Judul : Burying Buhari after 24 hours didn’t violate Islamic law—Clerics
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Burying Buhari after 24 hours didn’t violate Islamic law—Clerics
As the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari continues to dominate public discourse, some Islamic clerics have said burying the retired general 24 hours after his death did not violate any Islamic law or tradition.
Buhari passed away on July 13, 2025,in a London hospital and was buried on Tuesday at his private residence in Daura, Katsina State, with full military honours, including a 21-gun salute.
Following his burial, a debate erupted on X (formerly Twitter) during the week as many Nigerians questioned whether burying the former President 24 hours after his death contravened Islamic law.
However, two Islamic clerics have clarified that while Islamic tradition recommends that a deceased Muslim be buried as soon as possible, the timing of Buhari’s burial did not amount to a violation of Islamic law.
The clerics, in separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, explained that “certain unavoidable circumstances” led to the delay and did not invalidate the funeral rites from an Islamic standpoint.
“The requirement in Islamic law and tradition is for the dead to be buried as soon as possible after death. But it would be wrong for anyone to claim that burying former President Buhari 24 hours after his death violated Islamic law. This is because there were justifiable reasons for the delay,” a professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Ibadan, Afis Oladosu, told Saturday PUNCH.
Highlighting the reasons, the cleric said, “Buhari died outside Nigeria. He could also have requested that his body be buried in Nigeria rather than abroad. So, these intervening circumstances may have warranted the delay.”
Oladosu further explained that Islamic tradition did not prescribe a specific number of hours within which a body must be buried.
“It is not about exactly 24 hours after death. The tradition only says, ‘as soon as a Muslim dies.’ So, there is no stipulated time frame.
“If someone dies in the morning, he should be buried by early afternoon or after the late evening prayer. Muslims don’t take their dead to the mortuary to keep them for weeks or months before burial. That’s what violates Islamic tradition: delaying burial without valid justification.”
On the spiritual significance of prompt burial in Islam, Oladosu explained, “As far as Islam is concerned, the human being comprises two entities: the body and the soul: what is perishable and what is eternal. At the point of death, the soul departs from the body and ascends toward the nearest heaven, awaiting the burial of the body it came from. It is only after this that the soul can experience either bliss or judgment.”
Also speaking, the Chief Imam of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Idris Ayinde, said the delay in Buhari’s burial was understandable, considering the peculiar circumstances surrounding his death.
“There were unique circumstances in his case because he didn’t die in Nigeria. Secondly, it was the wish of his people that he should be buried in his hometown, Daura. Ordinarily, it is desirable that a Muslim be buried at the location where he dies. But since he travelled abroad for medical attention, it is not out of place for the body to be returned home.”
He also pointed out the administrative and legal processes involved in repatriating a corpse.
“Before the body can be released, there would be paperwork and fees to settle. All these could have contributed to the delay,” he noted.
While stressing Islam’s preference for swift burial, Ayinde clarified that exceptions are recognised.
“What we have is an Islamic principle which says you should quickly bury your dead. If he is a sinner, you won’t partake in the sin, and if he is a good person, you won’t delay his reward.”
“So, once a reputable physician confirms death, burial arrangements should commence without delay. That’s the standard. But circumstances may cause variations, and Buhari’s case is certainly not out of place,” he said.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).Demikianlah Artikel Burying Buhari after 24 hours didn’t violate Islamic law—Clerics
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