Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

assalamolaikum wa rehmatullah he wa bara katuhou brother burhan

1)could you please tell me the significance of the white burial cloth? why white!

and secondly;

2)what is the significance of wearing white coloured ihram at umra/hajj

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Significance of white burial and ehram

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question-1): could you please tell me the significance of the white burial cloth? why white!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4382 Narrated by Abud Darda'

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The best thing in which to visit Allah in your graves and in your mosques is in white."

Narrated Ibn Abbas that the Prophet (saws) said: "Wear white clothes, for these are your best clothes, and enshroud your dead in them."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Daw'ud, and Tirmidhi

A burial cloth can be of any color, but it is the preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to enshroud the dead in a white burial cloth; as the color white is the best loved color by Allah Subhanah.

Your Question-2): what is the significance of wearing white coloured ihram at umra/hajj

It is not an obligatory condition of ‘ehram’ that the color of its cloth should be white; if one does not wish to wear white, one may wear the two pieces of cloth in any color one wishes.

Since white is the best loved color by Allah Subhanah, and as stated in the hadith above whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) encouraged the believers to visit the Mosques of Allah wearing white clothes, it is considered a preferred Sunnah to wear a white colored ‘ehram’ when performing the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah.

But if one cannot find a ‘white’ ehram, or one does not wish to wear a white ehram for any reason, there is absolutely no harm.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan