Question Summary:
Q1-After burial what is the reason behind reading first few verses of surah Baqrah on head side …Q2-Is it a bidah for the Imam to read surah Fateha before reading the first few verses of surah Baqrah on head side

Question Detail:

Q1-After burial what is the reason behind reading first few verses of surah Baqrah on head side and last few verses of surah at leg side and was this the practise of Prophet S.a.w?
Q2-Is it a bidah for the Imam to read surah Fateha before reading the first few verses of surah Baqrah on head side after burial or is proven by Prophet S.a.w or the Sahabah?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Reciting Surah al Fatiha and the opening and ending verses of Surah al Baqara at the head and legside of the deceased is established from Rasulullah صلى الله عليه و سلم.
 
مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد . محقق - (ج 3 / ص 44) مكتبة القدسى
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "إذا مات أحدكم فلا تحبسوه وأسرعوا به إلى قبره وليقرأ عند رأسه بفاتحة الكتاب وعند رجليه بخاتمة سورة البقرة في قبره".
رواه الطبراني في الكبير وفيه يحيى بن عبد الله البابلتي وهو ضعيف.
 
Ibn Umar رضى الله تعالى عنه narrates that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه و سلم said “When any of you pass away then do not delay but rather hasten for his burial. And you should recite Surah al Fatiha by his head side and the closing verses of Surah al Baqara by his feet side next to his grave” Majmauz Zawaid 3/44 Maktaba al Qudsi
 
عن عبد الرحمن بن العلاء بن اللجلاج قال: قال لي أبي: يا بني إذا انا مت فالحد لي لحداً فإذا وضعتني في لحدي فقل: بسم الله وعلى ملة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم سن التراب علي سناً ثم اقرأ عند رأسي بفاتحة البقرة وخاتمتها فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول ذلك.
رواه الطبراني في الكبير ورجاله موثقون.(ايضا)
 
Abd al Rahman ibn al Ala ibn al Lajlaj رضى الله تعالى عنه narrates that my father (al Ala ibn al Lajlaj رضى الله تعالى عنه) said to me “O my son when I pass away then dig my grave as a lahd (such a grave in which there is a portion in the side to place the deceased in). When you put me in the lahd (portion on the side) then recite بسم الله وعلى ملة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم (in the name of Allah and on the religion of the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم) then slowly throw the sand in the grave, then recite by my head side the opening and ending verses of Surah al Baqara for verily I heard Rasulullah صلى الله عليه و سلم reciting them” (Ibid)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ishaq E. Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah