Sea burial is not Islamic say clerics
Muslim clerics said yesterday that Osama bin Laden's burial at sea was a violation of Islamic tradition that may further provoke militant calls for revenge attacks against American targets.A wide range of Islamic scholars interpreted...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - Islam
Bin Laden's burial at sea shines light on Islamic rules
- The preference is always for bodies to be buried on land, but custom allows for sea burials if someone dies on a ship and there is no way to quickly get the body to land.
- The body must be buried within 24 hours to honor the Prophet Muhammad, and should not be cremated or embalmed.
- In the grave, the head should be pointed toward the holy city of Mecca in preparation for judgment day. Ref. Source 8