Chapter on Guiding the Dying, Positioning Them at Death, Procedures for Their Final Moments, Washing Them, and Placing Them in Shrouds

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah سبحانه وتعالى support him, said: “When the three washings are completed, a clean cloth should be placed over him to dry him. This has already been mentioned.” Then he, (Shaykh (Al-Mufid)), said: “After that, the washer should withdraw to one side, wash his hands up to the elbows, and proceed to the shrouds that had been prepared. He should spread them on a clean surface, placing the outermost shroud (Hibarah) or its substitute, which is visible, and sprinkle it with some prepared powdered perfume (Dharirah). Then he places the next shroud over it and sprinkles it with more Dharirah. He lays the shirt (Qamis) over the lower garment (Izar) and sprinkles it with Dharirah abundantly. Next, he returns to the deceased, moves him from the place where he was washed, and places him in his shirt. He takes some cotton, sprinkles it with Dharirah, and places it on the excretory openings. He also places cotton sprinkled with Dharirah on the private parts, securing it firmly with the cloth mentioned earlier to the thighs to prevent anything from leaking out. Then he takes the cloth referred to as the loincloth (Mi’zar) and wraps it around the body from the navel to the lower legs, similar to the loincloth worn by the living, placing it over the secured cloth with the cotton. He then takes the camphor prepared for embalming, crushes it in his hands, and applies it to the forehead, where the deceased used to prostrate to his Lord, and to the tip of his nose, which he humbled in prostration. He also applies it to the palms and fingers, which touched the ground during prostration, and to the knees and the tops of the toes, as they were also used in prostration. If any camphor remains, he uncovers the deceased’s chest and sprinkles it there, rubbing it in before returning the shirt to its original position. Finally, he takes the two palm branches (Jareedah), wraps them with cotton, and places one on the right side near the collarbone, pressing it against the skin, and the other on the left side, between the shirt and the lower garment.”