FIQH 4.28: THE MARTYRS WHOSE BODIES MUST BE WASHED AND FOR WHOM FUNERAL PRAYER MUST BE PERFORMED
Those who are not killed in a battle by disbelievers, though they may be regarded as martyrs in Islamic law, should be washed and the funeral prayer said for them.
The bodies of such martyrs, during the Prophet’s time, were washed. Later on Muslims, during the days of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali, continued this practice (washing the bodies of such martyrs). We give below details about these martyrs.
Jabir ibn ‘Utaik reported that Allah’s Messenger said: “There are seven kinds of martyrs besides those killed in the cause of Allah:
1. a person who is killed in an epidemic,
2. a person who is drowned,
3. a person who has bed sores that cause fever and a bad cough resulting in his death,
4. a person who dies of a stomach disease,
5. a person who dies in a fire,
6. a person who dies under falling debris (in a disaster), and
7. a woman who dies during childbirth.” Ahmad, Abu Daw’ud and Nasa’i report this hadith based on sound authority.
Abu Hurairah reported that Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, asked: “Who do you consider to be a martyr?” They said: “O Allah’s Prophet, he who is killed fighting for the cause of Allah.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “(If this is so) then very few in my community will be martyrs! ” They asked: “Who else are they, O Allah’s Messenger?” He said: “He who is killed fighting for Allah’s cause is a martyr, he who dies in the cause of Allah is a martyr, he who dies in an epidemic is a martyr, he who dies from a stomach disease is a martyr, and the one who dies of drowning is (also) a martyr.” This hadith is narrated by Muslim.
Sa’id ibn Zaid reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “He who is killed while guarding his property is a martyr, he who is killed while defending himself is a martyr, and he who is killed defending his religion is a martyr, and he who dies protecting his family is (also) a martyr.” This hadith is narrated by Ahmad and Tirmizhi. The latter considers it a sound hadith.
Fiqh 4.28 a: A Disbeliever is not to be Washed
It is not necessary for a Muslim to wash a disbeliever’s body. Some scholars, however, consider it permissible. According to the Maliki and Hanbali schools, a Muslim may not wash a disbeliever’ s body even if he is one of his near of kin. Similarly a Muslim is not permitted to shroud him or bury him unless it is feared that the body would decompose because of weather conditions, or that it would attract predatory beasts, etc. In such a case, he may be buried in a hole and covered with dust. This opinion is based on a tradition transmitted by Ahmad, Abu Daw’ud, Nasa’i and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of Ali who said: “I said to Allah’s Messenger ‘Your uncle, the old misguided man, has passed away. ‘ The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘Go and bury your father and do not do anything else until you return to me’.” ‘ Ali said: “I did as he had told me and went back to him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered me to take a bath, and then he prayed for me.”
Ibn al-Munzhir says there is nothing specific reported from the Prophet, peace be upon him, about the procedure of washing the dead body.
Source: Fiqh us Sunnah
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