If you have attended a Muslim burial before, you might have noticed something different. The body is usually wrapped in white cloth and placed directly in the ground. There is no coffin.

This practice is not just a cultural habit. It is rooted in Islamic belief, showing humility, equality and a natural return to the earth.

Here are some of the reasons coffins are not used:

1. It follows what Prophet Muhammad did
Muslims bury their dead the same way Prophet Muhammad was buried. After he died, his body was wrapped in a white cloth known as kafan and laid in the soil.

2. It shows humility and equality
Islam teaches that all people are equal in the eyes of God. Rich or poor, everyone should be buried the same way.

The body is covered in plain white cloth. Men use three pieces and women use five. There is no jewellery or fine dressing.

This makes the burial modest and simple for all.

3. It supports the natural return to the earth
The Qur’an teaches that humans come from the earth and will return to it. A verse says, “From the earth We created you, and into it We shall return you.”

Being buried directly in the soil allows the body to decompose naturally. Using a coffin may slow down this process. That is why many Muslims prefer to avoid it.

4. There are few exceptions in some places
In some countries or Nigerian states, the law may require a coffin.

In such cases, Muslims still wrap the body in cloth and lay it in the coffin in the proper Islamic way. The goal is to respect religious customs as much as possible. Not using a coffin in Muslim burial shows respect for faith, humility in death and the belief in returning to nature. It reminds everyone that no matter how we lived, we all leave the world in a simple and equal way.