Management of the Dead Under Islamic Law

This document discusses a number of contemporary issues and challenges pertinent to the management of the dead in contemporary armed conflicts and other situations of violence and natural disasters under Islamic law. Among the issues and challenges faced by forensic specialists in Muslim contexts at present are collective burial, quick burial of dead bodies, exhumation of human remains, autopsy, burial at sea, and handling of the bodies by the opposite sex. The document concludes that Islamic law developed rules which aim at the protection of the dignity and respect of dead bodies. The main objectives of this document are twofold: firstly, to give an overview of the Islamic law position on these specific questions and challenges, in order to, secondly, provide some insight into how forensic specialists can deal with them.