in one grave, and prioritize those who have memorized more of the Quran." It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1), who said: A hasan sahih hadith. Once this is established, a barrier of earth is to be placed between every two, and each one of them is to be placed as if in a separate grave, because the shroud is a permeable, non-solid barrier. Ahmad said: If a trench-like space is made for them, and the head of one is placed by the feet of the other, with some earth placed between them, there is nothing wrong with that, or as he said.

Section: Two people are not to be buried in one grave except out of necessity. Ahmad was asked about two or three people being buried in one grave. He said: In a city, no. But in the lands of the Byzantines (al-Rum), where the slain are numerous, a trench-like space is dug, the head of this one by the feet of that one, and a barrier is placed between them so that one does not adhere to the other. This is the view of al-Shafi'i. This is because it is generally not difficult to give each person an individual grave in a city, whereas it is generally difficult in the lands of war and at the site of a battle. If necessity arises, it is permissible to bury two, three, or more in one grave, regardless of whether it is in a city or elsewhere. If a person has relatives [who died], he begins with the one whose body he fears will change/decompose. If they are equal in that regard, he begins with the one closest to him, according to the order of [inheritance/maintenance] expenses. If they are equal in closeness, he prioritizes the one with the best lineage and the most virtuous.

393 - Issue: He said: (And when a Christian woman dies, while she is pregnant by a Muslim, she is buried between the cemetery of the Muslims and the cemetery of the Christians.)

Ahmad chose this view because she is a disbeliever and is not to be buried in the Muslim cemetery, lest they be harmed by her punishment, nor in the cemetery of the disbelievers, because her child is a Muslim and would be harmed by their punishment; thus, she is buried separately.