الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 3, page 161

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about a man who touches a dead body: if it is proper for him to take Ghusl (bath) for it. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is only necessary if it is the dead body of a human being.’ I then asked about a man whose clothes become polluted because of contact with a dead body. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must wash the polluted area.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from al-Hajjal from Tha’labah from Mu’ammar ibn Yahya who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, prohibit taking Ghusl (bath) because of entering the grave.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from ’Isma‘il ibn abu Ziyad who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah kissed ‘Uthman ibn Maz’un after his death.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from Ibrahim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if a man’s clothes come in contact with a dead body after the deceased is given Ghusl (bath), he is not required to wash them. If they become polluted because of such contact before the dead body is given Ghusl (bath) he must wash them.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from ibn abu Najran from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if one who gives Ghusl (bath) to a dead person is required to take Ghusl (bath). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he is required to take Ghusl (bath).’ I then asked if one who places the deceased in the grave is required to take Ghusl (bath). He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he is not required to take Ghusl (bath) because he only touches the cloth.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

1. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Ibrahim ibn ‘Ishaq from Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Daylamiy from his father who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once ‘Abd Allah ibn Qays al-Masir visited abu Ja’far (a.s.), and said, ‘Tell me why a dead body is given Ghusl (bath) because of carnal activities?’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.), said, ‘I do not want to tell you.’ He then left and thereafter found someone of the followers of the Imam. He said to him, ‘It is very strange of you Shi‘ah people. You consider this man as Divine guardian, obey him even if he asks you to worship him. I asked him a question but he had no answer for it.’ A few days later he visited the Imam again, asked the same question and he (the Imam) said, ‘I do not want to tell you.’ ‘Abd Allah ibn Qays then asked one of his people, ‘Join the Shi‘ah and pretend among them to be one of those who love the Imam. Condemn and denounce me. When it is time to perform Hajj come to me so I pay for your expenses; and then ask them to help you visit him (their Imam) Muhammad ibn Ali. When you are there, then ask him about why a dead person is given Ghusl (bath) because of carnal reasons.’ The man joined the Shi‘ah people until it was time to perform Hajj. During this time, he had observed the religious conditions of these people and had already accepted their belief, but did not tell ibn al-Qays about it for fear of being deprived of performing Hajj. When it was time for Hajj, he went to ibn al-Qays who provided him the expenses for Hajj. When he arrived in al-Madinah, his friends told him to stay behind until they informed the Imam about him and asked him for permission for a meeting. When they went to see abu Ja‘far (a.s.), he asked them, ‘Where is your companion? You have not treated him with fairness.’ They said, ‘We did not know if you agreed to see him or not.’ He then sent someone to bring him for a meeting. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), welcomed him. He (the Imam) asked, ‘How do you feel comparing what you have found with what you had before?’ He replied, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, I did not have anything.’ He said, ‘You have spoken the truth. Your worships in those days were easier than what they are today; truth is heavy and Satan is assigned to work hard against our Shi ‘ah but other people themselves work for him. I, however, will tell you about the question of al- Qays al-Masir before even you ask me about it and will leave it for you to decide whether to explain it to him or not. Allah, Most High, has created creative agents. When He decides to create a creature, He commands them (agents) to get something from the soil, which He has mentioned in His book. “From it (soil) We created you and to that soil We return you and take you out of that at another time.” (20:57) Seed is then mixed with that soil from which they are created later after settling in the womb for forty nights. When four months are complete they (agents) ask, “Lord, what do you want to create out of it?” He then commands them to do what He wants to be done as regards the gender of the fetus being white or black. When the spirit comes out from the body, the seed comes out from that person just as it was, regardless of being young or grown up, male or female. For this reason the dead body is washed (just as) it is washed for carnal activities. He said, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, I will never tell it to al-Qays al-Masir.’ He said, ‘It is up to you.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.