as stated above. But if neither his wife nor his female slave is among them, he is not washed. If his daughter or mother is among them, neither of them may wash him.

His statement, “or the reverse,” means that the reverse situation occurs: a woman dies among men. They may not wash her unless one of the men is her master or husband.

His statement, “she is given dry ablution, as is an indeterminate intersex person,” indicates that whenever washing the deceased is impossible, dry ablution is performed for them. This may occur in several cases:

First: these two situations: a woman dies among men, with none among them legally permitted to wash her; or a man dies among women, with none among them legally permitted to wash him.

Second: when the deceased is an indeterminate intersex person, as the author mentioned.

Third: when water is unavailable—for example, if someone dies in the open land and no water is available, dry ablution is performed for him.

Fourth: when washing the deceased is impossible because he has been burned; in that case, dry ablution is performed for him, as will come in the author’s words, may Allah have mercy on him. This is based on the view that the ritual purification of dry ablution serves in place of purification with water.

Some scholars said that one whose washing is impossible should not be given dry ablution, because the purpose of dry ablution is to worship Allah Most High by applying dust to the face and hands, and the deceased has no need for this. Rather, the purpose of washing the deceased is cleansing, as indicated by the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning the man whose neck was broken by his camel: “Wash him with water and lotus leaves” (1); and by his statement, peace and blessings be upon him, to the women who were washing his daughter: “Wash her