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:

Assalamu wa alaikum rehmathullahi barakatahu
Brother
I ask Allah to guide me in this matter regarding Why a husband should not touch the dead body of his wife while lowering her in the grave or setting her in the grave. where as he is the only person to be her shareek a haya?. Her meharam can do i know that if none are there? 

(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:

Husband wash wife body brial grave

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.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.31

The jurists are agreed on the permissibility of a wife washing the body of her dead husband. Hadrat Aishah (r.a.) said: "Had I known then what I know now, I would not have allowed anyone, except his wives, to wash the body of the Prophet (saws)." Related by Ahmad,Abu Daw'ud, and by al-Hakim.

The majority of scholars consider it permissible, as is shown by a report, narrated by ad-Daraqutni and Al-Baihaqi, that Hadrat Ali (r.a.) washed the body of his deceased wife Hadrat Fatimah (r.a.) upon her death. This is also supported by a hadith that the Prophet (saws) said to 'Aishah: "If you die before me, I will myself wash you and enshroud you." Related by Ibn Maajah.

There is absolutely no harm or restriction in Islam if a husband touches the body of his deceased wife, or washes the body of his deceased wife in preparation of her burial, or lowers the body of his deceased wife in the grave, if he wishes to do so.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan