Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/274)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

It is disliked for anyone other than one assisting with the washing to be present. Then he raises the deceased’s head to a position near sitting upright, gently presses his abdomen, and pours water abundantly at that point, …

His statement, “It is disliked for anyone other than one assisting with the washing to be present”: “being present” is the passive subject; that is, it is disliked for anyone to be present except one whose assistance is needed. This is because the deceased may have something that he would not wish people to see, such as wounds, or a defect such as vitiligo or the like, which he would not wish people to see.

The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that no one should be present, even if he is one of the deceased’s relatives—for example, his father, his son, or the like—because there is no need for him.

It was mentioned previously that, from the moment of death, the deceased is placed upon the washing bier. Therefore, it need not be asked: Should we wash him on the ground, or should we wash him on the bier? This is understood from what preceded.

His statement, “Then he raises his head to a position near sitting upright, gently presses his abdomen, and pours water abundantly at that point,” means that after stripping him and covering his private parts, he raises his head to a position near sitting upright—that is, a clear and noticeable raising—and gently presses his abdomen so that whatever is ready to emerge may come out. This is because all the deceased’s nerves relax. Thus, when his head is raised in this manner and his abdomen is gently pressed, there may be some filth in his abdomen ready to emerge, and it will come out. If this procedure were left undone, then, when the deceased is moved while being carried, turned during the washing, or shrouded, that which was ready to emerge might come out. For this reason, the jurists, may Allah have mercy on them, said that his head should be raised to a position near sitting upright, then his abdomen gently pressed, as the author has stated.

As for a pregnant woman, her abdomen is not pressed, lest the fetus be expelled.

وَيُكْرَهُ لِغَيْرِ مُعِينٍ فِي غَسْلِهِ حُضُورُهُ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى قُرْبِ جُلُوسِهِ، وَيَعْصِرُ بَطْنَهُ بِرِفْقٍ، وَيُكْثِرُ صَبَّ الْمَاءِ حِينئِذٍ، ............ قوله: «ويكره لغير معين في غسله حضوره». «حضوره» نائب الفاعل أي: يكره أن يحضره شخص إلا من احتيج إليه لمعونته؛ وذلك لأنه ربما يكون في الميت شيء لا يحب أن يطلع عليه الناس، كالجروح، أو أن فيه عيباً من برص أو نحوه لا يحب أن يطلع عليه الناس. وظاهر كلام المؤلف أنه لا يحضر ولو كان من أقاربه، مثل أن يكون أباه أو ابنه، أو ما أشبه ذلك، لأنه لا حاجة إليه. وسبق أنه من حين أن يموت يوضع على سرير تغسيله، فلا يقال: هل نغسله على الأرض أو نقول: نغسله على السرير؟ لأن هذا مفهوم مما سبق. قوله: «ثم يرفع رأسه إلى قرب جلوسه، ويعصر بطنه برفق، ويكثر صب الماء حينئذٍ»، أي: بعد أن يجرده ويستر عورته يرفع رأسه إلى قرب الجلوس أي: رفعاً بيّناً، ويعصر بطنه برفق؛ لأجل أن يخرج منه ما كان متهيئاً للخروج؛ لأن الميت تسترخي كل أعصابه، فإذا رفع رأسه على هذا النحو، وعصر بطنه لكن برفق فإنه ربما يكون في بطنه شيء من القذر مُتهيئاً للخروج فيخرج، وربما لو تركنا هذا العمل فمع رجّ الميت عند حمله، وتقليبه في غسله، وتكفينه ربما يخرج هذا الشيء المتهيء للخروج، فلهذا قال الفقهاء ﵏: ينبغي أن يرفع رأسه إلى قرب جلوسه ثم يعصر بطنه برفق، كما قال المؤلف. أما الحامل فإنها لا يعصر بطنها؛ لئلا يسقط الجنين.