Death.docx

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raajioon
(sahih al bukhari volume 2, book 23, #430)
(sahih al bukhari volume 2, book 23, #410)
(sahih al-bukhari voume 2, book 23 #332)
(sahih al-bukhari volume 2, book 23, #346)
(sahih al-bukhari volume 2, book 23, #353)
(shahih al-bukhari volume 2, book 23, #354)
(sahih al-bukhari volume 2, book 23, #358)
A pilgrim
Companion of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Due to their special status, a Muslim is recommended to say "may Allah be pleased with him" upon mentioning the name of any sahaabiyy.
Al Musnad (4/105 and 16521)
An Islamic term referring to recommended or favored or virtuous actions.

Question Briefly explain the procedure for washing the dead. In your answer include the following
1. An Introduction in which you also highlight the reward for the washing of the dead
2. How to wash
3. Shrouding of the body
4. Discuss about the recitation of Surah Yaseen during any stage of the procedure
5. A conclusion:
Question Briefly explain the procedure for washing the dead. In your answer include the following
1. An Introduction in which you also highlight the reward for the washing of the dead
2. How to wash
3. Shrouding of the body
4. Discuss about the recitation of Surah Yaseen during any stage of the procedure
5. A conclusion:



Answer:
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Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the world, and may His blessings and peace be upon our prophet Muhammad and his entire household & his companions.
A death is a loss in this worldly life. Because Allah, Magnificent be He, says in the Noble Quran, "Surely, We will test you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient ones".
[Quran Al-Baqarah : 155]
"Every soul will experience the agony of death and to Me you will all return."
[Quran Al- Ankabut : 57]
As stated in the noble Quran, death is inevitable. When the news of death reaches the family and the friends, the first thing they should say is the following Quranic verse, "Truly, To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return"
[Quran Al- Baqarah 156]
This dua is known in Arabic as al-istirja.

In Islam the dead body has to be taken care with utmost respect & kindness. A dead body is to be washed before being buried, except for martyrs. Narrated Jabir, the prophet said" bury them (the martyrs) with their blood" (that was) on the day of the Battle of Uhud. He didn't get them washed.
Allah's Apostle has given us the instructions on how to carry out this process through his narrations and commandments. Moreover, he has stated the rewards for doing this act.
Narrated Abu Hurairah that Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever attends the funeral processions till he offers the funeral prayer for it, will get a reward equal to one Qirat, and whoever accompanies it till burial, will get a reward equal to two Qirats. It was asked. "What are two Qirats?" He replied, "Like two huge mountains"
Narrated by Abu Hurairah I heard that Allah's Apostle saying that "the rights of the muslims on muslims are to follow the funeral processions, to accept invitations & to reply to the sneezer."
How to wash the body
It is recommended that the body be placed on an elevated surface, such as a table or a board. The body should be laid out, removed of its garments and its joint loosened, if possible. Private parts should be screened by a cloth so that the washers wouldn't be able to look at the pubic area of the dead. The head of the dead has to be titled until the body is almost in a seated position then his stomach is squeezed to expel any remaining impurities. A cloth should be used to wash the dead. As prophet (pbuh) has guided us, we are to start washing the body from the right side, Um Atiyya (RA) narrated that he (pbuh) said regarding his (dead) daughter's bath, "Start with right side, and the parts which are washed in the ablution"
The whole body must be washed with water, at least once. Regardless of whether the deceased is a male needed a ritual bath or female who was menstruating at the time of her death. The water used for this process could be added with soap or any such agent. Umm Atiyya Al Ansariya (RA) narrated , one of the daughters of the Prophet expired and he came to us said "wash her with sidr (water) for odd number of times, i.e. three five or more if you think it necessary, and in the last put camphor (or camphor on her), and when you finish notify me. "So when we finished we informed him. He gave his waist-sheet to us (to shroud her). We entwined the hair (of the deceased girl) in to three braids and make them fall on her back"
Shrouding the body
Shrouding the body is obligatory, based on the commands of the prophet (pbuh). It has to be done immediately after the body is washed and dried. The shroud has to be simple, preferably cotton so that it composes quickly along with the body, and the number of sheets should not exceed three.
However, the number of shroud used to wrap the body can be as few as one. It could also be two. But the preferable number is three, as prophet (pbuh) was shrouded in three sheets. It was narrated by Aisha (RA) that, "Allah's Apostle was shrouded in three white Yemenite suhuliya (pieces of cloth) of cotton and in them there was neither a shirt nor a turban."
Narrated Ibn Abbaas: A man fell from his mount and died while he was with prophet at 'Arafat. The prophet said "wash him with water & sidr and shroud him in two pieces of cloth and neither perfume him nor cover his head, for Allah will resurrect him on the Day of Resurrection saying 'labbaik'."
It is recommended that the shroud be perfumed with incense thrice except for the muhurim, as mentioned above.
Recitation of surah Yaa seen to the dying one.
Though the recitation of this specific chapter has no authentic basis, it could be counted as the "good things" to be said to the dying one.
Ahmad narrated that Safwaan said: The shaykhs told me that they were present with Ghudayf ibn al-Haarith al-Thumaali (a Sahaabi) when his death throes grew intense. He said: Is there anyone among you who can recite Yaa Seen? Saalih ibn Shurayh al-Sakooni recited it and when he reached the fortieth verse, he passed away. The shaykhs used to say: If it is recited in the presence of the dying person, he finds relief thereby. Safwaan said: 'Eesa ibn al-Mu'tamari narrated it in the presence of Ma'bad.
This view was favored by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (rahimahullah), who said in al-Ikhtiyaaraat (p. 91): 
"Reciting Qur'aan over the deceased after he has died is a bid'ah (innovation), unlike reciting for the one who is dying, when it is mustahabb to recite Yaa Seen. "
However, the Surah mentions a lot about rewards for the righteous believer in the hereafter, which might relieve the dying one.

Conclusion
Funeral processions are to be completed without contradicting to the footsteps of our prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the laws of Allah (swt). These acts are to be performed by knowledgeable people, preferably from the family. The family of the deceased has to be patient and pray for Allah's mercy for him and refrain from wailing over the deceased. It was narrated by Al-Mughirah, I heard the prophet saying, "Ascribing false things to me is not like ascribing false things to anyone else, whosoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then surely let him occupy his seat in Hell fire". I hear the prophet saying, "The deceased who is wailed over is tortured for that wailing"
May Allah make it easy on us when our beloved ones leave us. May Allah make us follow the commands of Him and his messenger (pbuh).
Ameen.

Bibliography

Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin al-Mughira al-Jafai (2009). Sahih Al-Bukhari (1 ed., Vol. 23). (M. al-Almany, Ed., & M.Muhusin Khan, Trans.) Dar-us-salam.
Islam Questions and Answers (1997) Reciting surah Yaa Seen for the dying person. Retrieved from http://islamqa.info/en/72201
Islam Questions and Answers (1997) Is there a reward for preparing the deceased for burial? Retrieved from http://islamqa.info/en/12193
Funerals according to the Quran and Sunnah (2013) Retrieved from http://sunnahonline.com/library/fiqh-and-sunnah/276-funerals-according-to-the-quran-and-sunnah