✦ Question:
Can a husband and wife give Ghusl (ritual bathing) to each other after one of them passes away?❖ Answer in Light of Hadith and Scholarly Opinions:
1. Evidence from the Hadith of Aisha رضي الله عنها:Sahih narrations show that a husband and wife can wash each other after death. One such narration is from Aisha رضي الله عنها:
"When the Prophet ﷺ returned from the graveyard, he found me in pain, saying 'Woe to my head!' He replied, 'Rather, my head aches too, O Aisha.' Then he said, 'What would it matter if you died before me? I would have given you Ghusl, shrouded you, prayed over you, and buried you.'"
— [Ibn Majah, Book of Funerals, Hadith 1465]
This shows that the Prophet ﷺ assured his wife, Aisha, that he would have given her Ghusl had she passed away before him.
2. Another Hadith from Aisha رضي الله عنها:
"If I had remembered earlier what I remember now, no one except the Prophet ﷺ would have given me Ghusl."
— [Ibn Majah, Hadith 1464]
This shows that the Prophet ﷺ exclusively gave Ghusl to his wives, and the practice was known to Aisha, who reflected on it after the Prophet's passing.
3. Scholarly Views:
✔ Qazi Shawkani رحمه الله mentions that Aisha's statement implies a husband can wash his deceased wife, and by analogy, the wife can wash her husband.
— [Nail al-Awtar 31/4]
✔ Imam Muhammad bin Ismail al-Sablanami رحمه الله mentions that this is the consensus of the majority of scholars.
— [Subl al-Salam 742/2]
✔ The Case of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله عنه:
Abu Bakr's wife Asma bint Umais رضي الله عنها washed him after his passing.
— [Muwatta Imam Malik, Book of Funerals, Hadith 133]
✔ The Case of Fatima رضي الله عنها:
Fatima رضي الله عنها instructed that her husband Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه and Asma bint Umais رضي الله عنها give her Ghusl, and they did.
— [Dar Qutni, Book of Funerals, Hadith 1833]
4. Consensus Among Scholars:
✔ The action of Asma bint Umais and Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنهما is evidence that it is permissible for a wife to wash her husband, and there is no recorded objection from any companion. This establishes the practice as Ijma' (consensus) among the companions.
— [Hashiyat Bulugh al-Maram 105]
✔ Scholarly Consensus on Women Washing Their Husbands:
It is unanimously agreed among scholars that a woman can wash her husband. However, the permissibility of a man washing his wife after death is a subject of scholarly difference.
The majority of scholars and hadith experts allow it, as previously mentioned.
❖ Conclusion:
- It is permitted for a husband to wash his wife, and vice versa, as evidenced by various authentic narrations.
- Women washing their husbands is universally accepted by scholars, while men washing their wives is generally agreed upon by the majority of scholars, including prominent figures like Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and others.
May Allah guide us to understand and practice these rulings correctly.
