Hiring out a hearse to transport non-Muslim deceased
Question
Can a Muslim hire out hearses for use by non-Muslims?
Answer
It is permissible to hire out hearses to non-Muslims to transport their deceased to their place of burial. However, if a Muslim hires out the hearse to move a non-Muslim corpse from one town to another town, then it will not be permissible to take a fee. Hence, one may only hire out the hearse (for a fee) to move the deceased to the place of burial.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
وَلَوْ اسْتَأْجَرَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مُسْلِمًا لِيَحْمِلَ مَيِّتًا مِنْهُمْ إلَى مَوْضِعٍ يُدْفَنُ فِيهِ إنْ اسْتَأْجَرُوهُ لِيَنْقُلَهُ إلَى مَقْبَرَةِ الْبَلْدَةِ جَازَ عِنْدَ الْكُلِّ، وَإِنْ اسْتَأْجَرُوهُ لِيَنْقُلَ مِنْ بَلَدٍ إلَى بَلَدٍ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: إنَّهُ إنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ الْحَمَّالُ أَنَّهُ جِيفَةٌ فَلَهُ الْأَجْرُ، وَإِنْ عَلِمَ فَلَا أَجْرَ لَهُ وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى هَكَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانَ (الفتاوي الهندية ص449 ج4)
- Answered by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Darul Ifta Ibn Masood. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.