The Prophet said, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him”.

One of the most challenging moments in life is to bid farewell to someone we love or care for. As Muslims, we must trust Allah’s (S.W.T.) will and pray for the mercy and forgiveness of the deceased. 

When a Muslim dies, it is the responsibility of his family or other Muslims within the local community to wash him according to the Islamic rites of washing the deceased. Usually, three to four people will be involved with the actual ghusl (washing and shrouding). 

The persons who may wash the deceased should: 

• Be an adult Muslim, honest and trustworthy person
• Be of the same gender as the dead. For example, if the deceased is male, then ONLY males should wash him.
• For a child, either males or females may do the ghusl
• Know the Islamic way of washing the deceased and be able to carry out the ghusl
• It is recommended that those who performed the washing should make wudhu (ablution)

Place of washing: 

• The deceased’s body should be washed in a clean, secluded, private place where clean water and soap are available. Gloves must always be worn when handling and washing the deceased.
• The deceased’s body should be washed with water and, if available, lotus leaves or camphor (to be used in the final wash).
• The washing steps should be done at least three times the anymore odd number of times as necessary to cleanse.
• Always be mindful of infection control and protecting the person performing the Ghusl.
• Ensure that the Ghusl facility has disposable gloves, aprons, and face masks—bins for general rubbish as well as Hazardous waste bins for any contaminated waste removed from the body. Only use the hazardous bins for toxic waste as there is an additional fee incurred to dispose of this separately.

Steps of washing:

Privacy for the deceased is a crucial requirement at all times during the ghusl.

• The body of the deceased should be placed on a table, the deceased’s clothes should be removed, and the body should be covered with a sheet of cloth at all times during the ghusl.
• The Auwra (private parts) of the deceased should be covered with a sheet of cloth. The aura of a male is from the belly button to the knee in the presence of males, for the female is the same in the presence of females.
• The head and the upper body should be raised slightly to ensure the washing water with exudations from the body flows down and does not run back to the body.
• Remove any items or objects not already removed. These include watches, hospital or mortuary ID tags, wound dressings, IV lines, peg tubes, artificial limbs. If there is any active bleeding or wound discharge, then that may be padded and dressed.
• The washer should start washing by saying: “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah)
• The washer wears gloves or winds a piece of cloth around his hand, and with this, he cleans away any impurities from the body using water. Then he should dispose of the gloves.
• The washer should take another pair of gloves, press the stomach of the deceased lightly so as so to expel, if possible, any remnants from it, and then wash the body of all impurities using water. Then he should dispose of the gloves.
• The washer should take another pair of gloves, and wash the covered private parts, then dispose of the gloves.
• The washer should perform wudhu (ablution) for the deceased without inserting the water in the nose and in the mouth. May use a piece of wet cotton wool in a small roll to clean nose and front teeth.
• The washer should clean the body with water and soap (if available), starting from the head (hair, face, and beard in men), then the upper right side of the body, then the left side, after that the lower right side, then the lower left.
• In the case of a female, her hair should be loosened, washed, combed, and be braided in three braids and placed behind her back.
• The washing should be done three times, or five times, or seven times, as needed, providing that after washing the head, wash the right side before the left and the upper parts before the lower ones.
• In the last wash, the washer may use camphor or some perfume with the water.
• After that, the body should be dried with a clean towel.
• Then the body should be covered with a clean sheet. The auwra must be kept covered at all times.
• Get ready to start the shrouding.

Special note:

In case the deceased is a female in her menstrual period or has childbirth bleeding, padding should be used to prevent blood from leaving the body. Also, it is recommended that those who performed the washing should take a bath after completing the ghusl.

There is no Islamic teaching of reading the Quran or of making any special dhikr during the ghusl. All of this is based on authentic Hadith that Um Atiyah narrated that: “When the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) died, he instructed us: Wash her three times, or more than that if you feel it is necessary, with water and sidr (good smelling leaves), and then after the last wash apply some camphor to the body, then loosen her hair, wash it, comb it, and make it in three braids laid behind her back” (Bukhari & Muslim).

Al-kafan (Shrouding the dead muslim)

Shrouding should start immediately after washing the body of the deceased. It is recommended to use white sheets from inexpensive material. Extravagance is not recommended in the Kafan (Shroud). All measurements may vary depending on the stature of the deceased.

The material of the sheet should not have any stitching, not be silk, nor should any gold be used.

The Kafan of a male should consist of three white wrapping sheets and four tie ropes

• Outer sheet – Lifafah
• Second sheet – Izaar
• Third sheet – Qamees (shirt)
• 3-4 ties
• Two smaller sheets (satar) were used to cover the private parts (auwra), one before and the other after ghusl.

Steps of Shrouding:

• The wrapping sheets should be opened and spread out one on top of the other (if using one of our pre-packed kaffans, this is already done for you)
• Roll up the front half of the top sheet towards the head – Qamees (shirt)
• The deceased, covered with a sheet (satar), is lifted and laid on his back on this top sheet (Qamees)
• The Qamees is then unrolled over the front of the body and once the body is covered, then remove the satar (covering sheet)
• Some scent or perfume or sandalwood paste may be put on those parts of the body upon which one rests during prostration, that is, the forehead, nose, hands, knees, and feet.
• If it is possible, the deceased’s left hand should be placed on his chest, then put his right hand on the left hand like the way in the Salat (Prayer)
• The edge of the next sheet (Izaar) is then folded over the deceased right side, then the other edge over his left side.
• Then the last sheet (Lifafah) should be folded the same way.
• These sheets should be fastened with a piece of cloth (tie ropes), one above the head, another under the feet, and two around the body.
• This completes the shrouding for the male.

The Kafan of a female should consist of five white garments and four ties

• Outermost sheet – Lifafah
• Second sheet – Sinaband – to cover from under armpits to thighs
• Third sheet – Izaar
• Fourth layer – Qamees
• Last piece – Orni – to cover head and hair
• 3-4 ties
• Two smaller sheets (satar) were used to cover the private parts, one before and the other after ghusl

Steps of Shrouding:

• All the sheets should be spread out in layers (if you are using our pre-packed kaffan, this is already done as you open the kaffan)
• Roll up the front half of the top sheet towards the head – Qamees(shirt)
• The deceased, covered with a sheet (satar), is lifted and laid on her back on this top sheet (Qamees)
• The Qamees is then unrolled over the front of the body and once the body is covered, then remove the satar (covering sheet).
• Some scent or perfume may be put on those parts of the body upon which one rests during prostration, that is, the forehead, nose, hands, knees, and feet.
• The sinaband (loincloth) is bound round (acts like underwear).
• Put the head veil
• the deceased’s left hand should be placed on her chest, then put her right hand on the left hand like the way in the Salat (Prayer)
• The edge of the Izaar sheet is folded over the deceased right side, then the other edge over his left side.
• Then the last (Lifafah) sheet should be folded the same way
• These sheets should be fastened with a piece of cloth (tie ropes), one above the head, another under the feet, and two around the body.