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, added: “It is not permissible for any believer to wash the body of someone who opposes the truth regarding the Wilaya (divine authority) or to perform the funeral prayer over him unless compelled to do so due to the necessity of Taqiyya (dissimulation). In such cases, he should wash the body according to the practice of the opponents and should not place a palm branch (Jareeda) with him. If he performs the prayer over him, he should curse him in the prayer and should not supplicate for mercy on his behalf.” The reasoning behind this ruling is that opponents of the truth are considered disbelievers, and their ruling should be treated as that of disbelievers unless proven otherwise by evidence. Since washing the body of a disbeliever is not permissible, the same ruling applies to washing the body of an opponent of the truth. As for the funeral prayer, it should be performed in the same manner that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and the Imams عليه السلام, prayed over the hypocrites. Further clarification regarding the method of prayer for opponents will be provided later, if Allah سبحانه وتعالى wills. Evidence for the prohibition of washing the body of a disbeliever includes the consensus of the Muslim community, as there is no disagreement among them that such an act is prohibited in Islamic law. Additional evidence also supports this ruling.