A burial niche is made by digging, for the deceased, a recess in the bottom of the grave on the side facing the qiblah, in which he is placed. It may also be made on the side opposite the qiblah, but making it on the qiblah side is preferable. It is called a burial niche because it slopes away from the side of the grave.

His statement, “better than the vertical grave trench”: a vertical grave trench is a pit dug for the deceased in the middle of the grave. However, if there is a need for a vertical trench, there is no harm in it. Such a need arises when the ground is sandy, since a burial niche cannot be made in it: if a recess is dug into sand, it will collapse. Thus, a grave is dug, then a trench is dug in its middle, and bricks are placed along the two sides of the pit in which the deceased will lie, so that the sand does not collapse; the deceased is then placed between these bricks.

It is understood from his statement, “The burial niche is better than the vertical grave trench,” that the vertical trench is permissible. This is indeed the case, though it is contrary to what is preferable.

Issue: Should the grave be dug to the height of a man, half a man’s height, or less or more?

Answer: Digging deeply is sunnah, so the grave should be made deep. What is obligatory is whatever prevents wild beasts from eating the deceased and prevents any odor from escaping. The reason it must prevent beasts and odor is to honor the deceased, so that the living are not harmed and the air is not polluted by the smell. This is the minimum required. If the grave is dug deeper, it is better and more complete, though there is no fixed limit. Some have specified its depth as the height of a man, but this may be difficult for people. At times, moreover, water is encountered while digging. In that case, the necessary measures must be taken to prevent the water, either by building with bricks or by something