Is it permissible to fill in soil directly onto the face of the deceased who is buried in the shaqq? What is the correct way of doing this (i.e., burying the deceased in the shaqq) if we are forced to adopt this method of burial?.


Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The shaqq means that a trench is dug in the middle of the
grave to suit the size of the deceased, and its sides are built with bricks
so that it will not collapse on the deceased, and the deceased is placed in
it on his right side facing the qiblah, then this trench is covered with
stones or the like and the ceiling is raised a little so that it will not
touch the deceased, then the soil is filled in. 

The lahd (niche) means that a place is dug at the bottom of
the grave on the side that is closest to the qiblah, in which the deceased
is placed on his right side facing the qiblah, then this hole is filled in
with bricks behind the deceased, then the dirt is filled in.  

See: Ahkaam al-Maqaabir fi’l-Sharee’ah al-Islamiyyah
(p. 30) by Dr. ‘Abd-Allaah al-Suhaybaani. 

Both the lahd and the shaqq are permissible according to
scholarly consensus, but the lahd is preferable, because this is what was
done with the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). Muslim (966) narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said, during the illness of which he died: Make a lahd
(niche) for me, and set up bricks over me, as was done for the Messenger of
Allaah (S). 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Mughni (2/188): The Sunnah is to make a lahd in the grave, as was
done with the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). End quote.  

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Majmoo’ (2/252): The scholars are unanimously agreed that burial in
the lahd and burial in the shaqq are both permissible, but if the ground is
stable and the soil will not collapse then the lahd is preferable, but if it
is unstable and will collapse, then the shaqq is preferable. End quote.  

Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (5/360): But if there is a need for the shaqq, then
there is nothing wrong with it. The shaqq may be needed if the ground is
sandy and it is not possible to build the lahd, because when a lahd is made
in sand it will collapse. So a hole should be dug and a trench should be dug
in the middle of it, and the bricks should be placed over both sides of the
hole in which the deceased is placed, so that the sand will not collapse,
then the deceased should be placed between these two bricks. End quote. 

Based on this, the soil should not be filled in directly on
the face or body of the deceased, whether the grave is a lahd or a shaqq,
because in the lahd the deceased is placed in the niche which is dug in the
wall of the grave, and the soil is not filled in above him. In the shaqq,
the soil is filled above the roof of the shaqq, and not directly on top of
the deceased. 

And Allaah knows best.