Is it obligatory to exhume a body buried facing away from the Qiblah?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Funerals
Primary text
Exhumation and reburial facing the Qiblah are obligatory if the deceased was buried facing away from the Qiblah. This is supported by Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and Abu Thawr. The underlying reasoning is that the obligation of correct facing during prayer remains valid and necessitates correction post-burial, similar to retrieving valuable assets.
Supporting text
Abu Hanifa argued against exhumation, considering the act of digging up the body to be a form of mutilation, which is forbidden.