Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen

How should a person who drowned or burnt to death be given ghusal?

· 11 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1437 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

1. If a person’s body was completely burnt, how should one carry out the ghusal?

2. Similarly, how should ghusal be carried out in cases where it is difficult to perform the ghusal (e.g. advanced stages of decomposition or a person drowned and his body was recovered after many days, due to which the flesh and skin are coming apart and disintegrating)?

Answer

1. If it is possible to give the ghusal then ghusal will be given. However, if there is fear that through giving the Shar’ee ghusal and rubbing the body, the body will begin to fragment and break up into pieces, then water should be gently poured on the entire body without rubbing it or washing it. This will suffice for the ghusal.

2. As above.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

والمنتفخ الذي تعذر مسه يصب عليه الماء (مراقي الفلاح ص569)

ولوكان الميت متفسخا يتعذر مسحه كفى صب الماء عليه كذا في التتارخانية ناقلا عن العتابية (الفتاوى الهندية 1/158)

Answered by
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

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Source: Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen — https://muftionline.co.za/node/15825
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/muftionline-15825

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