites taking into account the limitations set by Covid-19.