Ghusl: who may wash whom, and special cases
Who is allowed to wash whose body, and what to do for a martyr, a newborn, a drowned person, a decayed body, or when water or a same-sex washer is not available.
There are a few special situations where the usual way of washing a body changes a little. Here are the important ones.
Who is allowed to wash whom
- A man washes a man, and a woman washes a woman. A woman cannot wash a man's body, and a man cannot wash a woman's body, even if they are close relatives who could normally see each other, like a brother and sister.
- A wife is allowed to wash her husband's body. A husband is not allowed to wash his wife's body.
- A boy or girl who has not yet reached the age where they would start covering up (puberty) can be washed by either a man or a woman.
- If a woman dies somewhere with no other women around, or a man dies somewhere with no other men around, dry ablution (tayammum) is given instead of a full ghusl.
If a baby dies right after being born alive, giving them a ghusl is obligatory.
If a baby is stillborn, it is better to give them a ghusl too, even though it is not the same as for a baby born alive.
A martyr, someone killed while fighting for the sake of Allah, is not given a ghusl at all, and the blood is not washed off. They are buried just as they were.
A few more special cases
- If a body has decayed a lot, simply pouring water over it is enough.
- If only part of a body is found, a ghusl is given if it is more than half the body, or the half that includes the head. Otherwise, no ghusl is needed.
- If someone drowned, they are given a ghusl. If the water was murky and moving the body in the water three times is all that is possible, that is enough.
- If there is no water at all, tayammum is done instead, and the body is buried. If water becomes available before the burial, the ghusl should then be given.
A number of special situations affect how, or whether, ghusl is given.
If a child dies immediately after being born alive, giving them a ghusl is obligatory.
If the child is stillborn, whether or not the limbs are fully formed, it is better (mustaḥabb) to give them a ghusl as well.
| Situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| The general rule | The washer must be someone permitted to see the deceased unclothed. A woman may not wash a man, nor a man a woman, even if they are mahram (a relationship within which marriage is forbidden, such as siblings). |
| A wife and her husband | A wife may give her husband ghusl, provided the marriage was still valid at the time of death. A husband may not give his wife ghusl. |
| A minor boy or girl | Either a man or a woman may wash a boy or girl who has not yet reached, or is not close to, puberty. |
| No washer of the same sex is available | Tayammum is given in place of ghusl. If the deceased is not a mahram or spouse of those present, they must wrap a cloth around their hands first; this is not necessary if the deceased is a mahram or spouse. |
| Case | What is done |
|---|---|
| A badly decayed body | Pouring water over it is sufficient. |
| Only part of the body is found | Ghusl is given if more than half the body, or the half including the head, is present. Otherwise, no ghusl is required. |
| Death by drowning | Ghusl is given. If the water is murky, moving the body within the water three times, with the intention of washing, is sufficient. |
| No water is available | Tayammum is performed and the body is buried. If water becomes available before burial, the ghusl should then be given. |
| Already buried without ghusl | If no soil has yet been added, the body is removed, given ghusl, and reburied. If soil has already been placed, it is not removed. |
If a person who themselves requires ghusl, or a non-Muslim, gives the ghusl to the deceased, the washing is valid, but it is disliked (makruh).
Taking payment for giving the ghusl is not permissible for one person doing it alone. Where several people share the washing between them, taking payment is permitted.
The main account (rulings-of-funeral/note#p2) and the Supplement's parallel list (the-supplement/note#p2) agree on every substantive point below except one, noted separately.
| Situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| The general principle | The washer must be someone lawfully permitted to see the deceased's body. A woman may not wash a man, nor a man a woman, even where they are mahram to one another. |
| A wife and her husband | A wife may perform ghusl for her husband, provided the marriage was still valid (i.e. not dissolved) at the time of death. A husband may not perform ghusl for his wife. |
| A minor boy or girl | Either sex may wash a boy or girl who has not reached, and is not close to, puberty. |
| No same-sex washer present | Tayammum is given in place of ghusl. A cloth must be wrapped around the hands first if the deceased is not a maḥram or spouse of those present; this is unnecessary where they are. |
If a child dies immediately after being born alive, ghusl for them is obligatory (wājib al-ightisāl per the wording used, rendered here as farḍ, matching the level word used elsewhere in this manual for an obligatory act).
For a stillborn child, whether or not the limbs have fully formed, it is preferable (mustaḥabb) to give ghusl as well, though it is not obligatory as it is for one born alive.
| Case | What is done |
|---|---|
| A badly decayed body | Pouring water over it is sufficient. |
| Only part of the body is found | Ghusl is given if more than half the body, or the half including the head, is present; otherwise it is not required. |
| Death by drowning | Ghusl is given. Where the water is murky, moving the body within the water three times with the intention of washing is sufficient. |
| No water available | Tayammum is performed and burial proceeds; if water becomes available before burial, the ghusl is then given. |
| Already buried without ghusl | Before soil is added: the body is exhumed, washed, and reburied. After soil has been added: it is not disturbed. |
Ghusl performed by someone in a state requiring ghusl themselves (junub), or by a non-Muslim, is valid but makrūh.
Taking payment is not permissible where one person alone performs the washing; it is permitted where several people share the task between them.
On the martyr (shahīd): the main account states without qualification that a martyr is not given ghusl and the blood on the body is not washed off; burial is in the condition of death. The Supplement's parallel item adds a qualification, worded as follows: "Martyrs should not be washed unless they died in a state of impurity, such as after menstruation, or if they were young, mentally ill, or menstruating women. If proven to be menstrual blood, martyrs should be washed after three days and nights of menstruation."
Related
- The funeral prayer: ruling and conditions Why the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) is fard kifayah, its conditions, who has the right to lead it, and when it may not be prayed.
- Washing the body (ghusl of the deceased) Who washes the body, the method used, and the water and materials, the full sunnah way of giving ghusl to a deceased Muslim.
- How to make ghusl, step by step The full sunnah method of ghusl in order, from washing the hands to the final pouring, with the notes that make it valid.
- Miscellaneous rules of death and burial Seeing the deceased's face, a spouse's rights, handling a non-Muslim relative's body, visiting graves, and how long mourning lasts.