Fiqh-Us-Sunnah Notes, Janaa’iz (Funerals), Ch. 6: Washing The Dead

Fiqh-Us-Sunnah, Volume 4, Janaa’iz (Funerals)

CHAPTER 6: Washing The Dead

{{NOTE: Please note that all my notes from my study circle/class are between these double-curly brackets in italic. }}

CHAPTER 6a: Washing The Dead

The majority of jurists are of the opinion that washing the body of a dead Muslim is a fard kifayah or a collective obligation. If some people attend to it, it is done on behalf of all, as commanded by Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, and practiced by the Muslim community.

CHAPTER 6b: Who Is To Be Washed And Who Is Not

The body of a deceased Muslim, other than one killed {{NOTE: Instantly}} in a battlefield by the infidels {{NOTE: or by the kuffaar or wrongdoers}}, should be washed.

CHAPTER 6c: Washing Severed Parts Of A Body

There is a difference of opinion among Muslim jurists concerning washing parts severed from a body. According to (a) Ash-Shafi’i, (b) Ahmad and (c) Ibn Hazm these parts must be washed and shrouded, and funeral prayer should be offered for the departed soul.

{{NOTE: Now to look at what each of these three said:}}

(a) Ash-Shafi’i said: “We were informed that a bird dropped a (human) hand in Makkah after the Battle of the Camel. The people identified it by a ring on one of its fingers (It was the hand of Abdul al-Rahman ibn ‘Itab ibn Usayd (probably killed in the battle)). It was washed and a (funeral) prayer was offered on it. This was witnessed by many Companions alive at the time.

(b) Ahmad said: Abu Ayub offered funeral prayer on a (severed) foot of a dead person, while ‘Umar offered prayer on a dead man’s bones.

(c) Ibn Hazm said: “A funeral prayer may be offered on any organ found from a dead Muslim’s body. It should be washed and shrouded, except when it is part of a martyr’ s body.” Ibn Hazm further remarks that offering prayer on any organ found from a Muslim’s body is analogous {{NOTE: i.e., similar}} to praying for the whole person of the deceased, namely, for body and soul.

Abu Hanifah and Malik say, however, that, “If more than half of a Muslim ‘s body is found, then it should be washed and funeral prayer be offered on it, but otherwise it should not be washed nor should any funeral prayer be offered on it. {{NOTE: No textual proof. Second paragraph, hand of sahaabah found then it was washed and a funeral prayer was offered over it (a hand!), so this cancels out this opinion.}}

{{NOTE: Side note: You can only open up a grave if a person was not washed or shrouded (like the prophet (saw) done to a hypocrite) or to put a body part in (as long as it doesn’t ruin the bones) or even if you drop a valuable item in it and need to take it out.}}

CHAPTER 6d: A Martyr Does Not Need To Be Washed

The body of a martyr, that is, a Muslim killed in a battle at the hands of disbelievers, may not be washed even though it is in a state of major ritual impurity. His body should be enshrouded in the clothes he wore when he died if they are good enough for the purpose. Otherwise some additional cloth may be used to enshroud his body according to the sunnah. {{NOTE: Though it is recommended to shroud him (on top of his clothes), but not a must. To shroud and do a janaazah prayer over a martyr is optional but you never wash him.}} The body of such a person should be buried in its blood-stained state. None of his blood should be washed off.

{{NOTE: Settled life = Normal life, i.e., going home, eating etc. So even if you stay alive in hospital for a year before dying (due to those specific injuries you received on the battlefield), you are a martyr}}

Ahmad reported: “The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Do not wash those who die as martyrs, for their every wound or drop of blood will exude a fragrance like musk on the Day of Judgement.” {{NOTE: A 3/299}} The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud to be buried in their bloodstained clothes. They were not washed, nor any funeral prayer offered for them. {{NOTE: B 1254. The discussion of funeral prayers over a martyr will insha-Allaah be discussed in chapter 9}}

Ash-Shafi’i said: “Burying the martyrs without washing or offering funeral prayer on them may be explained by the fact that they shall meet Allah with their wounds exuding fragrance like musk. The honor bestowed on them by Allah frees them from the need for funeral prayers by others. Moreover it makes things easier for the surviving Muslims, who may have received injuries in battle and fear the enemy’s attack, and may be concerned about the security of their families and their families’ worries about them.

Abdullah ibn Ja’far reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “Prepare some food for the family of Ja’far, for what has befallen them is keeping them preoccupied.” This is narrated by Abu Daw’ud, Ibn Majah and Tirmizhi, who grades it as a sound hadith.

It is said that the wisdom behind not offering a funeral prayer on a martyr is that it is offered for a dead person, whereas a martyr is not dead but alive. Another reason may be that since prayer is a kind of intercession, the martyrs do not need it. In fact they will intercede for others.

{{NOTE: Hamza had 70 (or 73) funeral prayers offered over him. This will be discussed in chapter 9 insha-Allaah}}

CHAPTER 6e: The Martyrs Whose Bodies Must Be Washed And For Whom Funeral Prayer Must Be Performed

Those who are not killed in a battle by disbelievers, though they may be regarded as martyrs in Islamic law, should be washed and funeral prayer said for them.

The bodies of such martyrs, during the Prophet’s time, were washed. Later on Muslims, during the days of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali, continued this practice (washing the bodies of such martyrs). We give below details about these martyrs.

Jabir ibn ‘Utaik reported that Allah’s Messenger said: “There are seven kinds of martyrs besides those killed in the cause of Allah:

1) a person who is killed in an epidemic, {{NOTE: Majour disease or sufferings spreading on masses (even hunger)}}

2) a person who is drowned,

3) a person who has bed sores that cause fever and a bad cough resulting in his death,

4) a person who dies of a stomach disease,

5) a person who dies in a fire,

6) a person who dies under falling debris (in a disaster), and

7) a woman who dies during childbirth.” Ahmad, Abu Daw’ud {{NOTE: AD 3111}} and Nasa’i report this hadith based on sound authority.

Abu Hurairah reported that Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, asked: “Who do you consider to be a martyr?” They said: “O Allah’s Prophet, he who is killed fighting for the cause of Allah.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “(If this is so) then very few in my community will be martyrs! ” They asked: “Who else are they, O Allah’s Messenger?” He said: “(1) He who is killed fighting for Allah’s cause is a martyr, (2) he who dies in the cause{{NOTE: sake}} of Allah is a martyr(*), (3) he who dies in an epidemic is a martyr, (4) he who dies from a stomach disease is a martyr, and (5) the one who dies of drowning is (also) a martyr.” This hadith is narrated by Muslim. {{NOTE: M 1915}}

{{NOTE: (*) with regards to number 2, this is for example; when someone wanted to help a man but died on the way there to go and help him. So he died in the cause/sake of Allaah, because it was for the sake of Allaah he went. So there is a clear differentiation between number 1 and number 2.}}

Sa’id ibn Zaid reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “He who is (1) killed while guarding his property is a martyr, he who is (2) killed while defending himself is a martyr, and he who is (3) killed defending his religion is a martyr, and he who (3) dies protecting his family is (also) a martyr.” This hadith is narrated by Ahmad and Tirmizhi. The latter considers it a sound hadith. {{NOTE: It is also in Abu Dawud; AD 4772}}

CHAPTER 6f: A Disbeliever Is Not To Be Washed

It is not necessary for a Muslim to wash a disbeliever’s body. Some scholars, however, consider it permissible. According to the Maliki and Hanbali schools, a Muslim may not wash a disbeliever’ s body even if he is one of his near of kin. Similarly a Muslim is not permitted to shroud him or bury him unless it is feared that the body would decompose because of weather conditions, or that it would attract predatory beasts, etc. In such a case, he may be buried in a hole and covered with dust. This opinion is based on a tradition transmitted by Ahmad, Abu Daw’ud, Nasa’i and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of Ali who said: “I said to Allah’s Messenger ‘Your uncle, the old misguided man {{NOTE: Allaahu Akbar. Here, ‘Ali is talking about his own father!}}, has passed away. ‘ The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘Go and bury your father and do not do anything else until you return to me’.” ‘ Ali said: “I did as he had told me and went back to him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered me to take a bath, and then he prayed for me.” {{NOTE: AD 3214}}

Ibn al-Munzhir says there is nothing specific reported from the Prophet, peace be upon him, about the procedure of washing the dead body.

{{NOTE: Next chapter; Washing A Dead Body (How It’s Done)}}