1 — The Incident of Washing Lady Zaynab (رضي الله عنها)
Umm ʿAtiyyah (رضي الله عنها) said:
“We were washing the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (Lady Zaynab رضي الله عنها) when the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Wash her three times, or five, or seven, using water and lotus leaves, and in the last wash add some camphor. When you finish, inform me. Begin on her right side and with her limbs of wudu.’
(Umm ʿAtiyyah said): We loosened her hair, washed it, and made three braids which we placed behind her.”
(Bukhari 1253, Muslim 939)
Rulings from the hadith:
◈ A woman should be washed only by women.
◈ Hair should be untied, washed, and braided afterward.
2 — Husband and Wife Washing Each Other
The Prophet ﷺ said to ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها):
“If you die before me, I will wash you, shroud you, pray over you, and bury you.”
(Ibn Majah 1465)
ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) said:
“If I had known before what I knew later, no one would have washed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ except his wives.”
(Ibn Majah 1464)
Key points:
◈ The belief that the marital bond ends immediately upon death is incorrect.
◈ A husband may wash his wife, and a wife may wash her husband.
◈ They may see one another and even place the body in the grave.
3 — Scholarly Opinion
Shaykh ʿAbdul-ʿAziz ibn Baz (رحمه الله) said:
“It is proven from the Shariʿah that there is no harm if the wife washes her husband and looks at him, and likewise the husband washing and looking at his wife. Asmā’ bint ʿUmays (رضي الله عنها) washed her husband Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (رضي الله عنه), and Fatimah (رضي الله عنها) willed that ʿAli (رضي الله عنه) wash her.”
(Fatawa Islamiyyah, vol. 2, p. 74)
4 — Step-by-Step Procedure for Ghusl al-Mayyit
Step 1: Immediately After Death
- Close the eyes and mouth.
- Straighten arms, legs, and fingers.
- Remove shirts or undergarments; cover the body with a sheet.
- Remove any amulets, threads, or jewelry.
Step 2: Preparation for Washing
- Boil lotus leaves in water; use lukewarm water.
- Place a wooden plank where water drainage is easy.
- Lay the body on the plank; cover from navel to knees.
- Avoid looking at or touching the private parts without covering.
Step 3: In Case of Wounds
- Remove bandages gently.
- Use cotton and warm water to clean wounds softly.
- Begin from the right side unless there’s a valid reason otherwise.
Step 4: Istinja
- Press the stomach lightly to release any waste.
- Wearing gloves, clean the private parts first with clay clods (or similar), then water.
Step 5: Cleaning the Face and Openings
- Clean nostrils, mouth, teeth, and ears with moist cotton.
- This ensures less water is needed during wudu.
Step 6: Performing Wudu
- Say “Bismillah” and give the deceased the ritual ablution.
- Wipe the head, wash the arms, and wash the feet last.
Step 7: Full Wash
- Wash the body three, five, or seven times with soap if needed.
- Add camphor to the final rinse.
- Wash the feet at the very end.
