Only an Imam has the Authority to Wash the Body of an Imam for Burial
Al-Kāfi|Volume 1|Book 4|Chapter 92
Al-Kāfi
Book 4, Chapter 92
Only an Imam has the Authority to Wash the Body of an Imam for Burial
2 hadiths 1ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْحَلالِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ عَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ يُحَاجُّونَّا يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ الامَامَ لا يَغْسِلُهُ إِلا الامَامُ قَالَ فَقَالَ مَا يُدْرِيهِمْ مَنْ غَسَلَهُ فَمَا قُلْتَ لَهُمْ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِنْ قَالَ مَوْلايَ إِنَّهُ غَسَلَهُ تَحْتَ عَرْشِ رَبِّي فَقَدْ صَدَقَ وَإِنْ قَالَ غَسَلَهُ فِي تُخُومِ الارْضِ فَقَدْ صَدَقَ قَالَ لا هَكَذَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ فَمَا أَقُولُ لَهُمْ قَالَ قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّي غَسَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ أَقُولُ لَهُمْ إِنَّكَ غَسَلْتَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ.
1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad, from Al-Hasan ibn Ali Al-Washsha', from Ahmad ibn Umar Al-Hallal (or someone else), from Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام, who said: "I told him that they (al-Waqifiyya) argue with us, saying that no one can wash the body of an Imam except another Imam." Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام replied, "How do they know who washed him (Imam al-Jawad)?" I then asked, "What should I say to them?" He instructed, "Tell them that if he (the Imam) said, 'My master, he washed him under the Throne of my Lord,' then he has spoken the truth. And if he said, 'He washed him in the depths of the earth,' then he has spoken the truth." Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام added, "That's how it is." I asked, "So what should I tell them?" He replied, "Tell them that I washed him." I then asked, "Should I tell them that you washed him?" Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام said, "Yes."
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (4/256)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
2ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُمْهُورٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِلرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الامَامَ لا يَغْسِلُهُ إِلا الامَامُ فَقَالَ أَ مَا تَدْرُونَ مَنْ حَضَرَ لِغُسْلِهِ قَدْ حَضَرَهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّنْ غَابَ عَنْهُ الَّذِينَ حَضَرُوا يُوسُفَ فِي الْجُبِّ حِينَ غَابَ عَنْهُ أَبَوَاهُ وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ.
2. It is narrated from him from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Yunus from Talha who has said the following. “Once I said to al-Rida عليه السلام, ‘Is it true that only an Imam has the authority to wash the body of an Imam for burial?” The Imam عليه السلام said, “Do you know who comes to wash his body for burial? One who is better than the one who is absence from his presence comes to wash. Those who came to Joseph in the well to help when his parents and family were absent from him.”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (4/257)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī