Before Beginning: Matters That Must Be Verified

The body should not be prepared until death has been confirmed and the relevant medical or legal authority has permitted its release.

If the death is under investigation, or surgery or an autopsy has been performed, tubes or devices should not be removed and stitches should not be opened except with permission from the specialists.

A private, covered, clean place should be prepared, along with suitable water, sidr if available, camphor for the final wash, towels, gloves, absorbent materials, the shroud, and whatever is needed to tie it.

Attendance should be limited to those needed for the washing. Photography and uncovering the body for viewing should not be allowed.

Appropriate safety precautions should be used when contact with blood or bodily fluids is expected, such as gloves, handwashing, and protective measures determined by specialists.

Warning Regarding Infectious Diseases and Serious Injuries

The basic rule is that a deceased Muslim is washed, but safety must not be neglected. If he died from a severe contagious disease, or the body is damaged, decomposed, or releasing a great deal of blood, untrained people should not wash it. The instructions of the health authority and infection-control team should be followed, while preserving the rite of washing and preventing harm as much as possible.

If using water is truly impossible, or specialists decide that opening the body bag or washing the body would expose the living to a real danger, those responsible for the funeral should refer to a trustworthy scholar along with the health authority. The jurists mentioned tayammum when washing is impossible, and even tayammum may fall away if touching the body safely is not possible. No one may endanger himself or violate a necessary health instruction under the claim of personally performing the washing. The Shariah came to preserve life and to do obligations according to ability. If both washing and tayammum are impossible, the deceased is shrouded, prayed over, and buried as he is, according to the stronger view, because what can be done of an obligation does not fall away because another part is impossible.

Who Washes the Deceased?

The basic rule is that men wash men and women wash women. The washer should be trustworthy and knowledgeable about the method of washing, and should use the smallest number of helpers needed. He must conceal whatever he sees of defects or private conditions of the deceased and not speak about them to people.

It is permissible for a husband to wash his wife and for a wife to wash her husband. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, washed Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, and Asma bint Umays, may Allah be pleased with her, washed her husband Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. This became known among the companions without objection.

As for the rulings of a young child who has not reached the age of desire, or when no one of the same gender is available, or when the person's condition is ambiguous, these have fiqhi details and should be referred to a trustworthy scholar and an experienced funeral-preparation service.

The Method of Washing the Deceased Step by Step

The basis of the method is established in the hadith of Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her. She said:

"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, entered upon us while we were washing his daughter. He said: Wash her three times, or five times, or more than that if you see fit, with water and sidr, and put camphor, or something of camphor, in the last wash. When you finish, inform me. When we finished, we informed him, and he gave us his waist-wrapper and said: Make it the garment next to her body."

She also said that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told them:

"Begin with her right side and the places of wudu."

Agreed upon.

Step One: Cover the Awrah and Remove Clothing

The deceased is placed gently on the washing table. His awrah from the navel to the knee is covered with an opaque covering, then his clothes are removed from beneath that covering without exposing his awrah. It is forbidden to intentionally look at his awrah or touch it without a barrier.

Step Two: Remove What Comes Out and Clean Impurity

The head and back of the deceased may be raised slightly if possible without harm, and the washer may gently pass his hand over the abdomen if there is a need to remove what remains of waste. This is a procedure mentioned by the jurists for cleaning the body, not a prophetic command required in every case. The abdomen should not be pressed if there is fear of tearing the body or increasing fluid release.

The washer wraps his hand with a glove or cloth, washes the area of the awrah, and cleans what came out without touching the awrah with his bare hand. Then he changes the glove or barrier and purifies whatever was affected.

Step Three: Clean the Mouth, Nose, and Face

The teeth, gums, and nostrils of the deceased are gently cleaned with a damp cloth or cotton. Water should not be poured into his mouth or nose, nor forced inside, because it may enter the body and then come out in a way that harms or soils the body.

Step Four: Perform Wudu for the Deceased

The deceased is given wudu like the wudu of prayer: his face is washed, then his arms to the elbows, his head and ears are wiped, then his feet are washed. As for the mouth and nose, cleaning them as mentioned earlier is sufficient without the usual rinsing of the mouth or sniffing water into the nose.

Wudu is Sunnah within the washing because of the Prophet's statement: "and the places of wudu." The obligation is to wash the entire body with water after removing impurity as much as possible.

Step Five: Wash the Head, Hair, and Beard

The head, hair, and beard are washed with water and sidr, or with a gentle cleanser that serves the same purpose. Hair may be loosened gently if needed to clean it, without pulling it out or damaging it.

If the deceased is a woman, her hair is gathered after washing into three braids and placed behind her. Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, said regarding washing the daughter of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

"We braided her hair into three braids and placed them behind her."

Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Step Six: Wash the Right Side, Then the Left Side

The right side of the deceased is washed from the front, then he is gently turned onto his side and the right side of his back is washed. Then the same is done with the left side. The deceased is not turned onto his face; rather, he is moved gently while supporting the head and limbs.

The washes are repeated three times. If the body is not clean, the number may be increased to five or seven according to need, and the number should be odd. A single wash that reaches the whole body is enough for the basic obligation if cleanliness is achieved, but the more complete practice is to follow what is reported regarding three washes and an odd number according to the body's condition.

Step Seven: Put Camphor in the Final Wash

Camphor, or some of it, is placed in the final wash if available and if no harm results. Camphor is a pleasant scent with a cooling smell and helps perfume the body. Perfume is not placed on someone who died while in ihram, as will be mentioned.

Step Eight: Dry the Body and Treat Any Later Discharge

The body is dried gently, and absorbent material may be placed where fluids come out if needed, without inserting anything harmful into the body. If impurity comes out after the washing is finished and before shrouding, only the affected area and whatever it touched are washed, and the entire washing is not repeated according to the stronger view of the majority of scholars.

Shaving the head, beard, pubic hair, or armpit hair is not part of washing the deceased, because no Sunnah is established for that. The basic rule is to leave it, preserving the body and awrah without need. As for clipping nails or trimming the moustache if they are long, the scholars differed: some recommended it, and others disliked it. Since no specific authentic hadith is established regarding that, the safer course is to leave it unless there is an obvious need. There should be no harsh criticism of someone who follows a recognized view in this matter of scholarly judgment, provided it is done gently and without mutilation or harm.

Cases with Special Rulings in Washing

Whoever Dies While in Ihram

Whoever dies while in ihram is washed with water and sidr and is not perfumed. If he is a man, he is shrouded in his two garments and his head is not covered, because the text below concerns a male in ihram. As for a woman in ihram, she is washed and shrouded like other women while perfume is avoided, and her head, body, and face are covered with the shroud at burial. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrated:

"While a man was standing with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, at Arafah, he fell from his riding animal and it broke his neck, or he said: it killed him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Wash him with water and sidr, shroud him in two garments, do not perfume him, and do not cover his head, for he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection reciting the talbiyah."

Agreed upon.

The Martyr of Battle

The one killed in battle has a special ruling: he is buried in his clothes and is not washed. Jabir ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrated:

"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would gather two men from the martyrs of Uhud in one garment, then say: Which of them knew more Quran? When one of them was pointed out to him, he would place him first in the lahd and say: I am a witness over these people on the Day of Resurrection. He ordered that they be buried in their blood, and they were not washed and no funeral prayer was offered over them."

Narrated by al-Bukhari.

As for someone who dies from plague, drowning, burning, illness, or similar causes and for whom the reward of martyrdom is hoped, he is washed, shrouded, and prayed over like others. The description of martyrdom in reward does not always mean the worldly rulings of the battlefield martyr.

One Who Dies in Janabah, Menstruation, or Nifas

The regular washing of the deceased is sufficient, and two washings are not needed, because the washing of death covers the whole body and fulfills the purpose.

A Burned, Decomposed, or Dismembered Body

Whatever can be washed without causing damage is washed. If washing is impossible or the body may be harmed, the statement of the scholars regarding tayammum or whatever preparation is possible is followed. These cases should not be handled by non-specialists. Rather, a trustworthy scholar's fatwa should be combined with the assessment of medical professionals and Muslim funeral-preparation specialists.

Shrouding the Deceased Step by Step

The shroud is a right of the deceased and is taken from his wealth before the estate is divided, within what is reasonable and without extravagance. If he has no wealth, then it is upon whoever was obligated to spend on him during his life according to the scholars. If that is not possible, then it is from the Muslim treasury or from someone who volunteers to provide it.

What Is the Required Amount of Shroud?

The required amount is a pure cloth that covers the entire body of the deceased. It is recommended that it be white, clean, and covering, without exaggeration in its price or boasting in its type.

The Sunnah for a man's shroud is three white wraps. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:

"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was shrouded in three white Sahuli garments, with no shirt and no turban."

Agreed upon.

As for a woman, the purpose is increased covering. Many jurists recommended that she be shrouded in five cloths: a lower garment, a shirt, a head-covering, and two wraps. But no authentic raised hadith establishes a required number for a woman. If she is shrouded in wraps that cover her entire body, it is valid, and the five pieces should not be made a condition for the validity of the shrouding.

How the Shroud Is Placed

The wraps are spread one over another in a clean place, and some permissible perfume may be placed on them if available, except for the shroud of someone in ihram.

The deceased is moved to the shroud gently while his awrah remains covered, and he is placed lying on his back.

The places of prostration and the body may be perfumed in a suitable amount if available, without extravagance. The person in ihram is not perfumed.

The wraps are folded over the body until they cover it completely, and they are secured so they do not open during carrying and burial.

The wraps may be tied with strips when needed, without tightening in a way that harms the body. This is a practical method to preserve the shroud; the strips do not have a specific devotional number.

Mushafs, papers containing Quran, jewelry, money, or belongings should not be placed with the deceased as an act of worship, and nothing should be written on the shroud seeking blessing.

Praying over the Deceased Before Burial

After washing and shrouding, the Janazah prayer is offered over the deceased, and it is a communal obligation. See the detailed guide: How to Pray Janazah.

Then he should be buried without delay that is not required by need. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"Hasten with the funeral. If it was righteous, then it is good that you are sending it forward to; and if it was otherwise, then it is an evil you are removing from your necks."

Agreed upon.

Preparing the Grave

A Muslim is buried in the Muslim cemetery. The grave is dug deep enough to protect the body, prevent odor from emerging, and protect it from animals, while taking into account the nature of the soil and local regulations.

The lahd is a side niche dug in the grave on the qiblah side where the deceased is placed, and it is better if the ground is firm. The shaqq is a trench in the middle of the grave whose sides are built up and in which the deceased is placed; it is permissible and is used when the ground is not suitable for a lahd.

The basic rule is that the deceased is buried in the earth without a coffin. If the law requires a coffin, or it is needed because the ground is soft, for public safety, or to preserve the body, it is permissible according to need.

Burying the Deceased Step by Step

Step One: Lower the Deceased into the Grave Gently

Trustworthy, capable men lower the deceased into the grave, even if the funeral is for a woman, while preserving her covering during the lowering. It is not a condition that those lowering her be her mahrams, but the husband, mahrams, or those who are more knowledgeable and gentle are given preference if available.

The one placing him in the grave says:

"Bismillah, wa 'ala sunnati Rasulillah."

"In the name of Allah, and upon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah."

In another narration: "and upon the religion of the Messenger of Allah."

Narrated by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah; authenticated by a group of hadith scholars.

Step Two: Place Him on His Right Side Facing the Qiblah

The deceased is placed in his grave on his right side, with his face and chest toward the qiblah, and he is supported in a way that preserves his position without disrespect. His face is not uncovered at burial, and placing soil or a stone under his cheek should not be treated as a required act of worship.

If the shroud was tied with strips out of fear that it would open during carrying, it is recommended to untie the knots after the deceased has settled in the grave, without exposing his awrah or disturbing his shroud, because the need for tying has ended. This was known from the early Muslims. There is no specific devotional number for these knots.

Step Three: Close the Lahd or Shaqq

The lahd is closed with bricks, stones, or suitable boards so that soil does not fall directly onto the body. If the grave is a shaqq, the area above the deceased is roofed with something that fulfills the purpose. Cemetery regulations and worker safety should be observed.

Step Four: Pour the Soil and Level the Grave

Soil is poured until the grave is filled, and it is raised slightly above the ground so it is recognized and protected from being stepped on, without construction, decoration, or plastering.

Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade plastering the grave, sitting on it, and building over it."

Narrated by Muslim.

It is permissible to place a simple stone at the head of the grave so it can be recognized when needed. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, placed a stone by the grave of Uthman ibn Maz'un, may Allah be pleased with him, and said:

"I will mark with it the grave of my brother, and bury near him whoever dies from my family."

Narrated by Abu Dawud; graded hasan by a group of hadith scholars.

Step Five: Supplicate for the Deceased After Burial

Those present stand for a short time after finishing and each person seeks forgiveness for the deceased and asks Allah to make him firm. Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:

"When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, finished burying the deceased, he would stand over him and say: Seek forgiveness for your brother and ask that he be made firm, for he is now being questioned."

Narrated by Abu Dawud; authenticated by the scholars.

Each Muslim supplicates with whatever is easy, such as: "O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, make him firm when questioned." A collective supplication in one voice is not required, nor is a long fixed wording required.

Times When Intentionally Beginning Burial Is Prohibited

Uqbah ibn Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

"There are three times at which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade us to pray or bury our dead: when the sun begins to rise until it has risen, when it stands at midday until it declines, and when it inclines toward setting until it sets."

Narrated by Muslim.

These are short times: at the beginning of sunrise, when the sun is at its zenith shortly before Dhuhr, and when it begins to set. Burial should not be deliberately started during these times without need. If there is necessity or fear for the body, then the matter should be referred to the scholars and responsible authority according to need.

Burial at night is permissible if the rights of the deceased are fulfilled and he can be washed, prayed over, and buried properly. Some companions were buried at night. But nighttime should not be used to hide negligence in his rights or reduce the number of people praying over him without need.

Matters Not Prescribed During Washing, Shrouding, and Burial

1. Photographing the deceased or spreading images of his washing and preparation.
2. Exposing his awrah or allowing people with no need to be present in the washing area.
3. Intentionally breaking a bone, damaging an organ, or handling the body harshly. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Breaking the bone of the deceased is like breaking it while he is alive." Narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah; authenticated by the scholars.
4. Delaying burial without need for ceremonies or to wait for distant people.
5. Writing verses on the shroud, or placing a mushaf, amulets, money, or belongings with the deceased.
6. Specifying the adhan or iqamah at burial; this is not established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or his companions.
7. Prompting the deceased after burial with a regular formula that people adhere to; no authentic raised hadith is established regarding that.
8. Specifying the grave for recitation of al-Fatihah, Surah Ya-Sin, or anything else as a required Sunnah at burial; this is not established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
9. Raising the grave excessively, plastering it, building over it, or decorating it.
10. Placing flowers or lighting candles on the grave as an act of worship; this is not from the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or his companions.