Chapter on withholding what is disliked in the deceased. From Abu Rafi', Aslam, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
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The reader: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
He said, may Allah have mercy on him: "Chapter on withholding what is disliked in the deceased. From Abu Rafi', Aslam, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 928 Al-Hakim narrated it and said: It is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim".
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Al-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book *Riyad al-Salihin*: "Chapter on one who covers up what he saw of the deceased that was disliked". Then he mentioned the hadith of the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) regarding the virtue of the washer if he covers up what he sees of the deceased that is disliked. What is seen of the deceased that is disliked is of two types: the first type relates to his state, and the second type relates to his body. As for the first: if one sees, for example, that the deceased's face has changed, turned black, and become ugly, then this, may Allah protect us from it, is a sign of a bad ending. We ask Allah for safety. It is not permissible for him to tell people, "I saw this man in this state," because this reveals his defects. The man has presented himself to his Lord, and He will reward him with what he deserves, whether by justice or by grace. If he did good, then Allah the Exalted will reward him with ten times the good deed. If it was otherwise, then the reward for a bad deed is a bad deed of equal measure. As for the second: what relates to his body, such as seeing a defect in his body, whether leprosy, a congenital blackness, or something else that a person dislikes others seeing. This is also not permissible for him to explain to people, saying, "I saw leprosy on his belly, his back, his arm, or the like." For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: It is obligatory for the washer to cover up what he saw if it was not good. However, if he saw good in the deceased, such as brightness in his face, or saw him smiling, or the like, then this is good and very good, and he should inform people of it, because this is what makes people speak well of him, and there is no harm in it. This is not considered showing off in worship or the like. Rather, this is from the immediate glad tidings of the believer, because the believer may have signs of gladness, and among them is this matter: that he is seen after his death in a good state or condition, and that he sees a good dream for himself or others see it for him. All of these are signs of gladness that bring good news. For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: It is disliked for one who is not assigned to wash the deceased to be present for the washing. That is, when we wash the deceased, no one enters to him except the washer or one who assists him in the washing. As for others, they do not enter, even if they are a relative of his, because they might see what is disliked, and that would be a harm to the deceased. And Allah grants success.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
He said, may Allah have mercy on him: "Chapter on withholding what is disliked in the deceased. From Abu Rafi', Aslam, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who washes a dead body and conceals what he notices of physical defects, he will be forgiven forty times.
من غسل ميتًا فكتم عليه غفر الله له أربعين مرةThe Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Al-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book *Riyad al-Salihin*: "Chapter on one who covers up what he saw of the deceased that was disliked". Then he mentioned the hadith of the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) regarding the virtue of the washer if he covers up what he sees of the deceased that is disliked. What is seen of the deceased that is disliked is of two types: the first type relates to his state, and the second type relates to his body. As for the first: if one sees, for example, that the deceased's face has changed, turned black, and become ugly, then this, may Allah protect us from it, is a sign of a bad ending. We ask Allah for safety. It is not permissible for him to tell people, "I saw this man in this state," because this reveals his defects. The man has presented himself to his Lord, and He will reward him with what he deserves, whether by justice or by grace. If he did good, then Allah the Exalted will reward him with ten times the good deed. If it was otherwise, then the reward for a bad deed is a bad deed of equal measure. As for the second: what relates to his body, such as seeing a defect in his body, whether leprosy, a congenital blackness, or something else that a person dislikes others seeing. This is also not permissible for him to explain to people, saying, "I saw leprosy on his belly, his back, his arm, or the like." For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: It is obligatory for the washer to cover up what he saw if it was not good. However, if he saw good in the deceased, such as brightness in his face, or saw him smiling, or the like, then this is good and very good, and he should inform people of it, because this is what makes people speak well of him, and there is no harm in it. This is not considered showing off in worship or the like. Rather, this is from the immediate glad tidings of the believer, because the believer may have signs of gladness, and among them is this matter: that he is seen after his death in a good state or condition, and that he sees a good dream for himself or others see it for him. All of these are signs of gladness that bring good news. For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: It is disliked for one who is not assigned to wash the deceased to be present for the washing. That is, when we wash the deceased, no one enters to him except the washer or one who assists him in the washing. As for others, they do not enter, even if they are a relative of his, because they might see what is disliked, and that would be a harm to the deceased. And Allah grants success.