Chapter on the Prayer of the Naked

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr from Marwan ibn Muslim from Ammar al-Sabati. He said: I said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام: “What do you say about a group of people, who were on a journey walking along the shore of the sea, when suddenly they came upon a dead man; naked, whom the sea had cast ashore. These group of people are themselves naked, having only a waist wrap or a cloak. How should they pray over him (the deceased), while they are naked and have no extra garment to shroud him with?” Imam عليه السلام said: “A grave should be dug for him, and he should be placed in his burial niche (lahd), and bricks should be placed over his private parts, so that his private area is covered with the bricks and stones. Then the prayer should be performed over him, and then he should be buried.” I asked: “So, the prayer is not to be performed over him, if he has already been buried?” Imam عليه السلام said: “No, the prayer is not performed over the deceased after he has been buried, nor is it performed over him while he is naked, until his private parts are covered.”