Preparing For Eternal Life

Chapter Five : Steps in Administering the Bath

1. Laws of Gender of the person administering the bath:

a) The person must be a male bathing the corpse of a male and a female bathing the corpse of a female. The exception to this rule being if there is no other person to administer the bath and that the private parts of the body are concealed [Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), p124]

b) A husband is allowed to bathe his wife and she is allowed to bathe him but it is Makrooh for both of them to look at the private parts of the corpse [Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), p124].

c) A woman can administer the bath to the corpse of a male child up to the age of three years concealing from view the private parts, and a man can bathe the corpse of a female of the same age, concealing her private parts. This is irrespective of there being someone of the same sex available to bathe the child [Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), p124].

2. Preparation:

a) To administer the bath, it is recommended that it be in a private room and that there is adequate light provided.

b) The deceased must be placed on a platform or plank rising above the floor. A second board can also be utilised to ensure that cleanliness is maintained.

c) Their head needs to be slightly higher than the rest of the body.

b) The body needs to be uncovered for washing except for the genital area.

c) Place a tank/large dish at the base of the feet so that the water can be collected there.

d) The administrator will be required to give three consecutive purification baths to the deceased, following the same procedure each time, but with new water on each occasion.

e) If the deceased is in a state of pollution due to the discharge of semen (Junub) or in the state of mensis ( Haaiz), the Junub or Haaiz bath need not be administered in addition to the three purification baths.

3. Niyyat

The administrator must recite their Niyyat as an essential part of their duty and it has to be said this way:

"for the pleasure of God as the ultimate end in view I administer bath to this corpse with "plum-tree leaves" for first bath, for second bath say "with camphorised water', for the third bath say. "with pure water".

It is fine to think the niyyat and not pronounce the words if you are not able.

If the plum-tree leaves or camphorised water are not available, the niyyat should be as follows:

"for the pleasure of God as the ultimate end in view I administer bath to this corpse with pure water instead of water with plum-tree leaves or instead of camphorised water."

If there are more than one person administering the bath, then all parties involved must say separate Niyyats. Separate Niyyats must be formed for each bath. [Sayyid, Hadi Husayn (1988), p129]

4. Wuzu and Position

The administrator must thrice wash his/her face, hands and elbows up to the shoulders and needs to stand on the right hand side of the body.

5. Remove any Objects

The administrator needs to remove any objects, eg jewellery that may inhibit the water form coming in contact with the skin.

6. Removal of Excreta

Press gently on the stomach of the deceased three times in a downward motion to remove any excreta from the body. Wash the area, using gloves, when excreta has been removed. [ special precautions should be adhered to if the deceased was known to have died from AIDS ]

N.B. Please take note that you do not press the stomach of a pregnant woman. According to one source, the stomach is to be pressed once only prior to the three baths, and other sources narrate that the stomach is pressed prior to the three baths, between bath one and two, and then again between two and three.

7. Genital Area

With gloves on wash the genital area of the deceased thrice using plum-tree leaf water.

8. Wudu of the Deceased

It is Mustahab (commendable) to administer wudu (ablution of the face and forearms) for the deceased prior to the three purification baths.

9. The Three Baths:

The administrator will be required to give three consecutive purification baths to the deceased, following the same procedure each time, but with new water on each occasion.

a) The first bath is recommended that plum-tree leaves be immersed in purified (unpolluted) water. b) The second bath is recommended that camphor be added to purified (unpolluted) water. c) The third bath is recommended that pure water be used only.

N.B. If the plum-tree leaves or camphor are not available, it is recommended that pure water be used on all occasions. If there is limited water, Tayammum is recommended for the first and second baths, and that pure water is used on the third bath.

Bath with Plum-Tree Water (Bath with Aab-I-Sidr)

The quantity of water should be six mashks (water-skins)

i) Niyyat: "for the pleasure of God as the ultimate end in view I administer bath to this corpse with "plum-tree leaves"

ii) Start by pouring plumtree leaf water over the head and neck of the deceased, being careful not to get the water in the nose or ears. The head and neck should be washed three times.

iii) With the hand being in contact with the deceased body at all times to ensure the water reaches all parts of the body, turn the body onto it's left hand side to wash the right hand side three times, right down to the feet.

iv) The deceased should then be laid on his/her right hand side and the left hand side of the body should be washed thrice.

v) The deceased then is placed on their back.

N.B. If the body is damaged, please be careful not to dismember limbs.

Bath with Camphorised Water (Bath with Aab-I-Kaafoor)

The stomach of the deceased should be pressed once again, in a downwards motion, to remove any excreta that still may be remaining in the body. The area needs to be washed and the administrator needs to wuzu their own hands up to the elbows once again. After this he/she needs to recite their Niyyat:

"For the pleasure of God as the ultimate end in view I administer bath to this corpse with "camphorised water" The bath then is performed in the same manner as the first bath.

Bath with Pure water (Bath with Aab-I-Khalis)

It is Mustahab (commendable) that the person administering the bath should again wudu both his/her hands up to the elbows. Both the water pourer and the administrator should then recite Niyyat once again:

"For the pleasure of God as the ultimate end in view I administer bath to this corpse with "pure water" The bath then should be performed in the same manner, as bath numbers one and two.

When completed the body must be wiped dry with a pac (free from contaminants) cloth and so much so that all the water is soaked up so the Kafan may not become wet. Some cotton should be placed on the arms and the vulva of the deceased so that any impurity, which may come out, may not spoil the Kafan. If the hair or the nails of the deceased should become detached during the process of washing the body, these should also be placed within the Kafan. [Qummi, Shaikh Abbas (1999)]

The administrator needs to Wuzu (ablution) his/her face and forearms after bathing the deceased.

If the administrator of the bath also has the duty of shrouding the deceased, they must also wash both their own feet up to their knees. The "Do Nots"

Do not bathe the deceased in a seated position

Do not place the deceased between the feet of the administrator

Do not shave the head or remove any hair from the body of the deceased

Do not cut the nails or scratch the skin from under the nails

Do not comb the hair

Do not move across the body of the deceased

Do not use hot water

Do not throw the bath water into the latrine

Do not press the stomach of a pregnant woman

Be careful not to dismember limb of a damaged body

It is improper to disclose any organic defect on the body of the deceased to any other person.