Society Ghusl of the Deceased
Can a Husband give Bath to his Wife after her Death?
Question:- I have heard a Hadees that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Hazrat Ayesha (R.A.) that if you die before me, I will give you the Bath and Shroud (Kafn). Similarly, it is renowned about Hazrat Ali (R.A.) that he gave Bath to Hazrat Fatima (R.A.) after her death. So, is it permissible for a husband to give Bath to his wife after her death? If not, then what do we say about the aforementioned Ahadith?
Answer:- In this case, it is not permissible for a husband to give bath to his deceased wife, on the contrary, if a husband dies and there is no other man available to give him bath, then his widow can give bath to him in such a state of compulsion. But in no condition is it permissible for a husband to give bath to his deceased wife. The reason is that upon the death of his wife, the marriage has reached its end and the wife has become a stranger woman for the husband. On the contrary, in the event of a husband’s death, the wife is still subject to conditions like Iddat (Probationary Period) and therefore, in a way, is still his wife. Therefore, in the case of such compulsion, a wife can give bath to her deceased husband. However, in routine circumstances, it is the duty of other men to give bath and perform the burial of another man.
