Washing the dead – Shaykh bin Baz

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Question:

What is the authenticity of the Hadith:

“whoever washes a dead person then upon him is to make ghusl and whoever carries the dead then he has to perform wudoo”?

And is this the command of obligation or recommendation? And why?

Answer:

The aforementioned Hadith is weak; and verily it has been affirmed from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in other narrations, that which indicates the recommendation of performing ghusl after washing a dead person.

As for carrying (the dead person) then it is not correct to make wudoo and neither is it recommended, owing to the lack of evidence in this regard.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Shaykh bin Baz