The Sunnah to Carry a Dead Body

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ السُّنَّةُ فِي حَمْلِ الْجَنَازَةِ أَنْ تَسْتَقْبِلَ جَانِبَ السَّرِيرِ بِشِقِّكَ الْأَيْمَنِ فَتَلْزَمَ الْأَيْسَرَ بِكَتِفِكَ الْأَيْمَنِ‌[1] ثُمَّ تَمُرَّ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الْآخَرِ وَ تَدُورَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الثَّالِثِ مِنَ السَّرِيرِ ثُمَّ تَمُرَّ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الرَّابِعِ مِمَّا يَلِي يَسَارَكَ‌[2].

“Once, I heard the Imam saying, ’It is of the Sunnah (noble tradition) to lift up the front corner of the coffin on one’s right shoulder. Thereafter one should move back to lift up the second corner of the coffin, then move to the other side of the coffin from the back side to lift up the third corner and lastly move (

السُّنَّةُ أَنْ يُحْمَلَ السَّرِيرُ مِنْ جَوَانِبِهِ الْأَرْبَعِ وَ مَا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ حَمْلٍ فَهُوَ تَطَوُّعٌ.

‘It is of the Sunnah (noble tradition) to lift up all the four corners of the coffin (in a manner mentioned in the Hadith above). Other than this is extra and voluntary.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع عَنْ تَرْبِيعِ الْجَنَازَةِ قَالَ إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي مَوْضِعِ تَقِيَّةٍ فَابْدَأْ بِالْيَدِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ بِالرِّجْلِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ مِنْ مَكَانِكَ إِلَى مَيَامِنِ الْمَيِّتِ لَا تَمُرَّ خَلْفَ رِجْلِهِ الْبَتَّةَ حَتَّى تَسْتَقْبِلَ الْجَنَازَةَ فَتَأْخُذَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ مِنْ مَكَانِكَ وَ لَا تَمُرَّ خَلْفَ الْجَنَازَةِ الْبَتَّةَ حَ

"I asked Abu Ibrahim (as) about the method of carrying a bier (funeral procession). He said: 'If you are in a situation of taqiyya, start with the right hand, then the right foot, then return from your place to the right side of the deceased. Do not pass behind his feet at all until you face the bier again and take his

تَبْدَأُ فِي حَمْلِ السَّرِيرِ مِنْ جَانِبِهِ الْأَيْمَنِ ثُمَّ تَمُرُّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الْآخَرِ ثُمَّ تَمُرُّ حَتَّى تَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْمُقَدَّمِ كَذَلِكَ دَوَرَانُ الرَّحَى عَلَيْهِ.[1]

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Begin to lift up the coffin from the right side, then go around by the backside of the coffin to the other side then turn to the front like grinding stone (counterclockwise) . ’ ”