Ghusal

Q: Should ghusal be given to a stillborn child and should janaazah salaah be performed upon it?

Q: Is the following correct?

It is permissible for a man to wash his wife, and for a woman to wash her husband, even if the woman is observing ‘iddah following a revocable talaaq (divorce), as stated previously in the answer to question no. 154381

The fact that it is permissible for a man to wash his wife is indicated by the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came back from a funeral in al-Baqee‘ and I had a headache and was saying, Oh my head. He said, “Rather, I should say, Oh my head. It will not matter if you die before me, for I will wash you and shroud you, then I will offer the funeral prayer for you and bury you.”

Narrated by Ahmad, 25380; Ibn Maajah, 1456; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani inSaheeh Ibn Maajah, 1/247

It was narrated from Asma’ bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) that Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) left instructions that ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) should wash her.

Narrated by ash-Shaafa‘i, 1/312; ad-Daaraqutni, 2/79; al-Nayhaqi, 3/396. Its isnaad was classed as hasan by ash-Shawkaani in Nayl al-Awtaar, 4/35

Ash-Shawkaani said: The words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “for I will wash you”, indicate that a wife may be washed by her husband if she dies.

End quote from Nayl al-Awtaar, 4/35

As-San‘aani (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning the hadeeth of Asma’ (may Allah be pleased with her): This indicates that this was something that was well-known during the life of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

End quote from Subul as-Salaam, 1/478

This is also the view of the majority of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them).

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: With regard to washing his wife, it is permissible in our opinion and according to the majority of scholars. This was narrated by Ibn al-Mundhir from ‘Alqamah, Jaabir ibn Zayd, ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn al-Aswad,… Maalik, al-Awzaa‘i, Ahmad and Ishaaq. It is also the view of ‘Ata’, Dawood and Ibn al-Mundhir. Abu Haneefah and ath-Thawri stated that he cannot wash her; this was also narrated from al-Awzaa‘i. They quoted as evidence the fact that the marriage has ended (with the death of one of the spouses), so it is akin to a complete and irrevocable divorce.

End quote from Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, 5/122

In Majmoo‘ Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him), 13/109, it says:

Some of the fuqaha’ were of the view that the marital relationship comes to an end with death; what is your view on this issue?

He replied:

This is a view that is contrary to the Sunnah, so no attention should be paid to it. End quote.

With regard to a woman washing her husband, this is supported by the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: If I had known beforehand what I know now, no one would have washed the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) but his wives.

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3141; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz, 1/49 An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ibn al-Mundhir narrated in his two books, al-Ishraaf and Kitaab al-Ijmaa‘, that the ummah is unanimously
agreed that a woman may wash her husband. Others also narrated that there is
consensus on this point.

End quote from Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, 5/114.

And Allah knows best.

Q: My grandmother passed away a few days ago and after she passed, someone said that my grandfather is now a non-mahram for my grandmother and that he cannot look or touch her dead body. Is this correct? Because I have never heard this before that a wife and husband become non-mahrams after one of them dies. Also, can a husband give ghusal to his wife after she dies? Can a wife give ghusal to her husband after he dies?

Q: Can we bath a muslim dead body in the toilet before burial. That toilet includes place for taking a bath and also western commode in that same room without any partition.

Q: Going through tough times. My wife delivered a stillborn baby boy 2 weeks ago. Please make dua that Allah keeps us both patient. We fully accept and are happy with the decree of Allah, we just feel sad and empty. There was an issue regarding the burial and washing and clothing of our son. I understand that because our son was a stillborn and was born dead no janazah was required. But what about ghusl and shrouding with white cloth, were they obligatory or not. My father asked a maulana and he said to bury him as he is. In the state of grieving I completely overlooked and was not thinking about this issue.

Q:

1. A Muslimah dies and has finger nail polish on her nails, then who ever gives the body ghusal does she have to remove the finger nail polish?

2. If a Muslimah dies and has hair extentions (human or nonhuman) in her hair, then whoever gives the body ghusal does she have to remove them.

Q: Please forward me the masalah for conducting ghusl on the dead.

Q: When giving ghusl to the mayyit, should the head or feet face the qiblah?

Q: I am a bit confused of the ibarat of Ahsanul fatawa (vol 4 pg 248) about (wetting the mouth and nose of a junubi mayyit) being fardh or mustahab?

Q:

1. Is there anything mention like that: “To participate in a janazah where the mayyit is a loved one, a pious person or a neighbor is better than the Nafl prayer.”
2. How is that if announcement of someone’s death is made in the loud speaker where azan is normally given?
3. Please give me the reference of this hadice, that the kaaba is the qiblah for the living and the dead (something to this effect)?
4. Can the camphor oil be used instead of the camphor powder to rub on the sajdah places of the mayyit?
5. Is it Sunnah to make khilal of the mayyit’s fingers, feets , beard, ears, nape etc same as it is Sunnah for the livings?