He Bequeathed That He Be Washed a Number of Times Equal to His Wives: What Is the Ruling on Carrying Out This Bequest?
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Question:
The first message in this episode is from a listener named Awda Muray al-Huwayti. Our brother asks and says: Some people leave a bequest to their heirs when they are ill, or when death is near. Among these bequests, they instruct them to wash him, meaning: wash him a number of times equal to his wives. For example: if he has one wife, wash him once; if he has three wives, wash him three times, and so on according to the number of his wives. We ask for advice for these people. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence. As for what follows:
This bequest is a bequest with no basis; it is invalid. His instruction to be washed a number of times equal to his wives is false speech and one of the superstitions. The Sunnah is to wash the deceased three times, and if the need calls for five or seven, or an odd number, that is all good. The obligatory is once; it is obligatory to wash him once, ensuring that the water covers his entire body. This is the obligation. If it is repeated three times, that is better, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said when his daughter Zaynab was washed:Sahih al-Bukhari 1263 ....
The Sunnah is to wash the deceased three times; this is the best. If the need calls for more, there is no harm, provided it is an odd number. The obligatory is once. As for what concerns the wives, this is something with no basis. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
The first message in this episode is from a listener named Awda Muray al-Huwayti. Our brother asks and says: Some people leave a bequest to their heirs when they are ill, or when death is near. Among these bequests, they instruct them to wash him, meaning: wash him a number of times equal to his wives. For example: if he has one wife, wash him once; if he has three wives, wash him three times, and so on according to the number of his wives. We ask for advice for these people. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence. As for what follows:
This bequest is a bequest with no basis; it is invalid. His instruction to be washed a number of times equal to his wives is false speech and one of the superstitions. The Sunnah is to wash the deceased three times, and if the need calls for five or seven, or an odd number, that is all good. The obligatory is once; it is obligatory to wash him once, ensuring that the water covers his entire body. This is the obligation. If it is repeated three times, that is better, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said when his daughter Zaynab was washed:
for odd number of times, i.e. three, five or more, if you think it necessary, and in the last, put camphor
اغسلنها بثلاث، أو خمس، أو أكثر من ذلك إن رأيتن ذلك، واجعلن في الآخرة كافورًاThe Sunnah is to wash the deceased three times; this is the best. If the need calls for more, there is no harm, provided it is an odd number. The obligatory is once. As for what concerns the wives, this is something with no basis. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.