Lesson 16: The Lows of Death (Mayyit)

5. Ghusl of Dead Body (Mayyit)

It is obligatory for a Muslim to perform Ghusl, shroud (Kafan), prayer, and burial (Dafn) even if the deceased was not a Twelver (Ithnā ʿAsharī) (Issue 586).

One: Method of Performing the Ghusl of a Dead Body

The Ghusl of a dead body is the same as the Ghusl for Janābat. If a sequential Ghusl (Tartībī) is possible, an immersive Ghusl (Irtimāsī) should not be performed for the dead body as a precaution (Issue 609).

Two: The Lows of Ghusl of the Dead Body

1. It is obligatory to perform three Ghusls for a dead body:
2. a) The first must be with water mixed with lote tree (Sidr);
3. b) The second must be with water mixed with camphor (Kāfūr);
4. c) The third must be with pure (unmixed) water only (Issue594).
5. If a lote tree or camphor is unavailable, the Ghusl must be performed with pure water and tayammum

(Issue 598).

3. A person performing Ghusl for a dead body must be a Muslim, twelve Imāms, adult, wise, knowledgeable about the lows of Ghusl, and intend to attain proximity to Allāh (Issues 599 & 600).
4. The Ghusl must be given to a miscarried child over four months or more. But a miscarried child under four months must be wrapped in a cloth and buried without Ghusl as a precaution (Issue 602).

Three: Laws about Shrouding (Kafan) a Dead Body

The dead body of a Muslim must be shrouded in three pieces of cloth: a loincloth, a shirt, and a full cover.

1. A loincloth must cover the body completely from the navel to the knees.
2. The shirt must cover the area from the top of the shoulders to the middle of the calf.
3. A full cover cloth must be long enough to cover the entire body from head to toe so that both ends can be closed (Issue 614 & 615).

Four: The Laws of Camphorating (Ḥunūṭ)

After Ghusl, it is obligatory to camphorate it before shrouding (takfīn) it. In order to apply camphor to the parts of its body that are placed on the ground during Sajdah, these are its forehead, palms, knees, and tips of the big toes. Camphor should be powdered and fresh (Issue 629).

Five: The Prayer for the Dead (Salāt-Mayyit)

1. It is obligatory to perform prayer ((Salāt-Mayyit)

for a Muslim who has died and for every child who is considered a Muslim and has completed six years of age (Issue 638).

2. The prayer of the dead (Salāt-Mayyit) must be performed after giving Ghusl, camphorating, and shrouding (Issue 640).
3. A person who wants to pray for the dead does not need to perform Wuḍūʾ, Ghusl, or tayammum.
4. The prayer of the dead body must be offered standing, with the intention of proximity to Allāh and mentioning the deceased in the intention.
5. To perform the prayer of the dead, the person praying must face the Qibla, and the dead body should lie on its back in front of the person praying, with its head on the right side and its feet on the left of the person praying (Issues 641 & 642).

Six: The Method of Performing the Prayer for the Dead

There are two ways to pray for the dead: short and detailed Form:

1- Short Form of the Dead Prayer

The prayer of the dead (Salāt-Mayyit) has five takbīrs (Allāhu Akbar) [1], performed as follows.

1. After making the intention and saying the first takbīr (Allāhu Akbar), the person praying says:

«اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اللهُ و َاَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللهِ».

(Ashhadu al lā ilāha illal lāhu wa anna muḥammadar rasūlul lāh)

I testify that there is no god but Allāh and that Muḥammad is the messenger of Allāh.

2. After the second takbīr, he says:

«اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمّدٍ وَّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ».

(Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammdiw wa āli muḥammad)

O’ Lord! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad.

3. After the third takbīr, he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤَمِنِینَ وَالْمُؤْمِناتِ».

(Allāhummagh fir lilmuʾminīna wal muʾmināt)
O’ Lord! Forgive the believers, men and women alike.
4. After the fourth takbīr, if the deceased is male, he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِهذا المَیتِ» (allāhummagh fir lihādhal mayyit)

O Allāh! Forgive this deceased man.

If the deceased is female, he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِهذِهِ الْمَیتِ».  (Allāhummagh fir lihādhihil mayyitah)

O Allāh! Forgive this deceased woman.

Then he says the fifth takbīr (End the prayer) (Issues 653).

2- Long Form of the Dead prayer

 It is better that the person praying pronounces the following supplications after the takbīrs respectively:

1. After the first takbīr the person praying says:

«اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لّا اِلهَ اِلاّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، و اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ و َرَسُولُهُ، اَرْسَلَهُ بِالحَقِّ بَشِيراً وَ نَذِيراً بَيْنَ يَدَىِ السّاعَةِ».

(Ashhadu al lā ilāha illal lāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh, arsalahu bilḥaqqi bashīraw wa nadhīram bayna yadayis sāʿah)

2. After the second takbīr he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّد وَآلِ مُحَمَّد وَ بارِكْ عَلى مُحَمَّد وَآلِ مُحَمَّد، وَارْحَمْ مُحَمَّداً وَ آلَ مُحَمَّد، كَاَفْضَلِ ما صَلَّيْتَ وَ بارَكْتَ وَ تَرَحَّمْتَ عَلى اِبْراهِيمَ وَآلِ اِبْراهِيمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، وَصَلِّ عَلى جَمِيعِ الاَنْبِياءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ، وَالشُّهَداءِ وَالصِّدِيقِينَ، وَجَمِيعِ عِبادِ اللهِ الصّالِحِينَ».

(Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadiw wa āli muḥammad, wa bārik ʿalā muḥammadiw wa āli muḥammad, warḥam muḥammadaw wa āla muḥammad, kaʾafḍali mā ṣallayta wa bārakta wa taraḥḥamta ʿalā ibrāhīma wa āli ibrāhīm, innaka ḥamīdum majīd, wa ṣalli ʿalā jamīʿil ambiyāʾi wal mursalīna wash shuhadāʾi waṣ ṣiddīqīna wa jamīʿi ʿibādil lāhiṣ ṣāliḥīn)

3. After the third takbīr he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِناتِ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِماتِ الاْحْياءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالاَمْواتِ تابِع بَيْنَنا وَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالخَيْراتِ اِنَّكَ مُجِيبُ الدَّعَواتِ اِنَّكَ عَلى كُلِّ شَىْء قَدِيرِ».

(Allāhummagh fir lilmuʾminīna wal muʾmināti wal muslimīna wal muslimāt, alʾaḥyāʾi minhum wal amwāt, tābiʿ baynanā wa baynahum bilkhayrāt, innaka mujībud daʿawāt, innaka ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr)

4. After the fourth takbīr, if the deceased is male, he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ اِنَّ هذا عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنُ اَمَتِكَ نَزَلَ بِكَ وَاَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُول بِهِ، اَللّهُمَّ اِنّا لا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ اِلاّ خَيْراً وَاَنْتَ اَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنّا، اَللّهُمَّ اِنْ كانَ مُحْسِناً فَزِدْ فِى احِسانِهِ، وَاِن كانَ مُسِيئاً فَتَجاوَزْ عَنْهُ وَاغْفِرْ لَهُ، اَللّهُمَّ اَجْعَلْهُ عِنْدَكَ فِى اَعْلى عِلِّيِينَ وَاخْلُفْ عَلى اَهْلِهِ فِى الغابِرِينَ وَارْحَمْهُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمِينَ».

(Allāhumma inna hādhā ʿabduka wabnu ʿabdik wabnu amatik, nazala bika wa anta khayru manzūlim bih, allāhumma innā lā naʿlamu minhu illā khayra, wa anta aʿlamu bihi minnā, allāhumma in kāna muḥsinan fazid fī iḥsānih, wa in kāna musīʾan fatajāwaz ʿanhu waghfir lahu, allāhummaj ʿalhu ʿindaka fī aʿlā ʿilliyyīn, wakh luf ʿalā ahlihi fīl ghābirīn, warḥamhu biraḥmatika yā arḥamar rāhimīn)

After the fourth takbīr, if the deceased is female, he says:

«اَللّهُمَّ اِنَّ هذِهِ أَمَتُكَ وَابْنَتُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنَةُ أَمَتِكَ نَزَلَتْ بِكَ وَاَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُول بِهِ، اَللّهُمَّ اِنّا لا نَعْلَمُ مِنها اِلاّ خَيْراً، وَاَنْتَ اَعْلَمُ بِها مِنّا، اَللّهُمَّ اِنْ كانَتْ مُحْسِنَةً فَزِدْ فِى اِحسانِها، وَاِنْ كانَتْ مُسِيئَةً فَتَجاوَزْ عَنْها وَاغْفِرْلَها، اَللّهُمَّ اَجْعَلْها عِنْدَكَ فِى اَعلى عِلِّيِينَ وَاخْلُفْ عَلى اَهْلِها فِى الْغابِرِينَ، وَارْحَمْها بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمينَ»

(Allāhumma inna hādhihi amatuka wabnatu ʿabdika wabnatu amatik, nazalat bika wa anta khayru manzūlim bih, allāhumma innā lā naʿlamu minhā illā khayra, wa anta aʿlamu bihā minnā, allāhumma in kānat muḥsinatan fazid fī iḥsānihā, wa in kānat musīʾatan fatajāwaz ʿanhā wagh fir lahā, allāhummaj ʿalhā ʿindaka fī aʿlā ʿilliyyīn, wakh luf ʿalā ahlihā fīl ghābirīn, war ḥamhā biraḥmatika yā arḥamar rāhimīn)

5. Then he says the fifth takbīr (End the prayer) (Issues 654).

Note: The congregation prayer for the dead

It is recommended to perform the prayer for the dead in the congregation. When a person prays for the dead in the congregation, even if he is a follower, he must also recite all the takbīrs and supplications (Issue 654).

Seven: The Laws of Burial (Dafn) of the Dead Body

1. It is obligatory to bury a dead body in the ground, deep enough that its smell does not come out and wild animals do not dig it out. However, if there is a danger of such animals digging it out, the grave should be reinforced with bricks, etc. (Issue 658).
2. The dead body should be laid in the grave on its right side so the face is towards the Qiblah (Issue 660).

Eight: The Prayer of Fear (Salāt-Wahshat)

1. It is recommended to offer a prayer of Fear (Salāt- waÎshat) on the first night after the burial of a dead body.
2. It is a two-Rakʿat prayer that must be performed for the dead.
3. The method of performing this prayer is as follows:
4. a) In the first Rakʿat after reciting Sūrah al- fātiḥa, one recites āyatulkursī once, and in the second Rakʿat after reciting Sūrah al- fātiḥa, Sūrah al-Qadr is recited ten times;
5. b) After the salÁm of the prayer, the following supplication should be recited:

«اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَ ابْعَثْ ثَـوَابَها إِلَىٰ قَـبْرِ «فُلَان».

)Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadiw wa āli muḥammad, wab ʿath thawābahā ilā qabri fulan(

Instead of the expression «فُلَان» (fulan), he should mention the name of the dead) Issue 683).

6. The Ghusl for Touching Dead Body (Mass Al-Mayyit)

1. When a person touches the dead body of a human being whose body has become cold, and no Ghusl has yet been performed, he must perform Ghusl for touching the dead body.
2. A person who has not performed the Ghusl can stay in the mosque, have intercourse, and recite the verses that make prostration obligatory.
3. The Ghusl is required for prayer and similar purposes (Issues 565 & 576).
4. In touching a miscarried baby who is four months old, both the person touching it and the baby’s mother must perform the Ghusl for touching the dead body (Issue 568).
5. The person who touches a bony part of a dead or alive body before the Ghusl for the dead body must perform the Ghusl for touching the dead body. But if the separated part is not bony, the Ghusl does not need to be performed when touching it (Issues 572 & 573)

7. Ghusl for a Vow, Oath, or Swearing

If a person takes a Vow (Nadhr) or an oath (Qasam) that he will perform Ghusl for a work which is not obligatory, then in case of observing the lows of vow, oath or swear Ghusl becomes obligatory on him.

Question:

Should the Ghusl be performed from the beginning if impurity comes out of the dead body?

Answer:

The dead body must be purified first; then, the Ghusl must continue; the Ghusl will not be invalidated.

Exercises:

1. How many Ghusls are given to the dead?
2. How many pieces are the shroud of the dead?
3. What is camphorating (hunūṭ)?
4. 4. For touching a dead body, who must perform the Ghusl?

[1].Takbīr is a proclamation of Allah’s greatness by saying ‘allāhu akbar’.