he wraps another cloth, inserts his finger into the deceased’s mouth and passes it over the teeth, removes whatever impurity is in the nostrils, and performs wudu’ for him as one would for a living person. He then washes the head, followed by the beard, with powdered lotus leaves or the like, gently combs both with a wide-toothed comb, returning any loose hairs to their place. Next he washes the right side, then the left; then he turns the body onto its left side and washes the right side of the back—from the nape down to the foot—after which he turns it onto its right side and washes the left side in the same manner. This counts as one complete washing. A second and a third wash are recommended, and in the first it is advisable to use lotus leaves or marsh-mallow. When the cleansing agent has been removed, plain water is poured over the corpse from crown to feet, with a small amount of camphor added to each wash.

If, after the washing, any impurity emerges, it is obligatory only to remove it; some say the wash must be repeated if the impurity issues from the private parts, while others hold that wudu’ alone suffices.

A man washes a man and a woman washes a woman. A man may wash his female slave and his wife, and a wife may wash her husband, provided each wraps a cloth around the hand so that no direct touch occurs. If only an unrelated man or woman is present, then, according to the sound view, tayammum is performed.

The men most entitled to wash the deceased are those most entitled to lead his funeral prayer. For a woman, her female relatives have priority, and according to the sound opinion they come before the husband. Among them, the closest mahram relative is given precedence, then an unrelated woman, then the male relatives in the order in which they would pray over her.

The author comments: “A paternal cousin and the like are treated as unrelated persons—Allah knows best—and, according to the sound view, the husband takes precedence over them.”

A pilgrim in a state of ihram must not be brought near perfume, nor may his hair or nails be cut. According to the sound position, it is permissible to perfume a widow in mourning. In the newer legal opinion it is not disliked for anyone other than the muhrim to trim his nails, armpit hair, pubic hair, or mustache.

The author adds: “The stronger opinion is that such trimming is nevertheless disliked, and Allah knows best.”