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:

Hi!

I am a dawood i bohra. My father died recently early in the morning. I had sex with my wife the previous night & did not get time for GUSUL because of many visitors at home & confusion all over. I had to step down in my father`s grave without GUSUL, i had performed just wudu.

Please reply what should i do,

(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:

Buried father without ghusl

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.

Dear and Beloved Brother, although the ghusl or full bath of sexual impurity is not an obligatory condition of one stepping in the grave to bury their loved ones; it is indeed an obligatory condition if one wishes to perform a prayer, including the burial prayer of the ‘janaza’. It is indeed preferred that one purifies oneself with a ghusl after sexual intercourse if one wishes to bury their loved ones; but if for any reason, one defiled with sexual impurities buries their loved one, there is no harm and no sin. But being pure from sexual defilement is indeed an obligatory condition of offering prayers, and if you prayed the burial prayer on the deceased knowing your condition of being impure from sexual defilement; then the prayer would not be valid.

Your Question: Please reply what should i do,

There is no particular ‘kaffarah’ or deed of atonement you need to do for what has happened, except seek the sincere repentance and forgiveness of your Lord for knowingly presenting yourself in prayer (if you offered the burial prayer) in a state of sexual defilement; it is expected that you will find your Lord Most Merciful and Oft-

Forgiving.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 54: When those come to you who believe in Our Signs, say: "Peace be on you! Your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy. Verily if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented and amended (his conduct), Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

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