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:

AsSalam Alekum:

I have heard that, according to Sharia, the surviving spouse is forbidden from touching the spouse after his or her death.

Please let me know whether this is right and also give me the relative reference to the subject in quran or hadith.

I would very much appreciate your guidance on these  two points.

JzakAllah

(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:

Touch dead spouse

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There is absolutely nothing in the Glorious Quran or the authentic and established Sunnah which discourages, leave alone prohibits a spouse from touching the deceased body of their spouse!

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.

Leave alone the permissibility of being able to touch the deceased body of one’s spouse, it is absolutely permissible and lawful in Shariah for a husband to wash the body of his deceased wife, or for a wife to wash the body of her deceased husband….if indeed they wish or choose 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