In the Description of Shrouding the Dead Body;
The shrouding of the dead for the grave is ‘‘Fard-i-Kifayah”. Three pieces of cloth are required for a proper shrouding of the dead person zz. lower garment, shirt and a covering sheet; and only a wrapping sheet is also sufficient for this purpose. In case of an emergency, whatever is available; may be used for shrouding of the dead. The length of the lower garment should be from head to foot and the length of the shirt, without sleeves and collars, should be from neck to foot. And the modern theologians have written that it is also better to tie a turban on the head of a dead scholar but the end of the turban should be towards his mouth.
The shroud of the dead body consists of five pieces of cloth vzz. Shirt, lower garment, covering sheet, wrapper and a bodice. Only a wrapping cover and covering sheet is also sufficient. The shirt should be in length from shoulders to ankles and the bodice from chest to the knees. The covering sheet should in length, be. two hands, and in width, two spans. The lower garment and the wrapping cover be from head to foot. In case of necessity, two clothes for a female and one cloth for a male can also suffice but it is not desirable in ordinary circumstances.
As regards the boys and girls nearing maturity, the law in their case is the same as in the case of men and women. One piece of cloth of inferior quality for an infant dead bony and two pieces of cloth of inferior quality for an infant dead girl would be sufficient.
It is not desirable to shroud the male with pure silk and cloth dyed in saffron but, in the case of a female, it is permissible to do so.
White cloth is the best for shrouding purposes, and the new and the old cloth are equally good. If the dead is a rich person and he leaves behind a small family it is advisable to give him proper shrouding and if the dead is not wealthy and he leaves behind a large family, then it is desirable to shroud him in an ordinary cloth.
This is how the dead body is to be shrouded. Firstly the coffin should be fumigated with fragrance either for once or for thrice or for five times. Then, in the case of a male, the cover should be spread upon which the lower garment should be put, and then the dead should be laid on it and later on the dead should be made to lie on the upper garment. And the head, the beard and the whole body be perfumed.
However, the fragrance of saffron should not be used for the male. And camphor should be pasted on the forehead, nose, both hands, both knees and both the feet of the dead. After that, the left side of the pair of trousers and then the right side of it should be rolled up. Similarly, the outer cover be wrapped and then the knot is tied.
If it is the dead body of a woman the bodice should be spread first and then the wrapping cover put on it and afterwards, the dead body be placed on it and after that, it should be made to wear the shirt. And her hair should be divided into two parts and placed on both sides of the shirt. The hair on both sides be covered by putting on the covering sheet on her head, and the lower garment be put over it, then the covering sheet should be put in the same manner and, after that, the bodice be wrapped up to the knees by placing it on the chest and then drawing it through the armpits. In shrouding and perfuming the dead, those wearing pilgrim’s dress or otherwise are equal.
And the dead, who has not left any property, the responsibility of his shrouding lies upon him who was responsible for his maintenance during his lifetime. And the shrouding of the woman is the responsibility of her husband. And if the husband is very poor the people of his neighbourhood are obliged to undertake this responsibility. If a traveller or a poor man dies his coffin may be purchased by collecting donations from the people, and if some amount is left it may be returned to the person who contributed it, otherwise, it should be used for shrouding of another poor person in case of his death. And if there is no opportunity for it, it would be spent in charity.
Chart of the details of clothes required for shrouding the dead.
Name of the Approxipiece of Length Width mate Remarks, cloth measurement
1. Trouser Two From one From head If the cloth is of 14, 15
yards yard to two or 16 girahs there it yards should be 1} width. 2, Covering Two From one 4 girahs If the cloth is of 14, 15 sheet yards yard to two morethan or 16 girahs then it yards the trouser should be 1} width. Shirt of Twoyards One yard From should- It should be made of a ‘Kafni’ to 2.2 yards to the cloth whose width shank should either be 14 girahs or one yard. It is put on through the neck after - dividing it into two equal parts and making slits into it.
Bodice Two yards One yard From the should be made of under part cloth whose width of the arm should either be 14 to the knees girahs or one yard. It is of the Approxi- + Piece of Length Width mate Remarks cloth measurement is put on through the neck after dividing it into two equal parts and making slits into it. §. Cloth One yard 3/4 yard Upto The hair of the head is worn (12 girahs) place where placed on the right and round it may reach the left sides of the chest after dividing them into head two parts and wrapping them into it.
ACCESSORIES OF THE SHROUDING (GRAVE CLOTHES)
1. A cloth worn around the waist.
In length, it should be 1/4 yard more than the bulk of the body of the dead. For a fat man, one yard’s length is sufficient, which in width, from navel to the shank of the leg, should be 7/8 yards (14 girahs). Its number should be two.
2. Glove.
Its length and width should be 6 girahs (3/4 yard) and 3 girahs (3/16 yard) respectively. It should be made according to the measurement of the hands. Its: number should also be two.
3. Other goods. Two pitchers, one pot, one bathing board, Loban (a kind of incense), cotton, flowers, camphor according to the requirement, and board or log for the grave according to the measurement of the dead.
4. In the Description of Carrying the Dead Body to the Graveyard According to Shari‘ah the right manner for the ~carriage of the dead body to the graveyard is this: four men holding the four legs of the cot upon their shoulders should walk forward.
They should change their shoulders at ten steps this act should be done in the same manner as the four legs of the cot carrying the dead: It would be more advisable if the man, carrying the dead, put his shoulder first under the leg on the front side of the cot and, after walking up to ten steps, under the hind leg of the cot.
Then, he should again put his left shoulder under the other leg of the front side and at a ten-step distance, should place on his shoulder the hind leg of the cot. In the same manner, every person should change his shoulders while carrying the dead to the graveyard.
And if the dead is an infant or is a child; it is permissible to carry his corpse by placing it on the hands. While carrying the funeral, we should walk in haste, but we should not be so fast that the bier is jolted. The head of the dead should remain on the front side. The men going along with the funeral should not walk on the right and left of the bier but should walk behind it moving forward calmly. To walk in front of the bier is also lawful. Ifthe bier is carried far away, then we can walk fast and run to join the funeral.
To walk on foot is most appropriate. It is also permissible to go by conveyance but it is improper if it goes ahead of the funeral. If the bier is that of a neighbour or of a relative or of a pious man, then to accompany it, is more propitious than to observe voluntary prayer. The men going along with the bier should remain quiet. Discussion, supplication or recitation of the Holy Qur’an loudly, when going along with the bier, is not desirable.
On reaching the graveyard, it is improper to sit down before placing the funeral on the ground. And it is more excellent to stand unless the grave becomes even after putting into it the clay. It is unlawful to moan, to weep loudly or to talk of misfortune and to tear the clothes at the house of the dead or while going along with the bier, as these are the rites of ignorance.
[ We must refrain from such practices. To weep quietly is no sin and patience is no doubt, very rewarding. And the women should not go along with the funeral. If | a woman joins the funeral procession and starts weeping, we should desist her from doing so. It is better that | ‘the relatives of the dead should carry the funeral. And it is also lawful to carry the funeral on remuneration.
Allah
/ Prophet /Rasulullah/ علیہ السلام /رضي الله عنه /رَحِمَهَا ٱللَّٰهُ
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