three, five, or seven times, or more than that if you consider it necessary,” (1) according to whether the deceased’s body is clean or not. If it is clean, it should not be washed more than three times; but if it is not clean, the washing is repeated as much as needed.

According to the view that dry ablution is to be performed, a man or a woman strikes the dust with both hands and wipes the deceased’s face and hands with them.

IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR A MUSLIM TO WASH A DISBELIEVER OR BURY HIM; RATHER, HE IS TO BE BURIED DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF …

His statement, “It is forbidden for a Muslim to wash a disbeliever or bury him; rather, he is to be buried due to the absence of …” The reason for this prohibition is that Allah Most High said to His Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And never pray over any of them who dies, nor stand at his grave.” [al-Tawbah: 84] If prayer over a disbeliever is forbidden—although it is the greatest and most beneficial thing that can be done for the deceased—then whatever is lesser is even more clearly forbidden. Moreover, the disbeliever is impure, and purifying him does not remove his impurity, as Allah Most High says: “Indeed, the polytheists are impure.” [al-Tawbah: 28] This is also indicated by the implication of the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him: “Indeed, the Muslim does not become impure.” (2) Therefore, it is forbidden to wash him.

If it is said: Is the impurity meant in Allah’s statement, “Indeed, the polytheists are impure,” a spiritual impurity?

We say: Whoever has not purified his inward self from spiritual impurity cannot validly purify his outward self. For this reason, the scholars said: Islam is a condition for the validity of ritual bathing.