Section I: Legislated Acts at the Graves
First: Raising the grave
It is mustahabb to raise the level of the grave over the ground by the length of a handspan, and this is by agreement of the four schools of jurisprudence.
Second: Making the grave have a hump
Raising the level of the middle of the grave over the sides such that in the shape of hump [745] Tasnim of the grave is the opposite of flattening it, and it is to make it like the hump of the camel. Sinam is that hump in Arabic. is better than [746] Ibn Hajar said: “Difference among scholars here is regarding which is better, not in their legislation.” Fath al-Bari (257/3) flattening it. [747] Tastih of the grave is to make its top flat. This is the position of the majority: Hanafis, Malikis, Hanbalis, and a position among Shafi`is.
Third: Deepening the grave
It is mustahabb that the grave is deepened. [748] Scholars differed in the extent of the depth. The Hanafis said that it should be at least chest height of a middle height man, and the deeper the better. The Shafi`is said that it should be a height and an armlength, such that a middle height man can stand in it and raise his arm up. They estimated this at four armlengths. The Hanbalis said that there is no limit to how wide or deep the grave can be, according to the most accurate position of the school. This is the position of the majority: Hanafis, Shafi`is, and Hanbalis.
Fourth: Widening the grave
It is mustahabb to widen the grave. This has been explicitly mentioned by the Shafi`is and Hanbalis.
Fifth: Ruling of covering the grave of the woman
It is mustahabb to cover the grave of the woman with a cloth. Ibn Qudamah and Ibn Muflih have quoted consensus over this.
feqhia
