Encouraging Women to Participate in Washing the Dead

Q: There are a large number of mortuaries in Riyadh for men and women. Since it is rare to find women who perform the washing of female deceased, especially those who have knowledge and do so for the sake of reward, and given the importance of the matter, we hope you will clarify this practice and encourage the sisters to participate. Those who wish to do so should send their name and phone number to you, or to the imam of the mosque that has a mortuary, or to someone else.

A: We agree with the brother's suggestion, and there is no doubt that caring for the washing of the deceased is required for women just as it is for men. A woman is washed by a woman, and a man is washed by a man, except that there is no harm in a husband washing his wife; likewise, there is no harm in a wife washing her husband. This is because it is established that al-Ṣiddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was washed by his wife, Asma bint Umayyas (may Allah be pleased with her), and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) washed his wife, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her). Similarly, a master may wash his female slave who is lawful for him, and she may wash him, just as a husband and wife do. As for everything else, women wash women, and men wash men.
So I hope that whoever finds herself capable will do so for the sake of reward, take on this task, and inform the officials in the municipality and others; so that they know about it and can request it when needed. She should give them her phone number, pay attention to this matter, and review the words of the scholars regarding how to wash the deceased; so that she is well-informed about it and knows how to wash the female deceased. If she has studied this from the words of the scholars, she must apply it and seek reward from Allah. If she is paid a wage, there is no harm in accepting it.