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What should be in an advance care directive?

Your medical wishes, who decides for you, and — for Muslim families — end-of-life care preferences, washing, shrouding and burial instructions.

Draft — pending review. This page has been prepared but has not yet been reviewed by a Canadian estates lawyer or a qualified scholar. Treat it as a starting point for questions, not as advice you should act on.

Your medical wishes, who decides for you, and — for Muslim families — end-of-life care preferences, washing, shrouding and burial instructions.

The Canadian position

Combined with a power of attorney for personal care in most provinces.

It has no effect on property; that is the will's job.

The Islamic position

This is where burial instructions belong, because it will be read while decisions are being made rather than after burial.

Give copies to your spouse and your executor.

Across the madhahib

The four Sunni schools are not recorded as differing materially on this point in the sources reviewed. Where your own case turns on it, put it to a scholar of your school.

Before you act on this

General information, not legal or religious advice. Inheritance depends entirely on the exact family circumstances. Confirm the Canadian position with a lawyer in your province and any religious ruling with a qualified scholar.

Citations & sources

Every factual claim on this page traces to one of the references below. Legislation and dollar thresholds change — verify against the primary source before relying on any figure.

Scholarly & institutional references
  1. Research Papers — Cambridge Muslim College
  2. Research — Cambridge Muslim College
  3. Academics — Islamic law and theology curriculum — Zaytuna College
  4. Encyclopaedia of Islam — Brill
Canadian legislation & government
  1. Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 — Government of Ontario
  2. What to do when someone dies — Government of Ontario
Canadian legal commentary
  1. What is power of attorney for property ontario — Treadstone Law
  2. Poa personal care faith based facility ontario — Treadstone Law
  3. Banking with poa property ontario — Treadstone Law
  4. What is personal care power of attorney ontario — Treadstone Law
  5. Personal care poa ontario activate when — Treadstone Law
  6. Capacity assessment guardianship vs poa activation ontario — Treadstone Law
  7. Wills & estates practice — Treadstone Law