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.}}

Fiqh-Us-Sunnah Notes, Janaa’iz (Funerals), Ch. 5: Mourning For A Deceased

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

CHAPTER 5: Mourning For A Deceased

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

It is permissible for a woman to mourn for a period of three days on the death of a near relative, provided that her husband does not object to her doing so. It is not permissible for her to mourn for more than three days, except in the case of her husband’s death, when she is to mourn for four months and ten days, which is a legally prescribed period of waiting or “iddah”. This is reported by the group, (The compilers of the six most reliable hadith books generally known as Sihah Sitta) except Tirmizhi. They report from Umm ‘Atiyyah, that the Messenger of Allah said: “A woman should not mourn for any deceased person for more than three days, except in the case of her husband’s death, which she may mourn for a period of four months and ten days. Such a woman (in mourning) is not to wear any (brightly) colored dress {{NOTE: Which is forbidden anyway}}. She may wear only plain dress. During this period she should not use any adornment or eye makeup, nor wear any perfume, nor dye her hands and feet with henna, nor comb her hair, except at the end of her menstruation period, when she may use some cleaning or refreshing agents (such as perfume, etc. ) to get rid of any offensive smell left over from her period.” Accordingly, when a widow mourns, she must not use any adornment, such as jewelry, kohl, 58 silk, perfume, or henna dye on her hands and feet. A widow must observe this waiting period in deference to her late husband’s memory and to fulfill her obligations toward him.

CHAPTER 5a: Preparing Food for the Bereaved Family is Encouraged {{NOTE: Vice-versa is a biddah}}

Abdullah ibn Ja’far {{NOTE: Ja’far died as a shaheed, r.a, and was the prophet (saw)’s cousin. He was identical to him (saw) in the facial features.}} 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 {{NOTE: AD 3132}}, Ibn Majah and Tirmizhi, who grades it as a sound hadith.

{{NOTE: This should only be done purely for the sake/pleasure of Allaah. It shouldn’t be done for show or to repay a favour (no reward if done like this)}}

The Prophet, peace be upon him, recommended this practice for it is an act of virtue and kindness and brings friends and neighbors closer to each other.

Ash-Shafi’i said: “It is recommended that the relatives of the deceased prepare enough food to feed all the deceased’s family for one day and night, for it is the sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and a practice of good people.” {{NOTE: It aint a MUST to do this for 1 day and 1 night. It really depends on how busy they are- how struck they are with this calamity. Give food for more than a day and night depending on the situation.}}

The scholars hold it commendable to urge the deceased’s family to eat so that their sorrow or excessive grief will not cause them to avoid food and thereby become weak. These scholars also hold that to offer food to the women while they are mourning loudly is not permissible, for it would be helping them in something sinful. {{NOTE: Helping evil is just like doing evil.}}

All the schools of Islamic law disapprove of the deceased’s family preparing food for the people coming to pay their condolences, for it adds to their grief and further encumbers them unnecessarily. Such a practice would also resemble the custom of the Arabs before Islam. Referring to this practice, Jarir says: “(In those days) we considered it a part of mourning to assemble at the deceased’s house and prepare food after burial for those gathered there.” Some scholars consider this to be absolutely forbidden (haram). {{NOTE: Ahmad 2/204 }}

Ibn Qudamah observes: ‘It is permissible, however, when there is genuine need for it, since sometimes people attending the funeral may be from distant places, and they have to stay with the family of the deceased, in which case the family has to host such guests.

CHAPTER 5b: Preparing the Kafan (Shroud) and Grave Before Death

{{NOTE: Make as clean (and nice) as possible – As stated in a hadith. Though not expensive, because extravagance is haraam!}}

Fiqh-Us-Sunnah Notes, Janaa’iz (Funerals), Ch. 4: What Should Be Done When Someone Dies

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

CHAPTER 4: What Should be Done When Someone Dies

{{All Notes are between these double curled brackets.}}

It is sunnah to do the following when a person dies:

{{Note: Sub-Chapter: What to do when someone is on his/her deathbed:}}

1 Advise the dying person to say: “La ilaha illa-Allah” (there is no god but Allah). It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Prompt your dying people to say: ‘La ilaha illa-Allah’.” (Muslim, Abu Daw’ud, Tirmizhi) Another report on the authority of Mu’azh ibn Jabal states that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “He whose last words are ‘La ilaha illa- Allah’ shall enter Paradise.” (Narrated by Abu Daw’ud; Al-Hakim considers it a sound hadith)

This prompting (talqin) is necessary only when the dying person is unable to utter the shahadah (La ilaha illa- Allah . . . ). If such a person is able to utter these words then there is no need for prompting, but he should rather be advised to do so. Such advice is useful in cases of persons who are in possession of their faculties of reason and speech. If one is already mentally impaired such advice cannot be of benefit. But one who is unable to speak might say these words in his heart. The scholars are of the opinion that no pressure should be put on the dying person. So one should not say to him, “Say, ‘La ilaha ill-Allah’,” lest he should become annoyed and utter something improper. One may say the shahadah, however, in such a way that the dying person might be able to hear it and repeat it. If he utters it once, he should not be asked to repeat it unless he says some words after it. In such a case he should be asked to repeat shahadah to ensure that it be his last utterance.

Most scholars are of the opinion that one attending a dying person may repeat only the words: “La ilaha ill-Allah,” according to the apparent meaning of the hadith. Others are of the opinion that the dying person should be prompted to utter the two testimonies (that is, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger”). The purpose is to remind him of the Oneness of Allah, which includes both of the two testimonies.

2 Lay the dying person so that the qibla is on his right side. To this effect it is recorded that Abu Qatadah said: “Upon arrival in Madinah, the Prophet, peace be upon him, enquired about a person called al-Bara ibn Ma’rur. The people told the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he had died, and had willed one-third of his property to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and that his face be turned toward the Ka’bah at the time of his death. Hearing this, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘He has been true to his innate nature. I return the one-third of his property to his children. ‘ Then the Prophet, peace be upon him, left and offered a prayer for him and prayed, saying: ‘O Allah! Forgive him, have mercy on him, and cause him to enter Your Paradise. Indeed, You have accepted this prayer’.” (Narrated by Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim, who observes: “I know of no hadith, other than this one, with regard to turning the face of a dying person toward Ka’bah.”)