Ruling on Performing Wudu After Carrying a Deceased Person – Hadith and Scholarly Opinions
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Chapter: Issues of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 87
The hadith states:
«مَنْ غَسَّلَ مَيِّتًا فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ، وَمَنْ حَمَلَهُ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ»
(Translation: Whoever gives a deceased person the ritual bath should perform ghusl, and whoever carries him should perform wudu.)
In al-Talkhees al-Habeer (Vol. 1, p. 136), the following scholarly statements are recorded:
Al-Bayhaqi said: The correct view is that it is mawqoof (stopped at the companion). Al-Bukhari said: The stronger opinion is that it is mawqoof. Ali and Ahmad said: Nothing authentic is established in this matter. Al-Dhuhli said: I do not know of any hadith on this; if it were established, we would be obliged to act upon it. Ibn al-Mundhir said: There is no hadith in this matter that is established.
Does this mean that everyone who has carried a deceased person on their shoulders should repeat wudu?
Is carrying the deceased among the nullifiers of wudu?
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
You have cited opinions from al-Talkhees al-Habeer that weaken the narration, but in the same book there are also statements supporting the hadith’s authenticity which should not be ignored.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله), the author of al-Talkhees al-Habeer, leans towards the hadith being authentic. He says:
فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُصَحَّحَ الْحَدِيثُ
“It is appropriate that this hadith be considered sahih.”
He further states:
وَفِي الْجُمْلَةِ هُوَ بِكَثْرَةِ طُرُقِهِ أَسْوَأُ أَحْوَالِهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَسَنًا
“Considering its multiple chains, its lowest status is that it is hasan.”
Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله), in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (Vol. 1, Hadith 144, p. 173), graded this hadith as sahih.
Thus, the hadith is at least hasan and cannot be dismissed entirely.
The order for ghusl after washing a deceased person has been taken by many scholars as recommendation (mustahabb), not obligation.
Evidence:
The hadith of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbas (RA) in which the Prophet ﷺ said:
«لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي غُسْلِ مَيِّتِكُمْ غُسْلٌ» (al-Talkhees, quoting al-Bayhaqi)
Translation: There is no (obligatory) ghusl upon you for washing your dead.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar reconciles this with the hadith of Abu Hurairah (RA) by explaining that the command is for recommendation, or that “ghusl” could refer to merely washing the hands — though he personally finds the latter interpretation incorrect.
The phrase “وَمَنْ حَمَلَهُ” means:
Whoever directly carries the deceased (without a barrier) should perform wudu.
It does not necessarily apply to those who carry the bier (janazah platform) by its poles.
There is no definitive evidence that carrying the deceased invalidates wudu in the same sense as the well-known nullifiers.
However, since the hadith is established, one should act upon it as a recommendation without doubt or unnecessary interpretation.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Chapter: Issues of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 87
Question
The hadith states:
«مَنْ غَسَّلَ مَيِّتًا فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ، وَمَنْ حَمَلَهُ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ»
(Translation: Whoever gives a deceased person the ritual bath should perform ghusl, and whoever carries him should perform wudu.)
In al-Talkhees al-Habeer (Vol. 1, p. 136), the following scholarly statements are recorded:
Al-Bayhaqi said: The correct view is that it is mawqoof (stopped at the companion). Al-Bukhari said: The stronger opinion is that it is mawqoof. Ali and Ahmad said: Nothing authentic is established in this matter. Al-Dhuhli said: I do not know of any hadith on this; if it were established, we would be obliged to act upon it. Ibn al-Mundhir said: There is no hadith in this matter that is established.
Does this mean that everyone who has carried a deceased person on their shoulders should repeat wudu?
Is carrying the deceased among the nullifiers of wudu?
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
1. Status of the Hadith
You have cited opinions from al-Talkhees al-Habeer that weaken the narration, but in the same book there are also statements supporting the hadith’s authenticity which should not be ignored.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله), the author of al-Talkhees al-Habeer, leans towards the hadith being authentic. He says:
فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُصَحَّحَ الْحَدِيثُ
“It is appropriate that this hadith be considered sahih.”
He further states:
وَفِي الْجُمْلَةِ هُوَ بِكَثْرَةِ طُرُقِهِ أَسْوَأُ أَحْوَالِهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَسَنًا
“Considering its multiple chains, its lowest status is that it is hasan.”
2. Other Scholarly Verifications
Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله), in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (Vol. 1, Hadith 144, p. 173), graded this hadith as sahih.
Thus, the hadith is at least hasan and cannot be dismissed entirely.
3. Is Ghusl/Wudu Obligatory?
The order for ghusl after washing a deceased person has been taken by many scholars as recommendation (mustahabb), not obligation.
Evidence:
The hadith of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbas (RA) in which the Prophet ﷺ said:
«لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي غُسْلِ مَيِّتِكُمْ غُسْلٌ» (al-Talkhees, quoting al-Bayhaqi)
Translation: There is no (obligatory) ghusl upon you for washing your dead.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar reconciles this with the hadith of Abu Hurairah (RA) by explaining that the command is for recommendation, or that “ghusl” could refer to merely washing the hands — though he personally finds the latter interpretation incorrect.
4. Meaning of “Whoever Carries Him”
The phrase “وَمَنْ حَمَلَهُ” means:
Whoever directly carries the deceased (without a barrier) should perform wudu.
It does not necessarily apply to those who carry the bier (janazah platform) by its poles.
5. Does Carrying a Deceased Person Break Wudu?
There is no definitive evidence that carrying the deceased invalidates wudu in the same sense as the well-known nullifiers.
However, since the hadith is established, one should act upon it as a recommendation without doubt or unnecessary interpretation.
Conclusion
- The hadith is at least hasan, and many scholars (including Ibn Hajar and al-Albani) consider it authentic.
- Performing wudu after carrying the deceased is recommended (mustahabb), not obligatory.
- This is not listed among the definite nullifiers of wudu, but is an act of following the Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
