by Asma bint Shameem
Basically, washing the deceased male or female is through the following steps.
It can be done this way or any other way as long as water reaches all over the body and nothing remains dry.
▪️1. First cover the body with a sheet so that it's not exposed.
▪️2. Put on gloves and wash the private parts by pouring water over the area.
▪️3. Do wudhu for the person who passed away like we make wudhu.
Wipe over the mouth and nose with water, wash the face and arms, wipe the head and ears, and wash the feet.
▪️4. Mix water with some lote tree leaves (sidr) and pour this water over the head, then over the right side, then over the left side, then pour water all over the body.
If lote tree leaves are not available then we can use soap etc
▪️5. Repeat this three times or if needed five or seven.
It's better to do it an odd number of times.
▪️6. When washing for the last time, it's good to add camphor to the water to add some pleasant fragrance.
▪️7. Next braid the woman's hair into 3 braids
▪️8. Shroud the deceased and apply camphor as perfume to the body.
🔺Shrouding the body🔺
A) Three pieces of cloth
It is recommended to shroud the man in three pieces of cloth.
That’s the way the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam was shrouded too.
🍃 Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:
“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam was shrouded in three pieces of white Yemeni cotton cloth among which there was no chemise or turban.”
[al-Bukhaari (1264) and Muslim (941)]
That is the best way.
🍃 Ibn Hazm said:
“Allaah does not choose anything but the best for His Prophet.”
[Al-Muhalla (5/118)]
As for the woman, some of the scholars are of the opinion that the woman should be shrouded in three pieces of cloth like the man.
And some said it’s better to shroud her in five pieces.
🍃 Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:
“It is better for a man to be shrouded in three pieces of white cloth among which there is no chemise or turban. This is what is best.
And a woman should be shrouded in five pieces: a waist-wrapper, a chemise, a head-cover and two wrappers.
If the deceased is shrouded in one piece of cloth that covers everything, that is permissible, whether it is a man or a woman.
The matter is broad in scope.”
[Majmoo’ Fataawa (13/127)]
B) How to shroud
🍃 The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
“A woman’s shrouding starts with the waist-wrapper which covers the ‘awrah and surrounding area, then a chemise covering the body, then covering the head and areas close to it, then she should be wrapped in the two wrappers.”
C) Use perfume
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“When you perfume the deceased with incense (bakhoor) then perfume him three times.”
(Ahmad, 14131; saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 278)
This applies to both male and female.
D) Where to apply perfume
🍃 Ibn Mas’ood radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“Camphor is to be put on the parts of the body on which one prostrates, which are: the forehead, the nose, the hands, the knees and the feet, because he used to prostrate on these parts so they are deserving of greater honor.”
[Al-Bayhaqi (3/568)-Sharh Fath al-Qadeer, 2/110]
May Allaah forgive us and make it easy for us when we die. Ameen.
Also see the following link:
And Allaah knows best
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