Can a Man Bathe his Deceased Wife?

Q: Janaa'iz-72: Can a man bathe his wife after she has passed away?

Answer: Durrul Mukhtaar (Vol.1 Pg.803) states that although a man may See his wife's face, he may not bathe her or touch her The other three Imaams say that he may bathe her and they prove their point by stating that Hadhrat Ali RADI. bathed Hadhrat Faatima RADI. when she passed away. In reply. we say that the narrations are not agreed upon the fact that Hadhrat Ali RADI. did bathe Hadhrat Faatima RADI. Some narrations state that Hadhrat Ummu Ayman RADI. bathed her and Hadhrat Ali RADI. is said to have done so only because he made all the arrangements for her bath.

Another reply is that the bond of marriage between Hadhrat Ali RADI. and Hadhrat Faatima RADI. did not break with her death because Rasulullaah SAW. said to Hadhrat Ali RADI. Faatima shall be your wife in this world as well as in the next." Rasulullaah SAW. also said, "Every family relation and kinship is severed upon death except my ties of relations (whether by blood or by marriage) . Furthermore, there were some Sahabah RADI. such as Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas'ood RADI., who objected to Hadhrat Ali RADI. giving the Ghusl.

The issue is a disputed one and the most cautious approach will be for the husband not to bathe his wife unless there is a desperate need to do so. A woman may however bathe her husband because she remains married to him until her lddah expires. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.3