Is it permissible for a husband to stand over his mother-in-law while she is bathing?

Any act that leads to a man seeing a woman's awrah (intimate parts) is Islamically forbidden, even if she is his mahram (unmarriageable kin). Therefore, it is not permissible for a man to see the awrah of his mahram during bathing. The deceased woman is to be washed by women or by her husband. If neither is available, her mahram relatives may wash her while her awrah is covered, and a piece of cloth is placed over the hand.