✦ Written by: ʿImrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
Shrouding the deceased is not merely a customary act—it is a Sharʿī obligation (wājib). The shroud must be sufficient to cover the body, even if it is one cloth, as long as the awrah and body are concealed.
❀ The Prophet ﷺ said regarding a pilgrim who died during ḥajj:
«وكفنوه»
“And shroud him.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1849, Muslim 1206, Abū Dāwūd 3238, al-Tirmidhī 951, Ibn Mājah 3084, al-Nasāʾī 5/195]
✔ This shows that providing a shroud is obligatory, even in special cases such as that of a Muḥrim.
❀ Ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه:
«إذا كفّن أحدكم أخاه فليحسن كفنه»
“When one of you shrouds his brother, let him make the shroud good.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 943, Abū Dāwūd 3148, al-Nasāʾī 4/33, Aḥmad 3/295]
✔ “A good shroud” means:
– Clean
– Modest
– Sufficiently wide to cover the body
– Of reasonable quality (not extravagant)
It does not mean using excessively expensive fabric.
[For details: Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī 3/51, Sharḥ Muslim by al-Nawawī 4/15, Nayl al-Awṭār 2/686, Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz by al-Albānī p. 77]
❀ Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
«من ستر مسلمًا ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة»
“Whoever conceals a Muslim (in life or death), Allah will conceal him in this world and the Hereafter.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2310, Muslim 2580]
Covering the body with a shroud is one of the ways of "concealing" a fellow Muslim.
➊ Ḥadīth of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf رضي الله عنه:
Regarding Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr رضي الله عنه, he said:
«فلم يوجد له ما يُكفّن فيه إلا بُردة»
“Nothing was found to shroud him in except a single piece of cloth.”
And the same was said regarding Ḥamzah رضي الله عنه.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5045 – Kitāb al-Maghāzī]
➋ Narration of Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt رضي الله عنه:
«ولم يترك إلا نَمِرة»
“He left behind only a single sheet.”
When they covered his head, his feet became exposed, and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Cover his head and place idhkhir grass on his feet.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1276, Muslim 940, Abū Dāwūd 3155, al-Tirmidhī 3943, al-Nasāʾī 4/38]
✔ This ḥadīth shows that if a full-body shroud is unavailable, it is permissible to cover as much as possible, starting with the head, and place natural materials like grass on the uncovered parts.
[Nayl al-Awṭār 2/401, Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz p. 78]
❀ Ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه:
«كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يجمع بين الرجلين من قتلى أحد في ثوب واحد»
“The Prophet ﷺ would shroud two of the martyrs of Uḥud in a single cloth.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1343–1345, Abū Dāwūd 3138, al-Tirmidhī 1036, Ibn Mājah 1515]
✔ This shows that sharing one shroud between two deceased is allowed in cases of necessity.
Shrouding is obligatory (wājib)
The shroud must be sufficient to cover the body
White and clean cloth is Sunnah
Excessive cost is discouraged
The shroud is paid from the deceased's wealth
If insufficient cloth is available, cover the head and place natural material (e.g. grass) over the feet
Two martyrs may be wrapped in one shroud when needed
❖ Giving the Deceased a Proper Shroud Is an Islamic Obligation
Shrouding the deceased is not merely a customary act—it is a Sharʿī obligation (wājib). The shroud must be sufficient to cover the body, even if it is one cloth, as long as the awrah and body are concealed.
❖ Clear Proof of Obligation from the Sunnah
❀ The Prophet ﷺ said regarding a pilgrim who died during ḥajj:
«وكفنوه»
“And shroud him.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1849, Muslim 1206, Abū Dāwūd 3238, al-Tirmidhī 951, Ibn Mājah 3084, al-Nasāʾī 5/195]
✔ This shows that providing a shroud is obligatory, even in special cases such as that of a Muḥrim.
❖ Encouragement to Use a Clean and Suitable Kafan
❀ Ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه:
«إذا كفّن أحدكم أخاه فليحسن كفنه»
“When one of you shrouds his brother, let him make the shroud good.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 943, Abū Dāwūd 3148, al-Nasāʾī 4/33, Aḥmad 3/295]
✔ “A good shroud” means:
– Clean
– Modest
– Sufficiently wide to cover the body
– Of reasonable quality (not extravagant)
It does not mean using excessively expensive fabric.
[For details: Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī 3/51, Sharḥ Muslim by al-Nawawī 4/15, Nayl al-Awṭār 2/686, Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz by al-Albānī p. 77]
❖ Honoring the Deceased Is a Form of Concealing Their Faults
❀ Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
«من ستر مسلمًا ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة»
“Whoever conceals a Muslim (in life or death), Allah will conceal him in this world and the Hereafter.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2310, Muslim 2580]
Covering the body with a shroud is one of the ways of "concealing" a fellow Muslim.❖ Kafan Should Be Provided from the Deceased’s Own Wealth
- The shroud is to be arranged from the wealth of the deceased, even if that’s all the wealth he has.
[Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz by al-Albānī, p. 76]
❖ Kafan of Martyrs (Minimal and Based on Availability)
➊ Ḥadīth of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf رضي الله عنه:
Regarding Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr رضي الله عنه, he said:
«فلم يوجد له ما يُكفّن فيه إلا بُردة»
“Nothing was found to shroud him in except a single piece of cloth.”
And the same was said regarding Ḥamzah رضي الله عنه.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5045 – Kitāb al-Maghāzī]
➋ Narration of Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt رضي الله عنه:
«ولم يترك إلا نَمِرة»
“He left behind only a single sheet.”
When they covered his head, his feet became exposed, and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Cover his head and place idhkhir grass on his feet.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1276, Muslim 940, Abū Dāwūd 3155, al-Tirmidhī 3943, al-Nasāʾī 4/38]
✔ This ḥadīth shows that if a full-body shroud is unavailable, it is permissible to cover as much as possible, starting with the head, and place natural materials like grass on the uncovered parts.
[Nayl al-Awṭār 2/401, Aḥkām al-Janāʾiz p. 78]
❖ Combining Two Martyrs in One Shroud
❀ Ḥadīth of Jābir رضي الله عنه:
«كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يجمع بين الرجلين من قتلى أحد في ثوب واحد»
“The Prophet ﷺ would shroud two of the martyrs of Uḥud in a single cloth.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1343–1345, Abū Dāwūd 3138, al-Tirmidhī 1036, Ibn Mājah 1515]
✔ This shows that sharing one shroud between two deceased is allowed in cases of necessity.
✔ Summary of Rulings:
Shrouding is obligatory (wājib) The shroud must be sufficient to cover the body White and clean cloth is Sunnah Excessive cost is discouraged The shroud is paid from the deceased's wealth If insufficient cloth is available, cover the head and place natural material (e.g. grass) over the feet Two martyrs may be wrapped in one shroud when needed