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longer than the deceased, and high enough to allow the body to be
placed on its right side. It should be at the bottom of the grave, in
the side wall which is opposite the Ka'bah. For example, if the
Ka'bah is to the northeast, the niche should be dug in the south-
west wall of the grave. (See Illustration 11, page 232.)
When placed in the niche, the body should be close to the wall
of the grave so as not to fall on its face, and it should be supported
from behind by a pile of earth to keep it from rolling over on its
back. The niche should be of sufficient size to hold the body com-
fortably. Once the body has been placed in the niche, a wall is
erected in front of it to prevent dirt from falling on it.3’2
If the earth is too soft for making a niche, a trench is dug for the
body in the floor of the grave. As in the case of the niche, the
trench should be slightly longer than the deceased, and deep
enough to allow the body to be placed on its right side. After the
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body has been placed in the trench so that it faces the Ka'bah, the
trench is roofed over to prevent dirt from falling upon it. The
length of the grave should be in accordance with the size of the