How to Wash the Deceased According to Islamic Law: What Every Muslim Should Know!

The proper way to wash the deceased should follow the guidance of Islamic law. This obligation is fardhu kifayah, meaning it is required of everyone if no one has yet carried it out. To fulfill the rights of the deceased, you need to understand the steps for washing the deceased set out below.

Deceased Persons Who Must Be Washed

As a Muslim, we are obligated to wash the deceased if the following conditions are met:

• The deceased is Muslim.
• There is a part of the body that can be washed.
• The deceased is not a martyr (syahid).
• The deceased is not a baby who died due to miscarriage.

If a Muslim man or woman passes away meeting the four conditions above, the Muslims living near the deceased are obligated to wash them.

Deceased Persons Who Must Not Be Washed

According to Islamic law, there are two categories of deceased who must not be washed. The first is a person who died as a martyr. The reason is that every wound and bloodstain on the body of such a person will give off a scent of musk on the Day of Judgment. Furthermore, the body of a martyr is also not obligated to be prayed over (shalat jenazah).

The second is a baby who died due to miscarriage. Under Islamic law, neither of these bodies may be washed. The funeral organizers only need to wrap the body in a shroud (kafan) and bury it immediately.
Thus, the procedure for washing the deceased does not apply to a martyred Muslim or a miscarried baby.

Requirements for the Person Washing the Deceased

In addition to the conditions that apply to the deceased, there are also requirements for the person who will wash the deceased, namely:

• A Muslim man or woman.
• Of sound mind, that is, free from mental disorder.
• Has reached puberty (baligh).
• A righteous person who is honest and trustworthy.
• Understands the procedure for washing the deceased.
• Able to conceal any flaws found on the body of the deceased.

Washing the deceased is an obligation that carries the value of worship. For this reason, not everyone may carry out this task. At the same time, washing the body is very important so that the remains are buried in a state of purity. All of this follows the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, which we should emulate.

Order of Responsibility for Washing the Deceased by Gender

The rules on contact with the opposite sex still apply to the deceased. Therefore, men may only wash male deceased, and likewise women may only wash female deceased. However, if the person of the opposite sex is a mahram, that person may wash the deceased. In order, the obligation to wash the deceased falls to:

A. Male Deceased

• For a male deceased, the order is as follows:
• Male family members, such as brothers, sons, fathers, grandfathers, and so on.
• The deceased's wife.
• Men who are not related by family or kinship.
• Women who are mahram to the deceased.

B. Female Deceased

• For a female deceased, the order is as follows:
• The deceased's husband.
• Female family members, such as sisters, daughters, mothers, grandmothers, and so on.
• Women who are not related by family or kinship.
• Men who are mahram to the deceased.

In arranging a funeral, the obligation to wash the deceased must follow the order above. However, you also need to consider other factors, for example whether the person responsible understands the proper procedure for washing a body according to Islamic law.

If the person who is obligated is not capable of carrying out this task, the next person in the order must take over. Washing the deceased must follow the correct order and method, as with other acts of worship, so it must not be done by just anyone.

Equipment for Washing the Deceased

Before washing the deceased, there are several things you need to prepare, namely:

• A surface for washing the deceased. Try to use one that slopes downward so the water can drain more easily.
• Enough water to wash the deceased until clean.
• Soap.
• Camphor water.
• Fragrance that does not contain alcohol.
• Gloves.
• Small cloths in the form of pieces or rolls.
• A cloth for covering.
• A towel.

All of the equipment above should be prepared before you begin washing the deceased. All of this is the right of the deceased, entrusted to other Muslims to fulfill. In addition, careful preparation will make it easier for you to carry out the washing procedure.

Besides bathing equipment, you also need to prepare funeral arrangements, such as the coffin, the gravestone, and so on. You can look for information about coffin prices in advance, so that funeral preparations are more thorough.

Procedure for Washing the Deceased

Now that you understand the basics of the washing procedure, let us move on to the steps:

1. Putting on Gloves

The first step in washing the deceased is to put on gloves. This aims to protect you from bacteria or viruses on the body.

2. Reciting the Intention

As with other acts of worship, washing the deceased must begin with reciting the intention. The intention for washing a deceased man is:

Nawaitul gusla adaa an 'an hadzal mayyiti lillahi ta'ala.

The intention for washing a deceased woman is:

Nawaitul gusla adaa an 'an hadzihil mayyitati lillahi ta'ala.

3. Covering the Deceased's Private Parts

The next step is to remove the cloth covering the deceased and replace it with a covering cloth.

This step aims to protect the deceased's private parts from people of the opposite sex who are not mahram.

4. Cleaning the Entire Body of the Deceased

The next step in washing the deceased is to clean the entire body. The order is as follows:

• Clean the teeth, nostrils and ears, armpits, the spaces between fingers and toes, and then the hair.
• Gently press the deceased's abdomen to expel waste from the stomach.
• Wash the entire body with water and soap until evenly covered.
• Wash in sequence from the top of the head to the soles of the feet, starting with the right side of the body, then the left side.
• Each part of the body should be washed three times.
• Turn the deceased onto the left side and wash the back of the right side.
• Turn the deceased onto the right side and wash the back of the left side.
• Rinse once more from the top of the head to the soles of the feet.
• Pour water mixed with camphor over the deceased's body.
• Perform the wudhu for the deceased just as you would for ordinary wudhu.
• Always handle the body gently and slowly, especially when turning it over and rubbing its limbs.
• If at this stage the body releases impurities, you must remove them and repeat the washing process.
• However, if impurities come out after the body has already been wrapped in the kafan, you only need to remove the impurities without washing the body again.
• For a female deceased, her hair must be let down and loosened from its bun. You must wash it until clean, dry it with a towel, and then braid it.
• Once the washing is finished, dry the body with a dry towel. Make sure the body is completely dry so the kafan does not get wet.
• Apply fragrance to the body before wrapping it in the kafan. Make sure the fragrance you use does not contain alcohol.
• Once the washing process is complete, you can continue to the procedure for burying the deceased.

Do You Understand How to Wash the Deceased?

The funeral process does take time and considerable cost. Funeral costs can be lighter when you use grief insurance and the services of an Event Organizer for funerals from Kamboja.

Now you understand how to wash the deceased and are ready to carry out this fardhu kifayah as an act of worship. May this be helpful!