—contrary to the well-known view in the Hanbali school that such water is pure in itself yet no longer purifying for other things. The sounder opinion, held by the majority and reported in one narration from Imām Aḥmad, is that it remains both pure in itself and purifying.
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Shrouding the deceased is obligatory, and the cost of the shroud takes precedence over the claims of creditors, over any bequests, and over the heirs’ shares.
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It is forbidden to cover the head of a male pilgrim who dies while in the state of consecration, or to cover the face of a female pilgrim. From the Prophet’s words “he will be raised proclaiming the talbiyah,” we infer by a fortiori reasoning that the same prohibition applies to a living pilgrim. Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd said: This ḥadith proves that if a pilgrim dies, the rulings of iḥrām remain in force for him. This is the position of al-Shāfiʿī; Abū Ḥanīfah and Mālik disagreed, basing their view on analogy, since the act of worship has ceased and the person is no longer legally responsible. Nonetheless, adherence to the ḥadith takes precedence over analogy.
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Perfume is forbidden to a pilgrim—whether male or female, alive or dead—because it is a form of luxury incompatible with iḥrām.
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A pilgrim is not prevented from using unscented substances such as sidr, ashnān, non-perfumed soap, and the like.
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It is permissible to limit the shroud to the lower and upper garments. Hence one winding cloth is sufficient, for the izār and ridāʾ together equal a single wrap.
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The one who dies while in iḥrām enjoys a special merit: his deed continues until the Day of Resurrection, when he will be raised in that very state.
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Anyone who sets out to perform a righteous act—seeking knowledge, fighting in Allah’s cause, or otherwise—with the sincere intention to complete it, but dies before finishing, is granted the full reward of his intention, which endures for him until the Day of Resurrection.
Third ḥadith
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Hasten with the funeral; for if the deceased was righteous, you are sending him on toward something better, but if he was otherwise, you are unloading an evil from off your necks.”
Overall meaning
A human being is composed of body and soul, and all honour, benefit, and true worth reside in the soul. When the soul leaves, the body is of no use; if it remains among the family it is merely a corpse that grows ever more hideous in appearance and foul in smell. Therefore the Lawgiver commanded that its preparation—washing, the funeral prayer, conveyance, and burial—be carried out without delay.