Only an Imam has the Authority to Wash the Body of an Imam for Burial
Al-Kāfi|Volume 1|Book 4|Chapter 92
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