Fatwa ID: 05950

 

Answered by: Alimah Sofia Mirza

 

Question:

 

What is the masala regarding giving ghusl and praying Salatul Janazah for decomposed bodies?

 

Does a decomposed body have to be given a ghusl? And what about salatul janazah?

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Components of the deceased are the washing, shrouding, and Janazah.

 

In regards to a decomposed body such as a burnt body or disintegrated body, it will depend on the state of the body, for example, if the body is such that it cannot be washed due to breaking of the body or it disintegrating, it is sufficient to just wash water over it without rubbing. (1)

 

If it comes to the point that the body has become such that it cannot be washed, then the body doesn’t have to be washed nor Janazah prayed. (2)

 

Therefore, if the body cannot be washed due to the state of the body becoming disintegrated, then ghusl will not be done nor Janazah should be prayed.

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Habiba Akhtar

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

(1)

ولوكان الميت متفسخا يتعذر مسحه كفى صب الماء عليه كذا في التتارخانية ناقلا عن العتابية

Fatawa Hindiyyah, Volume 1, Page 174-175, Darul Kutub Ilmiyyah

 

 

(2)

قال: (وإن دفن من غير صلاة صلوا على قبره ما لم يغلب على الظن تفسخه) لإطلاق ما روينا، فإذا تفسخ لم يتناوله النص، وقدره بعضهم بثلاثة أيام، والأول أصح لأن ذلك يختلف باختلاف الزمان والتربة ولو علموا بعد الصلاة أنه لم يغسل غسلوه وأعادوا الصلاة، ولو علموا ذلك بعد الدفن لا ينبش لأنه مثلة ولا يعيدها. وروى ابن سماعة عن محمد: يخرجونه ما لم يهيلوا التراب عليه لأنه ليس بنبش

Ikhriyar litaleelil Mukhtar Page 123-124, Darul Marifah