Washing a Dead Body

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you decide to give Ghusl (bath) to a dead body, you must keep a piece of cloth between yourself and the private parts of the dead body, like a shirt or similar. You should begin to wash the palms (hands) and the head of the dead body three times with water mixed with Sidr (berry leaves), then the rest of the body, first the right side. When you decide to wash the private parts, you must take a clean piece of fabric, wrap your left hand with it, then enter your hand under the piece of cloth with which it is covered, then wash the private parts of the dead body without seeing them. When you complete Ghusl (bath) with water mixed with Sidr (berry leaves), wash it a second time with water mixed with camphor and something with which Hunut is done; and thereafter wash the dead body with pure water. After completing all three Ghusl (baths) place the dead body on a piece of fabric and dry it up.’” (Ahadith 2-3 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Ghusl (bath) for a dead body. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must give it a Ghusl (bath) with water mixed with Sidr, (Lotus tree leaves), thereafter one more Ghusl (bath) with water mixed with camphor and Dharirah (a certain herb or incense from India), if available, then you must give it one Ghusl (bath) with pure water.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘Is it necessary to give three Ghusl (baths) to all of the body?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, that is correct.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘Is it necessary to keep a piece of cloth on it during Ghusl (bath)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is necessary; if possible, there must be a shirt on it so you can give it Ghusl (bath) under the shirt. He (the Imam) said, ‘I would like that one who gives Ghusl (bath) wrap his or her hand with a piece of fabric when giving Ghusl (bath) to a dead body.’”

“‘Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a dead body must be given three Ghusl (baths). One Ghusl (bath) with water mixed with Lotus tree leaves, one Ghusl (bath) with water mixed with camphor, and one Ghusl (bath) with pure water. Thereafter, the dead body must be wrapped in the shroud. He (the Imam) said, ‘My father made a will that required me to shroud him with three pieces of cloth. One piece was a gown which was made in Hibrah, one more piece of cloth, and a shirt.’ I then asked, ‘Why did he say it in his will?’ He (the Imam) said that he (the Imam) did it so that people will have no objection. We then prepared a turban for him. We then dug the soil like a cut in the earth for him because his body was of a large frame. He had commanded me to raise the surface of his grave from the ground by about four inches.’ He (the Imam) mentioned that it is good to sprinkle water on the grave.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Ghusl (bath) for a dead body. He (the Imam) said, Turn the bottom of the sole of the dead body’s feet toward al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) which makes the dead body facing al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah). Thereafter, soften the joints of the bones of the dead body if possible; if not then leave them alone. First wash the private parts with water mixed with Sidr (berry leaves) and al-Huruz. (saltwort), You must give it three Ghusl (baths). Use plenty of water. Rub the belly of the dead body gently. Turn to the head. Begin with the right side of the beard and head, then the left side of the head, beard and face gently and avoid roughing it up. Wash with softness. Then make it lie down on the left side, so the right side is exposed to you. Wash it from head to the toes and rub gently the back and belly, wash it three times; then turn it on its right side to expose the left side to wash it from the head to the toes; rub its back and belly gently and wash it three times. Reach out to its underarms, arms and shoulder with your hand and make its side clean. Whenever you wash, reach with your hand under his shoulders and the inside of his arms. Thereafter make the dead body lie down on its back; then begin with the private parts with water mixed with camphor and do as you did before. Wash it three times with water mixed with camphor and al-Huruz (saltwort) and rub the belly of the dead body gently. You must then turn to the head and face and do as you did before on both sides, the head and face with water mixed with camphor three times. You must then turn it on its left side, so its right side is exposed. You must then wash it from head to the toes three times. Thereafter you must turn it on its right side to expose its left side. You must then wash it from its head to its toes three times, and push your hand under the shoulder bones of the dead body and arms. The arms and hands must be cleansed along with the sides. Whenever you wash anything, push your hand under the shoulder bones of the dead body and inside of the arms. You must then turn it on its back. You must then wash it with pure water as you did before. You must begin with the private parts, then turn to the head, beard and face to do what you did before with pure water. You must then wrap it with a piece of fabric from the waist down with a great deal of cotton underneath. You must then tie the thighs with a piece of fabric tightly, so nothing can come out. You must not make the dead body sit up or press its belly. You must not fill up the ears with something but if you are afraid of something coming out of the nostrils, you may fill it with cotton; but if you are not afraid do not fill it up with anything. Do not clean underneath the nails of the dead body: and so also is Ghusl (bath) for women.’”

“When you decide to give Ghusl (bath) to a dead body, place it on the platform for Ghusl (bath), facing al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah). Remove his hands from the shirt if any, and pull it down over the private parts. Pull it up above his knees. If shirt is not there, cover his private parts with a piece of fabric. Find Sidr (berry leaves). Place them in a pail and pour water on them. Stir with your hand until foam rises. Remove the foam in something and pour the rest in a container with water. Wash his hands three times, half way up to the elbows, just as one washes them because of sexual relation. Then wash his private parts and clean them. Then wash his head with foam thoroughly and do not allow water to enter his nostrils or ears. Then place him on the platform for Ghusl (bath) on his left side, and pour water on one half of his head down to his toes three times. Rub his body gently as well as his back and belly. Then place him on his right side on the platform for Ghusl (bath). Do as you did with the left side. You must then throw away the water from the water container. You must wash it with pure water and wash your hands up to your elbows. You must then pour water in the pail and place a piece of camphor in it and do as you did before with Sidr (berry leaves). Begin with his hands, then his private parts, then rub his belly gently, and if something comes out, clean it. Then wash his head. Then place him on his left side and wash his right side, his back and belly. Then place him on his right side and wash his left side as you did before. Then wash your hands up to the elbows and the water pail with pure water. Give him Ghusl (bath) with pure water just as you did in the other two Ghusl (bath). Then dry him up with a piece of clean cloth. Then find cotton, spread a certain amount of Hunut (camphor) on it and fill it in his private parts front and back. Fill his buttocks with cotton so that nothing can come out. Then find a long piece of fabric about a foot wide and tie it tightly around him from waist down to his knees by sending one end underneath to the right side, wrapping it around tightly, and push its end underneath the end where it had started tight.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), Is it permissible to give Ghusl (bath) to a dead body in the open? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful, but I prefer that it is covered with a covering.’”