The Ghusl
Bathing the Deceased
Law: To bathe the deceased is Fard-e-Kifaayah. If
a few people have given the Ghusl (ritual bath), the duty of all has been
discharged. [Alamgiri vol.1, pg.158]
Law: The method of bathing the deceased is as
follows:
1. Go around the bathing board or table (Ghusl Tray) 3,
5 or seven times, in other words turn the utensil in which you have burnt the
fragranced incense, 3, 5 or seven times around the bathing board.
2. Place the Mayyit (deceased) on this bathing board and
cover the deceased form navel to knee with a cloth
3. The person bathing the deceased should then wrap a
cloth on his hands and perform the Istinja (i.e. clean the private areas)
4. Thereafter perform Wudu like is done in Namaaz, in
other words, wash the face, then both hands upto the elbows, then make Masah of
the head, and then wash both feet. However, the Wudu for the Mayyit does not
include first washing the hands upto the wrists, rinsing the mouth and putting water
into the nose.
5. However, one may use either a piece of cloth or a
moist flock of cotton wool. This should be used to wipe over the teeth, gums,
lips and nostrils.
6. If the person has hair on the head or a beard, it
should be washed with Gul e Khaira (althea). If one does not have this, one
should use Paak (pure) soap made by a Muslim company, if not use Farina (cream
of wheat) or some other thing. If none of this is available only the use of
water is sufficient.
7. Then lay the Mayyit on its left side and pour water
which has been boiled with jujube leaves (Beyri) from the head to the feet, so
that the water reaches the bathing board.
8. Then lay the Mayyit on its right and do the same. If
one does not have water which was boiled with jujube leaves, then just lukewarm
water is sufficient.
9. Whilst giving support to the Mayyit bring it into a
sitting position, and gently run the hand on the stomach downwards. If anything
is excreted, wash it away. There is no need to repeat the Wudu and Ghusl after
this.
10. Finally pour camphor water over the entire body from
head to toe
11. Thereafter, gently wipe the body with a Paak (pure)
cloth (i.e. towel etc.). [Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1, pg.800/802; Alamgiri vol.1,
pg.158]
Law: It is Fard to pour water over the entire body
once. To do so thrice is Sunnat. It is Sunnat to cover the area where the Ghusl
is being given, so that none other except the ones giving Ghusl and their
helpers are able to see. During Ghusl you may lay the Mayyit down like one does
in the grave or in a manner where the feet face the Qibla or whichever way is
easier. [Alamgiri vol.1, pg.158]
Law: The person who is giving the Ghusl should be
in a state of Tahaarat (pure state). It is disliked if a Junub (one in need of compulsory
bath), or a menstruating female gives Ghusl, but the Ghusl will be discharged.
If one bathes the deceased without Wudu, then there is also no objection. It is
best for the one giving Ghusl to be the close relative of the deceased. If this
is not possible or if he does not know how to bathe the deceased, then someone
who is trustworthy and pious should give the Ghusl. [Alamgiri vol.1, pg.159]
Law: The one giving the Ghusl should be a reliable
person, who will give the Ghusl properly, and if he sees any good sign, such as
if he sees a glow on the face of the deceased or if he notices a fragrance emanating
from the body, then he should mention this to the people, and if he sees
something which is not good, such as if he sees that the face has become black
(dark), or notices a bad odour emanating from the body, then he should not say
this to anyone. To say such things is also impermissible, as it has been
mentioned in the Hadith Shareef, ‘Discuss the goodness of your deceased and
abstain from speaking about his weaknesses’. [Alamgiri vol.1, pg.159]
Law: If any budmazhab (deviant) dies and his
colour becomes dark (black), and if any bad thing is noticed, then this should
be exposed, so that people may learn a lesson from this. [Alamgiri vol.1
pg.159]
Law: It is Mustahab to burn some fragranced
incense where the person is giving Ghusl, so that if any odour emanates from
the body, he is not affected by it, otherwise he may become uneasy. He should also
only look at the body of the deceased as per necessity. He should not look
towards any part of the body without need, because it is possible that he had
some defect on his body which he used to hide. [Jauhira, Alamgiri vol.1 pg.159]
Law: If there are others there (in the vicinity)
who also give Ghusl; he is permitted to take a payment for giving the Ghusl. It
is however more blessed for him not to take such payment. If there is no one else
there who is able to give Ghusl, then for him to charge for this is impermissible.
[Alamgiri vo.1 pg.159; Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.804]
Law: If a Junub or a female in Haidh or Nifaas
passes away, then just one Ghusl is sufficient, because no matter how many
reasons there may be for taking Ghusl, all will be discharged in one Ghusl.
[Durr-e-Mukhtar]
Note: A junub is one in an
impure state, requiring the compulsory ritual bath to remove impurities.
Law: A male should give Ghusl to a male and a
female to a female. If the deceased is a little boy, then he too can be given
Ghusl by a female, and a little girl can also be given Ghusl by a male. Little means
that they have not reached the age of desire (puberty). [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160]
Law: A male whose male organ or testicles have been
cut off is a male, in other words men only should give him Ghusl, or his wife may
do so. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160]
Law: A female may give her husband Ghusl, on
condition that before death or after death, no such situation arises which
causes her to come out of his Nikah; in other words if she touched or kissed
her husband’s father or son with lust, or (Allah Forbid) if she became a Murtad
(apostate), even though this happened before Ghusl and thereafter she became
Muslim again, due to these reason the Nikah is invalidated, thus she is regarded
as a stranger and cannot give Ghusl (to him). [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160]
Law: If the deceased gave his wife Talaaq e Raj’i
and she was still in Iddat and he passed away, then she is permitted to give
him Ghusl, but if he had given her the Baa’in Talaaq then even though she is in
Iddat, she is cannot give him Ghusl. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160; Durr-e-Mukhtar
vol.1 pg.804]
Law: An Umme Walad (a female slave who gave birth
to a child accepted by her master as his offspring) or Mudabirah (Mudabirah refers
to female slave released by her master, whereby he declares that she should
only be free after his death) or Mukaatibah (Mukaatibah refers to a female slave
who is under bond with her master to pay for her freedom in instalments), or an
ordinary handmaid (Baandi) is not allowed to give Ghusl to her master, as now she
is regarded as being out of his ownership. Similarly, if she dies, the master
cannot give her Ghusl. [Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.804]
Law: If a female dies, neither can her husband
give her Ghusl, nor can he touch her (body directly). He is not forbidden from
looking at her. [Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.806]
It is common amongst the general public (laymen) that a husband cannot
carry the Janaazah of his wife, neither can he lower her into her grave or see
her face. This is simply incorrect. He is only not allowed to bathe her and to
touch her body without anything inbetween (like a cloth etc).
Law: If a female passed away and there is no other
female present there who can bathe her, then in that case Tayammum must be done,
and if the one doing the Tayammum is a Mahram, he should make Tayammum with his
hands, and if it is a strange male even though it may be the husband, then he
should wrap a cloth on his hand and then strike his hand on something which is
from the substance of the earth and then make the Tayammum. If it is any other
male except the husband, then he should not even look towards her wrists and if
it is the husband then this does not apply to him. In this case the ruling in
regards to a young or old woman is the same. [Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.806;
Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160]
Law: If a male passed away, and there is neither
any other male present there, nor his wife, then in such a case, any other
female who is present there should make his Tayammum, and if the female that is
there is a Mahram to him or his handmaid (Baandi), then there is no need to
wrap a cloth on the hands; however, if she is a strange female, then she should
wrap a cloth and then perform the Tayammum. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160]
Law: If a male is on a journey and he dies and in
his company are females and an unbelieving (kaafir) male. In other words there
is no Muslim male present amongst them; in such a case the females should
explain to him the manner of performing the bath so that he may do it. If there
are even no males with ability to do Ghusl but there is a small female, who has
the ability to do the Ghusl, then these females should explain the method to
her so that she may do the Ghusl. Similarly, if a female passes away and there
is no Muslim female present and a non-Muslim female (and Muslim male) is present,
then in this case the males should explain to the non- Muslim female how to do
the Ghusl, which she should do; and if a small boy is present who will be able to
do the Ghusl, then it should be explained to him how to do the Ghusl. [Alamgiri
vol.1 pg.160]
Law: If a person passed away in such a place where
water cannot be located, then Tayammum should be performed, and the Namaaz should
be performed. If water is found after Namaaz but before the burial, then
perform the Ghusl and repeat the Namaaz. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160; Durr-e-Mukhtar
vol.1 pg.806]
Law: If a Khunsa Mushkil dies, then neither a male
nor a female can give the Ghusl, but rather Tayammum will be performed. If the
one performing the Tayammum is a stranger then he will wrap a cloth on the
hands and do the Tayammum, and he won’t look at the wrists. Similarly, a Khunsa
Mushkil cannot give Ghusl to any male or female. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.160] If the
Khunsa Mushkil is a little child, then a male or female can do the Ghusl, and
vice versa.
Note: Khunsa Mushkil refers to one who is
hermaphrodite, i.e. bearing both male and female genatalia, and whose sex
cannot be clearly determined.
Law: If a Muslim passed away and his father is an
unbeliever, then Muslims should bathe him. He should not be given in to the
control of his father. If an unbeliever became a Muslim and his wife is an unbeliever
(kaafira), then if she is Kitaabiya (Person of the Book), then she is permitted
to bathe him, but this should not be done as a last resort as it is not
preferred. If she is a Majoosi or an idol worshipper, and after his death she
accepts Islam, then she may bathe him, on the condition that she is still in his
Nikah, otherwise she cannot bathe him. The case of her still being in his Nikah
is this, that if she is in a Proper Muslim State (Sultanat e Islami) then the Haakim
e Islam (Righteous Muslim Ruler) may invite her towards Islam, then if she
accepts, then well and good, otherwise she will immediately be out of his
Nikah; and if she is not in a Sultanat e Islami then after the death of the Muslim
husband, she will wait for the women to complete three menstrual cycles. If she
becomes Muslim within that duration, then well and good, otherwise she will be
out of his Nikah. In both cases, if she thereafter becomes Muslim, she cannot
give Ghusl.
Note: The Jews and
Christians of today cannot be regarded as Kitaabi (People of the book). For
more detail peruse Bahaar e Shariat Volume 2 footnotes. [Further ref.
Durr-e-Mukhtar]
Law: For the Ghusl to be regarded as complete for
a Mayyit and for Namaaz to be correct on that Mayyit, Niyyat (Intention) and
the actual (action of washing) is not a condition, meaning that even if the
deceased had to fall into water, or if it rained on him to the extent that
water passed over the entire body, the Ghusl will be regarded as being
complete. As for the responsibility of giving Ghusl to the deceased which is
Waajib (compulsory) upon the living, they will only be discharged of their responsibility,
if they (actually) bathe the deceased. Hence, if a deceased is found in water,
then he should be moved in the water thrice so that the Masnun Ghusl (Ritual
Bath) is fulfilled. If the deceased was moved once in the water, then the
Waajib will be fulfilled, but the demand of the Sunnat will still be there. If
they give the Ghusl without the Niyyat (intention), then the Ghusl will be valid
but they will not receive the Thawaab (reward) for giving the Ghusl. For
example, if one gave Ghusl to the Mayyit with the Niyyat of teaching someone
(how to give Ghusl), the Waajib will be discharged but he will not receive Thawaab
for Ghusl of the Mayyit. Also for the Ghusl to be discharged it is not necessary
for the one giving the Ghusl to be Mukal’laf or Ahl e Niyyat (i.e. one who is
able to make Niyyat), thus if a na-Baaligh or kaafir (unbeliever) performed the
bath, the Ghusl has been discharged. Similarly, if a strange female gave Ghusl
to a male or a male to a female, the Ghusl will be done, even though for them
to give the Ghusl is not permissible. [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar vol.1
pg.805/805]
Law: If more than half the torso (body) of a
Muslim is found then Ghusl and Kafan must be done, and the Janaazah Namaaz will
be performed as well, and if the remaining part of the torso is found after the
Namaaz, then Namaaz will not be performed over that again. If only half the
torso has been found and it also has the head on it, then too the ruling is the
same. If the headless torso is found, or if only the right or left of the torso
height-wise is found from head to toe, then in both these cases, there is
neither Ghusl nor Kafan (shroud), and there will also be no Janaazah Namaaz.
The torso will be wrapped in one cloth and buried. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.159;
Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.804]
Law: If a person is found dead and it cannot be
ascertained whether it is a Muslim of non-Muslim, then in the case his dress
and appearance is like that of a Muslim or if there is any signs that prove him
to be a Muslim, or if he was found in a (predominant) Muslim locality, then he
should be given Ghusl and (Janaazah) Namaaz should be performed, if not it
should not be. [Alamgiri vol.1 pg.159]
Law: If Muslims deceased bodies are mixed amongst
the bodies of non-Muslims, then if they can be recognised by signs such as
khatna (circumcision) etc., they should be separated and Ghusl and Kafan should
be given and Namaaz performed over them. If it is not possible to differentiate
between them then Ghusl should be given but in Namaaz Niyyat should be made for
Dua only Muslims and if the number of Muslims is more amongst them (i.e. more
than number of non-Muslims with whom they were mixed), then they should be
buried in the Muslim cemetery, otherwise they should be buried separate (from
the Muslim cemetery). [Durr-e-Mukhtar vol.1 pg.805]
Law: There is no Ghusl (Bathing) or Kafan
(Shrouding) or Dafan (Burial) for the deceased who is an unbeliever. He should
be wrapped in an ordinary cloth and put into a narrow hole (trench). This will only
be done if there are no representatives of his religion available, or they do
not wish to take him. (In normal circumstances) Muslims should not touch the
body or even partake in his funeral and if they to go participate due to him
being a close relation then one should do so from a distance (do not go near);
and if only Muslims are his relatives and there are none of his religion there,
or if they have not taken him, then because of him being a relative, they bathe
and shroud him, then this is permissible. However, this should not be done in
the Sunnat manner at all, but it should be done in a manner where water is
passed over to remove impurities. He should then be wrapped in an ordinary
cloth and put into a narrow hole. This ruling is for a kaafir Asli (i.e. a proper
unbeliever). As for a Murtad (apostate) the ruling is absolute, that he should
not be given any Ghusl or Kafan at all, but he should be thrown pushed into a
narrow hole like a dog, and he should be covered with sand without anything
being placed between him and the sand. [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar vol.1
pg.833]
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