Janazah : important update

If a person dies from Corona virus then the deceased is prayed over only: no ghusl or tayyamum or kafan; unless there is PPI protect gear for those present.

When there is no protective gear then know ghusl will pass on the virus so this is why it should not be performed. 

Tayyamum cannot be performed over a deceased because they come in a plastic bag and pure soil has to touch the skin. The person who dies in plague is like a martyr and they are buried as they are without ghusl but are prayed over. 

The deceased is prayed over and buried or buried then prayed over. This is based on hanafi and Maliki fiqh principle al darar ujzal / harm is avoided.

People who wash deceased person[s] and then die themselves are not martyrs. Just like a person who does not eat anything haram then dies because of it. In a dire situation of life and death even pork can be consumed to save ones life. 

The shariah is meant to protect life and not endanger it.

Also many people can be prayed over at once, this is permissible.

Important point: the Janazah can be done shortly after the deceased is buried but not after months or years in Hanafi madhab.

The Blessed Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) did perform jazanah prayer over the deceased of Badr many years after they had passed/been martyred. But this was not standard practice and this is specific to the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) that only he could do. It is called Khasis or specific character of the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) in which only he can do. He could marry more than four times and so forth. Other madhabs may allow it but as far as Hanafi and Shafi madhabs it is not allowed. (Quduri and Umda)

Another update

BMBC have come forward and said that the ghusl can be done when people who have PPI protective clothing and that it has to be done at a specific place they are arranging. If this can be done by those who know how to handle the body then there is no need to suspend the ghusl and kafan. 

Please note that the situation is changing on an hourly basis and each area needs to look at what facilities are available in their area.

In my grand fathers village in the 1960's there was a virus and someone died. Everyone was scared of performing the ghusl and when a person did it. He died of the same illness and a wife and five children lost a father. This is why we are advising caution in this matter because we do not know how it will spread. Therefore we adopted the qawaid al fiqh that harm it be avoided.

We are told to tie our camel and then rely on Allah (the Exalted). So we take precautions and we do not endanger ourselves by carelessness.

BMBC video is here

On a separate matter trees are our first line of defense with airborne viruses and without them, we have no defence! We need to plant more trees.