Washing the body (ghusl of the deceased)
Who washes the body, the method used, and the water and materials: the full sunnah way of washing (ghusl) a deceased Muslim.
Ghusl is the special washing given to a Muslim's body after they die, done with great care and respect, before they are wrapped and prayed over.
Someone in the community has to wash the body: this is called farḍ kifāyah. If enough people take care of it, everyone else is not blamed for not doing it. But if nobody does it at all, the whole community has failed in a duty.
1Who washes the body
- It is best if a close relative who knows how to do it washes the body.
- If no relative can do it, a good, trustworthy person should be chosen instead.
- Only the person washing and one helper should be in the room, not a crowd.
How the ghusl is done
- The body is laid down, and all clothes are taken off, but a cloth is kept covering from the tummy to the knees the whole time.
- The private areas are washed clean first, with the washer's hand wrapped in cloth.
- Wudu is done for the body, like the wudu we make before we pray, but no water is put in the mouth or nose. A wet cloth is used to clean the mouth and nose instead.
- A little cotton is placed in the mouth, nose and ears so no water gets inside.
- If there is hair, it is washed clean with something gentle, like soap.
- Warm water is poured over the whole body three times while it lies on its left side, then three times on its right side.
- The person washing gently supports the back and presses the stomach a little, to help anything left inside come out, if it does, it is simply washed away and does not spoil the ghusl already done.
- One last time, water with a little camphor in it is poured over the body three times.
- The cotton is taken out, the body is dried with a clean towel, and nice-smelling perfume and camphor are gently applied before the body is moved onto the shroud.
Washing the body of the deceased (ghusl al-mayyit) is a communal obligation, carried out with modesty and care before the body is shrouded.
Washing the deceased is farḍ kifāyah, a communal obligation. If a sufficient number of people undertake it, the rest of the community is absolved; if no one does, the whole community is in sin.
1Who washes, and where
- It is recommended that a close relative who knows how to perform the ghusl does so; failing that, a pious person should be chosen.
- Only the one performing the washing and a single helper should be present.
- The water should be warmed, with leaves of beri (lote/sidr) or khaṭmī (marsh-mallow) added to it.
- The plank or platform is cleaned beforehand and perfumed by circling an incense-holder around it three, five, or seven times, and incense is kept burning near the deceased until the washing is complete.
The method of ghusl
- Lay the body on the plank, feet towards the south or the qiblah, or as is convenient.
- Remove all the clothing, but keep a cloth covering the body from the navel to the knees throughout.
- With a cloth wrapped around the hand, wash and purify the private parts and clean off any impurity.
- Perform wudu for the body as in ordinary wudu, except that the mouth and nose are not rinsed with water directly: a wet cloth or cotton is used to clean inside the mouth, teeth and nose instead.
- Place cotton in the mouth, nose and ears to keep water from entering.
- If there is hair on the head or a beard, clean it with soap or hollyhock (khaṭmī) flowers so it is properly clean; this step is skipped if there is no hair.
- Lay the body on its left side and pour warm water three times from head to feet, letting it flow beneath the plank: this is the first wash.
- Turn the body onto its right side and repeat the same pouring three times.
- Support the body gently from the back and press the stomach lightly to help release anything remaining inside; if anything comes out, simply clean it away; this does not undo or interrupt the ghusl already performed.
- Turn the body back onto the left side and pour water mixed with camphor three times, again letting it flow beneath the plank: this is the third and final wash.
- Remove the cotton from the mouth, nose and ears, and dry the body with a clean cloth.
- Lift the body from the plank onto the prepared shroud, and apply perfume and camphor.
Ghusl al-mayyit is farḍ kifāyah: an obligation on the community as a whole that is discharged when enough people carry it out, and left unfulfilled by the whole community if no one does. The method set out below follows the main account, with the Supplement's parallel account (the-supplement/bathing-the-deceased-and-related-guidelines) matching it in every substantive detail except where noted.
Washing the deceased is farḍ kifāyah. Sufficient performance by some absolves the rest of the community; universal omission leaves the whole community at fault.
1| Point | As stated |
|---|---|
| Who should wash | A close relative who knows the method, preferentially; otherwise a pious person |
| Who is present | Only the washer and a single helper, not a wider gathering |
| The water | Warmed, with beri (sidr/lote) or khaṭmī (marsh-mallow) leaves added |
| The platform | Cleaned beforehand, and perfumed by circling an incense-holder around it three, five or seven times; incense kept burning near the body until the washing is finished |
The method of ghusl
- Lay the body on the plank, feet towards the south or the qiblah, or as convenient.
- Remove all clothing, retaining a cloth over the body from the navel to the knees throughout the washing.
- With the hand wrapped in cloth, wash and purify the private parts and remove any impurity present.
- Perform wuḍūʾ for the body as in the living person's wuḍūʾ, except that the mouth and nose are not rinsed with water directly; a wet cloth or cotton is used inside the mouth, teeth and nose in place of maḍmaḍah and istinshāq.
- Place cotton in the mouth, nose and ears, to prevent any fluid entering.
- Clean the hair of the head and any beard with soap or hollyhock (khaṭmī) flowers, so the hair itself is clean; omitted where there is no hair.
- Lay the body on its left side. Pour water, the source describes it here as mixed with neem leaves, over the body from head to feet three times, letting the water reach beneath the plank. This is the first wash.
- Turn the body to its right side and repeat the same pouring three times: the second wash.
- Support the body from behind and lift it slightly to press the stomach gently from top to bottom, encouraging any remaining discharge or impurity to come out. If anything is expelled, it is cleaned and washed off; this does not invalidate or repeat the washing already completed.
- Return the body to its left side and pour water mixed with camphor three times, letting it flow beneath the plank: the third and final wash.
- Remove the cotton from the mouth, nose and ears, and dry the body with a clean cloth.
- Lift the body from the plank and place it on the prepared shroud; apply perfume and camphor.
This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 874 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Funeral Washing the Body (Ghusl) Rules
- Washing the body of a deceased person is a communal obligation (Fard Kifayah).
- It is recommended for a close relative to perform the washing. If not, a pious person should be chosen.
- Only the person performing the ghusl and one other helper should be present.
- The water should be warmed and can have leaves of Beri or Khatmi (mallow flower) added to it.
- The platform (where the body will be washed) should be cleaned and perfumed with incense beforehand in such a way that take the incense holder and circle it around the plank three, five, or seven times.
- Keep burning incense near the deceased until the washing is done.
- Ghusl Process:
The method of giving a bath to the deceased is as follows: First, lay the body on a plank (with the feet facing south or the Qibla, or according to convenience). Then, remove all clothes from the body, except for a cloth covering from the navel to the knees. After that, the person giving the bath should wrap cloth around their hands, wash and purify the private parts, and clean any impurity from the body. Then, perform the ablution (wudu), but there is no need to rinse the mouth or nose. However, use a wet cloth or cotton to clean the mouth, teeth, and nose.
Once wudu is complete, place cotton in the deceased’s mouth, nose, and ears to prevent any fluid from entering. If there is hair on the head and beard, clean it with soap or hollyhock flowers, ensuring the hair is clean (if there is no hair, this step is not required).
Next, lay the deceased on their left side and begin pouring warm water mixed with neem leaves over the body, from head to feet, three times, ensuring the water reaches underneath the plank. (This is the first wash). Then, turn the body onto its right side and repeat the process three times. Afterward, the person giving the bath should support the body from the back and gently lift it slightly to clean the stomach from top to bottom. If any discharge or impurity comes out, clean it and wash it off (this does not interrupt the bath).
Finally, turn the body back to the left side, and pour water mixed with camphor three times, ensuring the water flows underneath the plank. (This is the third and final wash). After this, remove the cotton from the mouth, nose, and ears, and dry the body with a clean cloth. Then, lift the body from the plank and place it on the prepared shroud. Apply perfume and camphor.
Rulings of Funeral (Note)
Do not comb the deceased's hair, nor cut their hair, mustache, or nails. However, if a nail breaks, it should be removed.
The Supplement Bathing the Deceased and Related Guidelines
- Bathing the deceased is a communal obligation (fard kifaya), meaning it must be done, but if some people do it, others are excused.
- It is preferable for a close relative to bathe the deceased. If no family member knows how, then a pious person should perform the bath.
- Only the person bathing the deceased and their assistants should be present at the washing area.
- Heat water for washing, and boil it with lotus leaves or marshmallow (hibiscus leaves).
- Clean the table or platform where the body will be washed and scent it with incense (such as frankincense or agarwood) by circling the platform three, five, or seven times with the incense.
- Keep burning incense near the deceased until the washing is complete.
- Procedure for Bathing the Deceased:
- Lay the deceased on the platform, with feet pointing south or toward the Qibla, or as per convenience.
- Remove all clothes from the deceased but cover the area from the navel to the knees with a cloth.
- The person performing the bath should wrap a cloth around their hands, clean the private parts of the deceased, and ensure any unclean areas are washed.
- Perform ablution (wudu) for the deceased, but instead of making them rinse their mouth and nose, use a damp cloth or cotton to wipe inside the mouth and nose.
- Wash the hair and beard with soap or marshmallow leaves to remove dirt. If there’s no hair, skip this step.
- Lay the body on the left side, pour the warm water mixed with lotus leaves three times from head to toe until it flows under the platform.
- Repeat the same steps on the right side, pouring water three times.
- Finally, support the deceased from the back, gently pressing down on the stomach to release any residual impurities. If any comes out, wash only that part; it doesn’t affect the completed washing or ablution.
- Lay the body on the left side again, and pour water mixed with camphor three times until it flows under the platform. This is the final rinse.
- Dry the body with a clean cloth, remove it from the platform, place it on the shroud, and clean out the mouth, nose, and ears with cotton.
- If possible, apply perfume (e.g., ittar) on the head and beard, and apply camphor on the parts used for prostration in prayer (forehead, nose, palms, knees, and feet).
The Supplement Note
Do not comb the deceased’s hair or cut the nails. If a nail is broken, it can be removed.
Terms on this page
Related
- How to make the full bath (ghusl), step by step The full sunnah method of the full bath (ghusl) in order, from washing the hands to the final pouring, with the notes that make it valid.
- The shroud (kafan): pieces and how to wrap it How many pieces of cloth make up the shroud (kafan) for a man and for a woman, what cloth may be used, and the order of wrapping.
- Washing the dead (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.
- What the full bath (ghusl) is, and when it is required The definition of the full bath (ghusl), the occasions it is obligatory (fard), necessary (wajib), sunnah or recommended (mustahabb), the conditions for it to count, and its three obligations.