Is it really forbidden for the husband to touch his deceased wife?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Most scholars have permitted a husband to touch his wife after her death, in contrast to Abu Hanifa and Al-Thawri, who considered death a separation that prohibits looking and touching. The majority of scholars based their view on the action of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in washing Fatimah, and the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Aisha: "Had you died before me, I would have washed you and shrouded you." This is permissible if the wife was under the husband's marital bond until her death. However, if she had been irrevocably divorced from him before death, it is not permissible to touch her.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/39198
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 39198
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy