Is it permissible for a husband to see his deceased wife’s face before the burial?
Question
Please tell me if a man’s wife dies, can he see her face one last time and is his nikaah to her broken?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It is permissible for the husband to see the face of his deceased wife. However, it is not permissible for him to touch her. [1]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Abdul Hannan Nizami,
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
[1] فإنه لا يغسل زوجته" وكذا لا يمسها ولا يمنع من النظر إليها (حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح، ص572، المتوفي سنة 1231، دار الكتب العلمية)
وَيَجُوزُ لِلْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تُغَسِّلَ زَوْجَهَا.... وَأَمَّا هو فَلَا يُغَسِّلُهَا عِنْدَنَا.... إذَا كان لِلْمَرْأَةِ مَحْرَمٌ يُيَمِّمُهَا بِالْيَدِ وَأَمَّا الْأَجْنَبِيُّ فَبِخِرْقَةٍ على يَدِهِ وَيَغُضُّ بَصَرَهُ عن ذِرَاعَيْهَا وَكَذَا الرَّجُلُ في امْرَأَتِهِ إلَّا في غَضِّ الْبَصَرِ (الفتاوى الهندية، ج1ص160، دار الفكر)
بِخِلَافِ مَا إذَا مَاتَتْ الْمَرْأَةُ حَيْثُ لَا يُغَسِّلُهَا الزَّوْجُ (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع، ج1ص304، المتوفي سنة 587، دار الكتب العلمية)
- Answered by
- Mufti Abdul Hannan Nizami
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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