Is any fluid injected into the body before sending it home?
Dr Shabir Choudhry, 16 December 2025, London.
Yes — sometimes, but not always, and not automatically.
There are two different practices, often confused with each other:
(A) Embalming (full preservation)
- This involves injecting embalming fluid (usually formaldehyde-based) into the bloodstream.
- It slows decomposition and is commonly used in Western countries for long-distance transport or viewing.
- This is not required for all bodies.
(B) Minimal preservation / hygienic preparation
- In many cases (especially for Muslim burials), no embalming is done.
- The body is:
- Washed,
- Shrouded,
- Placed in a sealed coffin,
- Sometimes cooled or refrigerated.
- Some countries only require temporary preservation, such as cooling or sealing, not injection.
So, the idea that everybody has alcohol or fluid injected is incorrect.
2. Is the fluid “alcohol” and therefore haram?
Medical reality:
- Embalming fluid is not alcohol that people drink.
- It may contain methyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, or ethanol as a chemical preservatives, not as khamr (intoxicant).
- It is not consumed, not for pleasure, and not used voluntarily.
Islamic legal principle:
Classical Fiqh distinguishes between:
- Khamr (intoxicants) used for enjoyment → haram,
- Chemical substances used externally or involuntarily → not the same ruling.
Most contemporary scholars agree:
Medical or legal necessity (ḍarūrah) allows procedures otherwise disliked.
3. Is embalming required because the body can “burst”?
This part is mostly exaggerated.
What actually happens:
- After death, gases form due to decomposition.
- If a body is:
- Kept warm,
- Uncooled,
- Transported over long periods,
Pressure can build up. But:
§ Modern air transport uses:
- Refrigeration,
- Sealed zinc or hermetic coffins,
- Pressure-controlled cargo holds.
- Bodies do not normally “burst” during flights.
Embalming is done mainly to:
- Slow decay,
- Meet airline or border regulations,
- Allow long delays before burial.
Not because of air pressure explosions.
4. What does Islamic law say about embalming?
General Islamic rule:
- The human body must be respected, even after death.
- Unnecessary interference is discouraged.
However:
Islamic jurisprudence allows exceptions under:
- Necessity (ḍarūrah),
- Public interest (maṣlaḥah),
- Legal requirements of the land.
Scholarly consensus (summary):
- Embalming is discouraged if avoidable.
- Permitted if:
- Required by law,
- Needed for transportation,
- No viable alternative exists.
Major fatwa bodies (including Al-Azhar and many contemporary jurists) permit embalming, when necessary, especially for repatriation.
5. Is it sinful (haram) to send a body home after embalming?
No.
There is:
- No sin on the deceased (they had no choice),
- No sin on the family if it was required.
Islam judges’ actions by:
intention and necessity, not rumours.
6. Is it possible to send bodies without embalming?
Yes, in many cases.
Families can:
- Request no embalming,
- Choose rapid transport,
- Use refrigeration,
- Select airlines that allow non-embalmed Muslim burials.
Many UK–Pakistan and UK–Azad Kashmir transfers happen without embalming, especially when burial is arranged quickly.
7. Why do rumours persist?
Because:
- The process is hidden from families,
- People use the word “alcohol” loosely,
- Lack of communication from the funeral services,
- Religious anxiety mixed with grief.
8. Islamic principle to remember
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.” (Qur’an 2:286)
And:
Necessities permit what is otherwise restricted.
(Al-ḍarūrāt tubīḥ al-maḥẓūrāt)
Conclusion (Plain Answer)
- Bodies do not normally burst.
- Not all bodies are injected with fluid.
- Embalming fluid is not khamr in the religious sense.
- If embalming is required, it is Islamically permitted.
- Families are not sinful for complying with law or necessity.
- Where possible, non-embalmed transfer can be requested.