Chapter on Touching the Deceased

If one's clothing comes into contact with the body of the deceased, then they must wash whatever part of the clothing was touched. When preparing the deceased, the person washing starts by preparing the shroud. They begin with a sheet (namat), spreading it out, then placing a "habrah" (a specific cloth) and sprinkling some powdered perfume (dharirah) on it. Next, they spread out the izar (waist cloth) on top of the habrah, sprinkling more of the powdered perfume, then place the shirt (Qamis) on top of the izar, again sprinkling the powdered perfume. They take two fresh, green palm branches (Jaridatayn), each the length of approximately a forearm, and if they are the length of an arm or a span, there is no issue. He writes on the Izar (wrap), Qamis (shirt), the habrah, and the two branches: (Fulān) yashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh "So-and-so bears witness that there is no god but Allah سبحانه وتعالى." They then wrap all of it together.

It means that if Jaridatayn were found after the deceased has been buried in their grave or if someone is present from whom taqiyya is necessary, and thus it is not possible that the Jaridatayn be placed inside the shroud as reported; instead, they should be placed with the deceased however possible.

And if people of opposing beliefs are present during the washing of the deceased, efforts should be made to ensure that the deceased is washed according to the rites of a believer, and the placement of the branches should be concealed from them.

Additionally, it is not permissible to shroud the deceased in linen (كتان) or silk (إبريسم), but only in cotton.

After the shrouding is prepared, the deceased is placed on the washing platform facing the Qiblah, and the shirt is removed from above down to the waist, leaving it in place until the washing is complete to cover the 'awrah’ (private parts). If there is no shirt, a covering is placed over the private parts. He gently and softly extends his fingers; if it becomes difficult (due to rigor mortis), he leaves it. The hands are passed gently over the abdomen, then washing begins. He begins with the hands: The hands are washed three times with water containing sidr (lotus leaves). He wraps a cloth around his own left hand and places some of the ‘Hirad ‘ (type of soap alkali plant/cleansing agent) on it, and he reaches his hand under the garment (covering the privates) and another person pours water from above to his navel, washing his front and back (of privates) without cutting off the water. Then he washes his head and beard with the lather (froth) of sidr, followed by three washings with water. The deceased is not seated during the process. The body is turned to the left side to expose the right side, and the right arm is extended along the body. The body is washed three times with water from head to toe. The process is then repeated on the left side ; he turns him to his right side so that his left side becomes visible, and he extends his left hand to his left side where he has reached, then he washes him with three pots from his head to his foot. After the washing, the abdomen is gently massaged, and a second washing is performed with water mixed with a small amount of camphor, similar to the first wash. Then he rinses the vessels containing the camphor water and a third washing with pure water is performed without massaging the abdomen again. During the washing, say the supplication: Allahumma ‘afwuka ‘afwuka "O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Your pardon, Your pardon," and if this is done, Allah سبحانه وتعالى forgives the deceased.

For someone who cannot afford the weight of thirteen dirhams and one-third of camphor, the deceased should be embalmed with four mithqals (about 14 grams), If that is not possible, at least one mithqal (about 3.5 grams) should be used, as it is necessary. The Hunut (anointing with camphor) of a deceased man and a deceased woman is the same, and it is disliked that he use incense or follow the body with a censer, but the shroud is to be incensed (there is no harm in that). The camphor is to be daubed/applied to his eyes, nostrils, ears, lips, hands, knees, and all his joints, as well as on the places of prostration. If there is any remaining, it is placed on the chest. After completing the third washing of the deceased, the washer should wash their hands from the elbows to the fingers and cover the deceased with a cloth to dry the water. The water from the washing of the deceased must not be disposed of in a latrine or well ; it should instead be directed to drains or a pit. The deceased's nails should not be clipped, nor their mustache trimmed, nor any hair cut. If anything falls from the body, it should be included with the shroud. The washer then performs ablution, followed by a full-body wash, before placing the deceased in the shroud. Two palm stalks are placed with the deceased : one by the collarbone touching the skin and extending over the right side, and the other at the hip on the left side, between the shirt and the lower garment. The deceased is then wrapped in a shroud, with the left side folded over the right and vice versa. If desired, the upper shroud can be placed after the deceased is put in the grave, and they are then wrapped in a cloth, with the turban not tied like an Arab’s customary style, but rather having its ends placed on the chest. Before putting on the shirt, cotton mixed with ground fragrant herbs is placed around the lower body. Cotton is also placed over the front, with the legs pressed together and the thighs bound tightly with the lower garment to prevent anything from leaving the body. When the shrouding is complete, the embalming (Hunut) described earlier is performed. The body is then placed on a bier and carried to the grave. No one should say "Be gentle with him" or "Have mercy on him," nor strike their thighs in mourning, lest their reward is lost. If anything leaves the body after washing, the washing is not repeated; instead, the affected area of the shroud is cleaned until placed in the grave. If any discharge occurs in the grave, the affected part of the shroud is to be trimmed, and one of the other garments should be laid over the other.

Regarding a person who dies in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), one washing suffices for both removing the state of impurity and the washing of the deceased, as these two obligations converge into a single sanctity.

Regarding a woman who has a miscarriage, if the fetus is fully formed, it should be washed, embalmed, shrouded, and buried. If it is not fully formed, it does not require washing and is to be buried with its blood. The criterion for a fetus being fully formed is when it reaches four months (from conception). The obligatory shroud (Kafan) consists of three pieces: a shirt (Qamis), a loincloth (izar), and an outer covering (lifafah). The turban and cloth used for binding are not considered part of the required shroud, but for those who wish to add more, it is permissible to use up to five cloths.

Our Shaykh Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan mentioned in his book, ‘Al Jamiah’, a girl who dies among men during travel. If She is older than five or six years, She should be buried without washing. If She is younger than five years, She can be washed. He mentioned a related narration from Al-Halabi attributed to Imam Al-Sadiq.

And five categories of deceased individuals can be kept for three days before burial unless their bodies begin to decompose : hose who have drowned, those struck by lightning, those who died of stomach-related ailments, buried under rubble, and those who died from smoke inhalation. For someone who has died of smallpox (or similar contagious diseases), water should be poured over the body without touching it if there is a fear that touching would cause the skin to detach. The same applies to individuals with broken limbs, burns, or severe sores.

This applies when it is not possible to reach the shore.

If the deceased was crucified, they should be taken down after three days, washed, shrouded, and buried. It is not permissible for the crucifixion to last more than three days.

This is how it was narrated, it is understood that no member of the community should be left without a funeral prayer upon their death.

Regarding a person in a state of ihram (ritual consecration during Hajj or Umrah) who dies, they should be washed, shrouded, and buried with all the rites performed for someone not in ihram, except that camphor should not be used. A person killed in battle not in obedience to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, should be washed like any deceased person, and if their head has been severed, it should be joined to the body and washed together. In the case of a woman who dies while pregnant, if the fetus is moving in her womb, the left side of her abdomen should be opened, and the child removed. If the child dies inside her and does not come out while She is alive, a person should reach in through the birth canal, cut the child into pieces, and extract it.

Regarding a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) who wishes to wash a deceased person, they should perform ablution (wudu) as for prayer before washing the body. If someone wishes to engage in marital relations after washing the deceased, they should perform ablution before doing so. If a deceased person is washed and a significant amount of blood continues to flow from the body without stopping, then clean clay should be applied, as it will stop the bleeding.