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

Narrated by the Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah سبحانه وتعالى support him, from Abu Al-Hasan Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Dawood Al-Qummi, from his father, from Abu Al-Hasan Ali bin Al-Husayn, from Muhammad bin Yahya, from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya, from Ahmad bin Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal, from Amr bin Sa'id, from Musaddiq bin Sadaqah, from Ammar bin Musa, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: Imam عليه السلام was asked about a Muslim man who dies while traveling, and there is no Muslim man with him, but there are Christian men and his Muslim aunt and maternal aunt. How should his washing be done? Imam عليه السلام said: “His aunt and maternal aunt should wash him while he is in his shirt, and the Christians should not approach him.” Imam عليه السلام was asked regarding a Muslim woman who dies while traveling, and there is no Muslim woman with her, but there are Christian women and her Muslim uncle and maternal uncle. Imam عليه السلام said: “They should wash her, but the Christian woman should not approach her. She should be washed as others are washed, except that she should wear a dress, and water should be poured over the dress.” I asked: “What if a Muslim man dies, and there is neither a Muslim man nor a Muslim woman from his relatives, but there are Christian men and unrelated Muslim women?” Imam عليه السلام said: “The Christians should wash themselves first, and then they can wash him because it is a case of necessity.” Imam عليه السلام was asked: “what about a Muslim woman who dies, and there is no Muslim woman or Muslim man from her relatives, but there is a Christian woman and Muslim men?” Imam عليه السلام said: “The Christian woman should first wash herself and then wash the deceased Muslim woman”.