The Manner of Washing the Deceased and the Permissibility of Kissing Him
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Noble Shaykh, what are the details of washing the deceased? Sometimes, when a person dies, his family gathers and kisses him. Is this permissible?
As for kissing the deceased after his death, there is nothing wrong with it, because Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death, while he was covered. He uncovered his face and kissed him.
As for the method of washing the deceased, when a person dies, he is placed on the washing bed. Then one begins by washing his private parts and whatever is in them, without looking at them. The washer inserts his hand from under the covering and washes his front and back private parts. He does not touch them with his hand directly, but places a cloth on his hand. When he is finished with that, he takes a wet cloth to clean the deceased’s nose and mouth in place of rinsing the mouth and snorting water. Then he washes his face, then his hands to the elbows, then his head, then his feet, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the women who were washing his daughter: (Begin with her right side and the places of wudu from her) .
At that time, water containing sidr (lotus) should have been prepared. One beats the sidr with his hands and rubs it until it produces foam, then takes this foam and washes the head of the deceased with it. After that, he washes the rest of the body with the sidr. Depending on the cleanliness of the body, if the body is clean, one, two, or three washings are sufficient. If it is not clean and requires additional washing, then it is washed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the women who were washing his daughter: (Wash her three times, or five times, or seven times, or more than that if you see fit) . Then he is dried with a cloth, and his shroud is folded over him.
The questioner: Does every person who washes the deceased have to be in a state of wudu?The Shaykh: No, it is not a condition.Meaning: It is not required that the washer be in a state of ritual purity.But the scholars said: A person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) should not be around the deceased, because the angels do not enter a house in which there is a person in a state of major ritual impurity.
As for kissing the deceased after his death, there is nothing wrong with it, because Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death, while he was covered. He uncovered his face and kissed him.
As for the method of washing the deceased, when a person dies, he is placed on the washing bed. Then one begins by washing his private parts and whatever is in them, without looking at them. The washer inserts his hand from under the covering and washes his front and back private parts. He does not touch them with his hand directly, but places a cloth on his hand. When he is finished with that, he takes a wet cloth to clean the deceased’s nose and mouth in place of rinsing the mouth and snorting water. Then he washes his face, then his hands to the elbows, then his head, then his feet, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the women who were washing his daughter: (Begin with her right side and the places of wudu from her) .
At that time, water containing sidr (lotus) should have been prepared. One beats the sidr with his hands and rubs it until it produces foam, then takes this foam and washes the head of the deceased with it. After that, he washes the rest of the body with the sidr. Depending on the cleanliness of the body, if the body is clean, one, two, or three washings are sufficient. If it is not clean and requires additional washing, then it is washed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the women who were washing his daughter: (Wash her three times, or five times, or seven times, or more than that if you see fit) . Then he is dried with a cloth, and his shroud is folded over him.
The questioner: Does every person who washes the deceased have to be in a state of wudu?The Shaykh: No, it is not a condition.Meaning: It is not required that the washer be in a state of ritual purity.But the scholars said: A person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) should not be around the deceased, because the angels do not enter a house in which there is a person in a state of major ritual impurity.