Undoing the fastening Belts of the Woman in the Grave

Question :

Please give me a verdict concerning what has been mentioned in the book Adh-Dhiya'ul-Lami' minal-Khu- tabil-Jawami', written by Muhammad bin Salih bin 'Uthai- min, because I take from its Khutbahs for Jumu'ah day, as I am an Imam. One of the students of knowledge was opposed to the following expression in a Khutbah that encourages the people to perform Hajj and that which relates to it. It states: "The wisdom behind the obligation of the accompaniment of the Mahram (male relative) is to safeguard and protect the woman. In reference to the statement of some of the common people that this is so that he (the Mahram) may undo her fastening belts (when she is lowered into the grave) if she dies, this is not correct. Because it is permissible for everyone to undo the fastening belts of the woman if she dies, whether it is a Mahram or someone who is not a Mahram. Verily it is confirmed that the Prophet sat at the grave of his daughter while she was being buried and his eyes were flowing with tears. So, he ordered Abu Talhah to go down into her grave and the Messenger and her husband 'Uthman
were both present."

Answer:

Yes, what Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-'Uthaimin said in Adh-Dhiya'ul-Lami', that the woman's Mahram accompanying her during travel for Hajj and similar travels is not so that he (the Mahram) can undo her fastening belt if she dies, is correct. Also, that which he used as an evidence concerning the Prophet sitting at the grave of his daughter - who was Umm Kulthum, the wife of 'Uthman - and him commanding Abu Talhah to go down into her grave to assist in burying her while her father and husband were both present, is correct. This was not something specifically for the daughter of the Messenger of Allâh, because the fundamental principle is that things are not specific for an individual unless there is to show otherwise. And in this case there is no evidence that proves that.

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