Re: Ghusl to dead and …
Peace All
I have heard without reference that a Muslim should wash four dead people in a life time.
For a written explanation I found this: The Muslim corpse and funeral rites (2)-The religion with Allah is Isl
Reward for Washing dead Muslims “He who washes a Muslim and conceals what he sees (bad smell, appearance, etc.) Allaah grants him forgiveness forty times (or forty major sins). And whoever digs for him (a grave) and buries him would be granted a reward similar to providing for him a dwelling until the Day of Resurrection … “ (AI-Haakim, Bayhaqi)
Rewards for Shrouding
“Whoever washes a dead (Muslim) and covers him, Allaah will cover his sins. And whoever shrouds him, Allaah will give him silk garments (in Jannah).” (Tabaraanee)
Rewards for following the Janaazah
Allaah’s Messenger said: Visit the sick and follow funerals, that reminds you of the Hereafter (Ahmad)
Qiratan (two huge rewards)
He also said: Whoever follows a janaazah until prayer is performed over it, gets a qirat of reward. Whoever walks with a janaazah until it is buried, for him is two qirats. The Qirat is the size of mount Uhud.”(saheeh Jaami)
When Ibn Umar heard of this narration from Abu Hurairah he said: “Abu Hurairah talks of a too enormous reward.’” Aisha attested to Abu Huraira’s narration and said, “I heard Allah’s Messenger saying that.” Ibn Umar said, “We have lost numerous Qirats.” (Bukhari)
Respecting the Muslim corpse
Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “One day we accompanied the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a funeral of a person. When we reached the graves, we sat down. The gravedigger brought out a bone - of a leg or another organ- and began to break it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Do not break it, for breaking this bone, even after the death of its owner, is like breaking it while he/she is alive.’” (Reported by Malik, Ibn Majah and Abu Dawud).
From Muhammad bn Seereen who said: 1 was circumambulating the Ka’bah when 1 heard a man crying: “0 Allaah forgive me but 1 don’t think You will forgive me.” So 1 said to the man, ‘0 servant of Allaah, 1 have never heard anyone saying what you have said.’” He replied, “1 made a promise to Allaah that if I have the opportunity 1 will strike the face of Uthmaan. So when he was killed, his body was laid on his bed in his house while the people took turn to pray over him. 1 also entered on the pretext that I wanted to pray over him. When I was alone with his body, 1 uncovered his face and beard and then I hit him on the face. As a result my right (hand) dried up. Ibn seereen said: “I saw it dried as if it was a wood!!”
It is a general rule in Fiqh in which it is prohibited to violate, harm or mutilate the dead body whether it is a Muslim or non-Muslim cadaver, as an act of revenge, showing disrespect or doing so without any good reason. There are exceptions to this general rule when there is a necessity (Darurah).
Some of the necessities include:
Dissecting a dead pregnant lady in order to retrieve the living baby inside her womb.
Dissecting a dead body in order to remove valuable goods he or she had allowed while alive, especially if they belong to someone else. (Jumhur - majority of scholars or the three Madhdhabs as opposed to just one) except the Hanbal school. (Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar 3/246)
In al-Ifta’, the Permanent Committee for Legal Rulings (Fatawa) in Saudi Arabia made the following conclusions regarding dissection of dead bodies:
Dissection to discover if a criminal act caused the death is sanctioned. Dissection to see if there is a contagious disease and to then conclude how to stop its spread is sanctioned.
“Based on the rulings which allow dissection on dead bodies in specific cases, therefore any dissection or operation done on the dead body due to a significant necessity is allowable. For example, dissection for the knowledge of medicine and dissection in order to find the cause of death to convict criminals by which there are no other avenues to come to the truth (alHaq). These are based on the Shari’ah principle of establishing justice (‘Adl) in any ruling given by the court, in order to avoid injustice (Dhulm) from happening to the innocent or to ensure the guilty not to escape from the punishment as a result of his crimes.
Even though such dissections are allowed, it should be done within necessary limits without overdoing it. Besides, the sanctity of the dead body has to be respected and handled properly. After the investigation, bits and pieces should be gathered, the body should be closed by suturing it up and finally shrouding the body.
Washing the dead
When a Muslim dies, it is the responsibility of his family or other Muslim to wash him according to Islamic rites. Two or three person may perform the washing. They should be trustworthy, honest, adult Muslim who know how to wash a dead body the Islamic way. They should be of the same gender as the corpse, except the spouse. They must be discipline enough not to comment about the body of the deceased to others later.
Place of Washing
The deceased’s body should be washed in a clean, secluded, and private place where clean water and soap are available. Gloves or pieces of cloth are needed. The body of the deceased should be washed with water and, if available, lotus leaves or camphor (in the final wash). The washing should be done three, five or any more odd number of times if necessary.
This is based on Um Atiyah’s narration: “When the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), died, he instructed us: ‘Wash her three times, or more than that if you feel it is necessary, with water and sidr (good smelling leaves). And then after the last wash, apply some camphor to the body. then loosen her hair, wash I,. and make it in three braids laid behind her back. “(Bukhari and Musilm)
Steps of Washing:
The deceased should be placed on a table with its clothes removed, but the awra (private parts) must be covered with a cloth. The head and upper body should be raised slightly to ensure the washing water with exudations from the body flow downwa rd.
Start by saying: ‘’Bismillah’’ (In the name of Allah) . Press slightly the corpse’stomach to expel any remnants from it and then wash the private parts .
Perform Wudu (ablution) on the deceased without inserting the water in the nose and the mouth. Clean the body with water and soap (if available) starting from the head, including hair, face and beard (if male).
Then wash the upper right side of the body and then the left side. Then wash the lower right side and lower left side .
The body should then be dried with a clean towel and totally covered with a sheet in preparation for shrouding.
If the deceased female was menstruating or experiencing post-partum bleeding, padding should be used to prevent blood from leaving the body. It is recommended that those who performed the washing should take a bath and or make wudu.
Shrouding should start just after washing the body of the deceased. It is recommended to use white sheets from inexpensive material. Extravagance is not recommended in the Kafan (shroud). Aisha (radiallahu anha), related: “When Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, died. he was shrouded in three white sheets from Yemen.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Kafan of a Male
The Kafan of a male should consist of three white winding sheets (7. 7 feet), clean and large enough to conceal the whole body, after having been perfumed with incense. Use 4 tie ropes, each 7 feet long. The material of the sheet should not be silk, nor should any gold be used.
Kafan of a Female
The most authentic opinion is that there is no difference between the shroud of a female and a male, i.e three large sheets.
Steps of Shrouding
Spread out the Shroud in order:
Lift the deceased, covered with a sheet, and lie it on its back on the winding sheets Apply perfume on it as well as the shroud . If possible, put the deceased’s left hand on his or her chest, then put his or her right hand on the left as it would be during salah.
Fold the edge of the top’ sheet over the deceased’s right side, then the other edge over his or her left side.
Repeat with the second and third sheets.
Fasten sheets with ropes: one above the head, another below the feet, and two around the body.
It is highly recommended that after washing and shrouding the body of the deceased, Salaatul Janazah should be quickly offered, promptly followed by the burial. Salaatul Janazah is a collective obligation, required to be performed in congregation to request pardon for the deceased and all dead Muslims, and to wrap them all in Allaah’s Mercy. Therefore, Muslims should not hesitate to participate, even if the deceased person is not even known to him. Prophet Muhammad, (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If a Muslim dies and forty Muslims, who do not associate anything with Allaah, join in the Salatul Janaza. Allaah accepts their du’a for him” (Muslim).
The Prophet (sallallalw alayhi wa sallam) has forbidden us to perfonn salaat from sunrise until the sun is fully risen; when the sun is at the zenith or meridian, from when the sun pales before sunset until it has set. The exception to this rule would be if necessary, due to the condition of the body, to perfonn Salatu Janaza quickly, and bury the body .
• Using a coffin (box) is not allowed unless there is necessity to use it, such as the body of the deceased is damaged. Or for health reasons, or when the grave is wet and cannot be dried .
• It is preferable that Salaatul Janaazah be perfomed outside the masjid or musalla (Prayer room) in an activity room or courtyard.
Salatul Janazah is said silently, except the Takbeer (Allahu Akbar) and Tasleem (Assalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah ).
All conditions for regular salaat are required in Salatu Janazah such as Tahara/ wudu, clean body and clothes, niyyah (intention) and facing the qiblah.
- Muslims should form a minimum of three lines facing the qiblah. The one who leads the salaat is the leader (Imaam) or his deputy, or the deceased’s father.
*If there is only one Muslim with the Imam, he should stand behind the Imaam .
- The body (or bodies) should be placed in front of the person who leads the salah.
- In case there is more than one dead Muslim (males and females), first place the deceased body of young girls, then adult females, then young boys, then adult males, behind the qiblah so that the bodies are arranged in a way that females’ bodies are first, then the males.
- The Imam should stand by the middle of a female body, and by the head for a male body.
- Behind the Imaam, males stand in lines, then children, then females.
There are no rukuh, sujud, adhan or Iqamah .
Having the appropriate niyyah (intention), raise your hands in the usual manner and say: “Allaahu Akbar”. Fold your right hand over the left hand in the usual manner. Recite the Surah AI Fatiha silently . Say.” Allahu Akbar. “
Recite the second part of At Tashahood: ‘’Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala alee Muhammad Kama sallayta ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala alee Ibrahim, wa baarik ala Muhammad wa ‘ala alee Muhammad Kama barakta ala Ibrahim wa ala alee Ibrahim, innaka hamidun Majeed. “ This means: “Allaah! Grant Peace to Muhammad and his family as you did to Ibrdhim and grant blessing to Muhammad and his family as you did to Ibrahim and his family. Tl7Jly you are Most Glorious and Most “Praiseworthy”.
Say: “Allahu Akbar. “Make du’a for the deceased. Say: “AIlaahu Akbar.”
Make du’a for all dead Muslims, and in the case of a dead being a child, make du’a for his parents
Then say: “Assalaamu Alaykum wa rahmattullah. “to the right and to the left if you wish”
“ After Salatul Janazah, the deceased should be transferred to the Muslim cemetery. It is recommended that following Salatul Janaza, the body should be carried on foot, with other attendees keeping behind or on the right or left of those carrying the body. They should walk calmly, quietly, and not push those carrying the deceased.
Following salatul Janaza with incense or candles, mentioning Allah’s name loudly, weeping loudly or reading Qur’an, playing music, or carrying the body of the deceased on a military car, are all disallowed when escorting the body of the deceased.
The reward of following the body from -Salatul Janaza through the burial is explained in the following hadith: Prophet Muhammed’ (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam), said “Whoever attends SalatulJanaza until it is finished will earn a qirat, and whoever stays until the burial will earn two qirats.” Someone asked: “What does qirat mean?” The Prophet answered: ‘1t means rewards as big as a great mountain. “(Bukhari and Muslim)
Special cases
Miscarried Fetus:
If the fetus is less than four months gestation, the fetus may not be washed. The fetus should be wrapped in a piece of white cloth and buried without Salatul Janaza. If the fetus is more than four months gestation, the fetus may be washed, shrouded with one or two winding sheets to cover the body, and the Muslims have the choice to perform Salatul Janaza or not.
Children:
If the child died before reaching puberty, he may be washed by males or females. When shrouding a female child, use a dress and two winding sheets. For a male child, use two or three winding sheets. For children who died after puberty, the same procedure for adult corpses should be followed.
Martyr:
The body of a martyr should not be washed, nor shrouded but buried in the same cloths he was martyred in. The strongest opinion of Muslim scholars is not to offer Salatu Janaza for martyrs because Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not offer it for the martyrs of the battle of Uhud.
