Islam places a great importance on the proper care, well-being, and upbringing of children, especially those in vulnerable situations. Sacred Law has well-defined rules that govern the various situations of a child, whether he or she is an orphan [yatīm] or has been abandoned and neglected [laqīṭ].

This guidance provides Muslim funeral directors a quick reference for the rulings on ghusl and kafn of a deceased Muslim in various hypothetical government-mandated scenarios. The scenarios descend from best to worst case, and a Muslim funeral director cannot apply a lower scenario when the one above is possible. The guidance aims to cover most scenarios; it is not specific to COVID-19.

The Ummah is no stranger to difficulties and challenges. The past few years have been particularly heartbreaking, given the unspeakable pain and suffering inflicted upon our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Some have argued for the permissibility of giving zakat to politicians to fund their campaigns with the aim of positively influencing foreign policy — an argument that raises serious juristic objections.