31.2 THE BOOK OF FUNERALS
SECTION:
The dead person’s money should be allocated for buying the shroud even before his debts are settled or used for any other reason. If he did not leave behind any money, then those who are responsible for his welfare should pay for the shroud, though the husband need not pay for the wife’s shroud.
“The dead person’s money should be allocated for buying the shroud even before his debts are settled or used for any other reason”: It is wajib that the shroud is brought using the money left behind by the deceased. It has a higher priority than settling his debt. This is because preparing for the burial of the deceased is more important than settling his debt, executing his will or giving out donations that he had stipulated before his death. When the man fell off his mount at Arafah and died, the Prophet(pbuh) said, “Shroud him in his clothes,” (Reported by al-Bukhari (2/96), (3/22) and Muslim (4/25) from the narration of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas.) and did not probe as to whether this man had debt or not. This proves that shrouding him has a higher priority than the other matters.
Similarly, when Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr and Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib were martyred in the battle of Uhud, they were shrouded in the clothes they were wearing.
A living bankrupt person who is indebted to people should be fed and his needs fulfilled before his money is distributed amongst his debtors. This is because these basic needs are essential for his life and so they are given priority over the settlement of his debt.
Thus, the shroud should be bought with his own money even if he has left behind an amount just enough to buy it.
“If he did not leave behind any money, then those who are responsible for his welfare should pay for the shroud”: If he did not leave behind any possessions or wealth and does not own a shroud, it becomes wajib upon those who are charged with his daily welfare while he was alive (for example his father, son or others from the male line) to buy the shroud on his behalf. If he does not have any relatives or they are not able to afford a shroud, then he is supplied with a shroud bought from the national treasury. If the national treasury is unable to do so, then it is wajib upon any Muslim who knew the deceased when he was alive to come forward and supply it. This is a communal obligation (fard kifayah) which when carried out by an individual, absolves the rest of the community of that obligation.
“Though the husband need not pay for the wife’s shroud”: The husband is charged with the welfare of his wife whilst she is alive. However, if she dies, he is not responsible for buying the shroud for her. Instead, her relatives, for example her father, grandfather, her nephew or others from the male line should buy it. The reasoning behind this view is that welfare has a correlation with companionship and this companionship ceases with death. Therefore, there is no reason for him to provide the shroud for his wife.
Another view by Imam Ahmad which is corroborated by some of the scholars is that the husband is obliged to provide the shroud for the wife as it is a duty of a husband to his wife.
It is mustahabb to shroud the man in three layers of white sheets of cloth. The sheets are smoked in scent and then laid spread out one on top of the other. Embalming scents (hanut) are placed in between the layers. He is placed on top of the sheets in a supine position. The embalming scent is also placed in a cotton cloth between the buttocks and its loose ends are tied up with a string that resembles a loincloth to gather the buttocks and the privates. The remainder of the scent is placed near the face and the places which come into contact with the ground when making prostration. If the whole body is scented then it is good.
Having explained the laws pertaining to the shrouding process and who should carry it out, the author shifts to the topic of how it is performed.
“It is mustahabb to shroud the man in three layers of white sheets of cloth. The sheets are smoked in scent and then laid spread out one on top of the other ”: The minimum size of the cloth used as a shroud should be enough to cover the whole body, male or female. This is wajib. Anything bigger is just mustahabb.
The male is shrouded in three layers of cloth as was the Prophet(pbuh). As in the hadith of Aishah, “The Prophet was shrouded in three cotton sheets from Suhuliyah, (This is an attribution to Sahuwal, a city in Yemen. There are other views regarding this. See al-Nihayat fi Gharib al-Hadith of Ibn Athir (2/347).) which did not include a shirt or a turban.” (Reported by al-Bukhari (2/95-97) and Muslim (3/49).)
One layer of cloth is spread out on the ground and another cloth is spread out on top of it, followed by the third layer. The deceased is then placed on top of it in a supine position. The right side of the top-most layer is placed on him followed by the left side. The same is done with the other two layers. The sheets should be longer than the person so that the ends can be tied up above his head and below his feet with a piece of cloth. The same is done at the middle of the body so that the layers will not unfurl. When the deceased is placed in the grave, these ties should be removed.
It is mustahabb to apply scent upon the shroud. It can be smoked in frankincense (bukhur) or sprinkled with perfumed water so that it smells sweet and pleasant.
It is mustahabb to shroud the body of a female in five outfits: The qamis i.e., the long outer garment that covers the body, the izar i.e., waist gown worn under the robe, the scarf on her head, and the two layers of cloth wrapped around the robe, waist gown and the scarf. This is the Sunnah.
“White”: White cloth is mustahabb to be used as a shroud. The Prophet(pbuh) said, “Wear white clothes and shroud your dead in it.” (Reported by Ahmad (1/231, 247), Abu Dawud (3878), al-Tirmidhi (994) and al-Nasa’i (8/149) from the narration of Abdullah ibn Abbas.)
However, it is permitted to use cloth of other colors though white is the best as the Prophet(pbuh) instructed such. He was also shrouded using three layers of white cotton cloth. (Mentioned previously.) Allah would not have chosen anything but the best for his Prophet(pbuh).
“Embalming scents (hanut) are placed in between the layers. He is placed on top of the sheets in a supine position. The embalming scent is also placed in a cotton cloth between the buttocks and its loose ends are tied up with a string that resembles a loincloth to gather the buttocks and the privates. The remainder of the scent is placed near the face and the places which come into contact with the ground when making prostration”: The embalming scent known as hanut is placed in between the sheets of cloth. Scent is placed on a piece of cloth that is then draped around the private parts and rear end and tied to the sides of the hip like a loincloth. This is to prevent any flow of any excretion from the body and it serves to cover the awrah of the deceased as well.
Scented cotton is also placed on his eyes, mouth and the areas that touch the ground when making prostration like the palms, forehead, nose, knees and the tips of the feet. This is in honour of these parts of the body. This is the process of scenting the body and the method in which to put it in the shroud and the body. This act is a Sunnah.
“If the whole body is scented then it is good”: Referring to the body of the deceased. This is the best method, and it was carried out by some of the Companions. (Reported by Abdul Razzaq in his Musannaf (7140) that Ibn ‘Umar used to scent the bodies with musk scattering all of them.)
Then the edge of the top-most layer is placed over the right side of his body followed by the edge of the opposite side being placed above it, and this is repeated with the second and third layers. An excess margin of the cloth is allowed above the head which is then brought together and tied. This knot is released when the deceased is placed inside the grave. It is permissible to shroud the body in a robe and a waist gown with a cloth wrapped around it. A female is shrouded in five garments: the waist gown, the veil, the robe and two layers of clothes wrapped around all of this. It is wajib to shroud the entire body.
This has already been explained.
By Shaykh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan
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