Is the deceased to be given ablution before washing, just as the living perform ablution?
The Sunnah before washing the deceased is to perform ablution (wudu') for prayer, based on the hadith of Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): "Begin with her right side and the places of ablution." The ablution should be done at the beginning of the washing, except for rinsing the mouth and sniffing water into the nose. Instead, it suffices to wipe with a wet cloth, so that water does not enter the deceased's internal organs, leading to mutilation, and there is no guarantee it won't exit onto the shrouds. Water should be placed on the deceased's lips, and two wet fingers should be inserted into the nostrils.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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