Chapter on the Prayer over the Dead

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr from Marwan from Ammar ibn Musa, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “What do you say about a group of people who were on a journey, walking along the seashore, and suddenly they came upon a dead naked man whom the sea had cast out. However, they themselves were naked, wearing nothing but loincloths. How should they pray over him (Salat Al Mayyit) while he is naked and they do not have an extra cloth to shroud him in? Imam عليه السلام said: “A grave should be dug for him and he should be placed in his lahd (side niche of the grave), and bricks (libn) should be placed over his private parts to cover his private parts, with the bricks and with stones. Then the prayer (Salat Al Mayyit) should be performed over him, then he should be buried.” I asked: “Should the prayer not be performed over him after he is buried?” Imam عليه السلام said: “The prayer (Salat Al Mayyit) is not performed over the dead after he is buried, and it is not performed over him while he is naked, until his private parts are concealed.”