Women holding a lecture on the deceased and what is related to it, such as washing the body: should one of us represent the deceased, or should we bring a doll?
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The questioner : A questioner says: "May the Shaykh be respected, I am writing this letter confident in Allah that you will answer this question, as we are a group of women who wish to hold a lecture on the dying person after his death: how the work with him is done, and how his washing and shrouding are performed. One of the sisters would play the role of the deceased. We have heard that you forbade this and indicated that the deceased, or what is practiced upon, should be a toy or other children's toys, and that this lecture should not be explained by an ordinary living person. We ask you to grant us this."
The Shaykh : I do not know what to grant.
The questioner : I mean...
The Shaykh : I mean, do we allow them to conduct experiments on a living person? No, I do not allow it.
The questioner : Let this topic be expanded, yes, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I say that it is important for women to learn how to wash women, just as it is for men to learn how to wash men. But this is achieved through theoretical instruction, meaning that a text is brought in explaining how the deceased is washed and shrouded. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding the man whose camel gored him at 'Arafah and who died at 'Arafah:Sahih Muslim 1206b,c. And he said to the women who were washing his daughter: . That is, wrap his (peace and blessings be upon him) garment around his daughter's body, so that it is in direct contact with the body, seeking blessing through his garment (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him). So he taught them without practical application.
And I believe that if we kill the mind so that we do not conceive anything except what is before us through application, this is harm to our minds. Let the mind work; do not conceive the matter in a tangible form so that we take upon ourselves not to understand except the tangible thing. This is not good.
Then this woman who represents herself as dead will undress, because the deceased undresses, and water is brought and rubbed, and it is said, "Turn over, may Allah have mercy on you," and so on. Then the shroud is prepared, and it is feared that she might die after the practical application is done, and then she actually dies. As is narrated about a man from the highway robbers: a person approached on his camel, so he said to his companion, the highway robber, "This man is approaching with a camel. You be the dead one, and we will say to the man on the camel, 'Dismount from the camel, or tether the camel, may Allah reward you with good, help me with this dead man.' He said, 'Okay.' He said, 'When he approaches to lift you, grab him.' Yes, and I mean, hit him. One grabs him and one hits him. The traveler came and said to him, 'May Allah reward you with good, tether the camel. We have a dead man, help me with him.' He said, 'Okay.' He tethered it, then came to this man lying down as if he were dead. When he approached to lift him, his companion kicked him with his foot: 'O so-and-so, O so-and-so,' wanting him to move. But he was dead. Glory be to Allah, "Whoever digs a pit for his brother falls into it", so he became dead.
But in any case, this man intended evil, so Allah caused him to fall into evil. As for the one who wants to make herself dead in order to be washed, she did not intend evil. But we say, instead of this, if it is absolutely necessary, something is brought before the women, such as plastic or something else, but not a full image, and then the washing and shrouding are applied practically. Yes.
The Shaykh : I do not know what to grant.
The questioner : I mean...
The Shaykh : I mean, do we allow them to conduct experiments on a living person? No, I do not allow it.
The questioner : Let this topic be expanded, yes, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I say that it is important for women to learn how to wash women, just as it is for men to learn how to wash men. But this is achieved through theoretical instruction, meaning that a text is brought in explaining how the deceased is washed and shrouded. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding the man whose camel gored him at 'Arafah and who died at 'Arafah:
Bathe him with water mixed with the leaves of the lote tree and shroud him in two (pieces of) cloth
اغسلوه بماء وسدر وكفنوه في ثوبينWash her three times, or five, or seven, or more than that if you see fit, and put in the last washing some camphor. And he ordered them to make her head into three locks. And he said, "When you are finished, let me know." When they finished washing her, they said, "O Messenger of Allah, we have washed her." So he gave them his waistcloth—meaning his garment—and said, "Let her know of it."
اغسلنها ثلاثا أو خمسا أو سبعا أو أكثر من ذلك إن رأيتن ذلك واجعلن في الغسلة الأخيرة كافورا، وأمرهن أن يجعلن رأسها ثلاث قرون، وقال إذا فرغتُن فآذنني، فلما فرغن من تغسيلها قالوا يا رسول الله غسلناها، فأعطهن حقوه، - يعني إزاره - وقال : أشعرنها إياهAnd I believe that if we kill the mind so that we do not conceive anything except what is before us through application, this is harm to our minds. Let the mind work; do not conceive the matter in a tangible form so that we take upon ourselves not to understand except the tangible thing. This is not good.
Then this woman who represents herself as dead will undress, because the deceased undresses, and water is brought and rubbed, and it is said, "Turn over, may Allah have mercy on you," and so on. Then the shroud is prepared, and it is feared that she might die after the practical application is done, and then she actually dies. As is narrated about a man from the highway robbers: a person approached on his camel, so he said to his companion, the highway robber, "This man is approaching with a camel. You be the dead one, and we will say to the man on the camel, 'Dismount from the camel, or tether the camel, may Allah reward you with good, help me with this dead man.' He said, 'Okay.' He said, 'When he approaches to lift you, grab him.' Yes, and I mean, hit him. One grabs him and one hits him. The traveler came and said to him, 'May Allah reward you with good, tether the camel. We have a dead man, help me with him.' He said, 'Okay.' He tethered it, then came to this man lying down as if he were dead. When he approached to lift him, his companion kicked him with his foot: 'O so-and-so, O so-and-so,' wanting him to move. But he was dead. Glory be to Allah, "Whoever digs a pit for his brother falls into it", so he became dead.
But in any case, this man intended evil, so Allah caused him to fall into evil. As for the one who wants to make herself dead in order to be washed, she did not intend evil. But we say, instead of this, if it is absolutely necessary, something is brought before the women, such as plastic or something else, but not a full image, and then the washing and shrouding are applied practically. Yes.