Hunut (Rubbing Camphor) on a Dead Body and Shrouding

فِي تَحْنِيطِ الْمَيِّتِ وَ تَكْفِينِهِ قَالَ ابْسُطِ الْحِبَرَةَ بَسْطاً ثُمَّ ابْسُطْ عَلَيْهَا الْإِزَارَ ثُمَّ ابْسُطِ الْقَمِيصَ عَلَيْهِ وَ تَرُدُّ مُقَدَّمَ الْقَمِيصِ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ اعْمِدْ إِلَى كَافُورٍ مَسْحُوقٍ فَضَعْهُ عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِهِ وَ امْسَحْ بِالْكَافُورِ عَلَى جَمِيعِ مَفَاصِلِهِ مِنْ قَرْنِهِ إِلَى قَدَمَيْهِ وَ فِي رَأْسِهِ وَ فِي عُنُقِهِ وَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَ مَرَافِقِهِ وَ فِي

“About Hunut and shrouding a deceased, he (the Imam) has said, ‘Spread al-Hibrah (the large sheet of fabric), then spread the loincloth over which you then spread the shirt. Then turn back upward the front side of the shirt. Then find the ground camphor, place a certain amount of it over his forehead on the place for s

سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص بِمَ كُفِّنَ قَالَ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ ثَوْبَيْنِ صُحَارِيَّيْنِ وَ بُرْدٍ حِبَرَةٍ[2].

‘There were three pieces of fabric to shroud him. They were two pieces of Suhariyayn fabric and one piece of large sheet made in Hibarah.’”

إِذَا كَفَّنْتَ الْمَيِّتَ فَذُرَّ عَلَى كُلِّ ثَوْبٍ شَيْئاً مِنْ ذَرِيرَةٍ وَ كَافُورٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you shroud a deceased, scatter fragrant powder and camphor on every piece of the shroud.’”

إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تُحَنِّطَ الْمَيِّتَ فَاعْمِدْ إِلَى الْكَافُورِ فَامْسَحْ بِهِ آثَارَ السُّجُودِ مِنْهُ وَ مَفَاصِلَهُ كُلَّهَا وَ رَأْسَهُ وَ لِحْيَتَهُ وَ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ مِنَ الْحَنُوطِ وَ قَالَ حَنُوطُ الرَّجُلِ وَ الْمَرْأَةِ سَوَاءٌ وَ قَالَ وَ أَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُتْبَعَ بِمِجْمَرَةٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When applying camphor on a deceased person, apply it on the seven parts of the body which are placed on the ground during Sujud (prostrations), and all of the joints of the body, his head, beard and on his chest.’ He (the Imam) said that hunut of man and woman is the same.’ He (the Im

لَا إِنَّمَا الْكَفَنُ الْمَفْرُوضُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَثْوَابٍ وَ ثَوْبٌ تَامٌّ لَا أَقَلَّ مِنْهُ يُوَارِي جَسَدَهُ كُلَّهُ فَمَا زَادَ فَهُوَ سُنَّةٌ إِلَى أَنْ يَبْلُغَ خَمْسَةَ أَثْوَابٍ فَمَا زَادَ فَهُوَ مُبْتَدَعٌ وَ الْعِمَامَةُ سُنَّةٌ وَ قَالَ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ ص بِالْعِمَامَةِ وَ عُمِّمَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ بَعَثَ إِلَيْنَا الشَّيْخُ الصَّادِقُ ع وَ نَحْنُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ لَمَّا مَاتَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءُ بِدِ

“Once we asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), if turban is part of shroud for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not part of it. The obligatory shroud consist of three pieces of cloths, one over all; the minimum of which must be large enough to cover the whole body and any extra is of the Sunnah up to five pieces and more

الْمَيِّتُ يُكَفَّنُ فِي ثَلَاثَةٍ سِوَى الْعِمَامَةِ وَ الْخِرْقَةِ يَشُدُّ بِهَا وَرِكَيْهِ لِكَيْلَا يَبْدُوَ مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ الْخِرْقَةُ وَ الْعِمَامَةُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْهُمَا وَ لَيْسَتَا مِنَ الْكَفَنِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A deceased must be shrouded with three pieces of cloth besides turban, and one piece which is wrapped around the hips, so that nothing is exposed. The piece of cloth and turban are necessary but they are not part of shroud.’”

كَتَبَ أَبِي فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ أَنْ أُكَفِّنَهُ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ أَحَدُهَا رِدَاءٌ لَهُ حِبَرَةٌ كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِيهِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَ ثَوْبٌ آخَرُ وَ قَمِيصٌ فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي لِمَ تَكْتُبُ هَذَا فَقَالَ أَخَافُ أَنْ يَغْلِبَكَ النَّاسُ وَ إِنْ قَالُوا كَفِّنْهُ فِي أَرْبَعَةٍ أَوْ خَمْسَةٍ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ‌[2] وَ عَمِّمْنِي بِعِمَامَةٍ وَ لَيْسَ تُعَدُّ الْعِمَامَةُ مِنَ الْكَفَنِ إِنَّمَا يُعَدُّ مَا يُلَفّ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘My father (a.s.), wrote in his will to me to shroud him with three pieces of cloth, one was a gown made in Hibarah with which he performed Salah (prayer) on Fridays and another piece of cloth, and a shirt. I asked my father (a.s.), “Why do you write these things?” He (the Imam) replie

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي أَغْسِلُ الْمَوْتَى قَالَ وَ تُحْسِنُ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَغْسِلُ فَقَالَ إِذَا غَسَلْتَ فَارْفُقْ بِهِ وَ لَا تَغْمِزْهُ وَ لَا تَمَسَّ مَسَامِعَهُ بِكَافُورٍ وَ إِذَا عَمَّمْتَهُ فَلَا تُعَمِّمْهُ عِمَّةَ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ قَالَ خُذِ الْعِمَامَةَ مِنْ وَسَطِهَا وَ انْشُرْهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ رُدَّهَا إِلَى خَلْفِهِ وَ اطْرَحْ طَرَفَيْهَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ.

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I give Ghusl (bath) to the deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘Treat it very gently, do not pinch his body, do not touch his ears with camphor and when preparing turban for him, do not wrap it like the turban of an Arab.’ I then asked, ‘How must I do it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Hold

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ بِالْكَفَنِ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ خِرْقَةً فَتَشُدُّ بِهَا عَلَى مَقْعَدَتِهِ وَ رِجْلَيْهِ قُلْتُ فَالْإِزَارُ[1] قَالَ إِنَّهَا لَا تُعَدُّ شَيْئاً إِنَّمَا تَصْنَعُ لِيُضَمَّ مَا هُنَاكَ لِئَلَّا يَخْرُجَ مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ مَا يُصْنَعُ مِنَ الْقُطْنِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهَا ثُمَّ يُخْرَقُ الْقَمِيصُ إِذَا غُسِّلَ وَ يُنْزَعُ مِنْ رِجْلَيْهِ‌[2] قَالَ ثُمَّ الْكَفَنُ قَمِيصٌ غَيْرُ

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about how shroud is prepared. He (the Imam) said, ‘Take one piece of cloth to wrap around his hips and legs.’ I asked about loincloth. He (the Imam) said, ‘It does not count for anything. It is only to hold that area so that nothing is exposed. The cotton that is use is better than

فِي الْعِمَامَةِ لِلْمَيِّتِ فَقَالَ حَنِّكْهُ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the turban for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘Wrap it around his head.’”

يُكَفَّنُ الْمَيِّتُ فِي خَمْسَةِ أَثْوَابٍ قَمِيصٍ لَا يُزَرُّ عَلَيْهِ‌[5] وَ إِزَارٍ وَ خِرْقَةٍ يُعَصَّبُ بِهَا وَسَطُهُ وَ بُرْدٍ يُلَفُّ فِيهِ وَ عِمَامَةٍ يُعَمَّمُ بِهَا وَ يُلْقَى فَضْلُهَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ.

‘Five pieces of cloth are used to shroud a deceased: a shirt without button, a loincloth, a piece to wrap therewith his midsection, an overall sheet to wrap him in it, a turban that is wrapped around his head and the extra is allowed to hang down his chest.’”

الْكَافُورُ هُوَ الْحَنُوطُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Camphor is for hunut.”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِي فِي كَفْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءِ إِنَّمَا الْحَنُوطُ الْكَافُورُ وَ لَكِنِ اذْهَبْ فَاصْنَعْ كَمَا يَصْنَعُ النَّاسُ‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me about the shroud of abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’, ‘Camphor is for hunut; however, go and do what people do.’”

مَاتَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءُ وَ أَنَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِدِينَارٍ وَ قَالَ اشْتَرِ بِهَذَا حَنُوطاً وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْحَنُوطَ هُوَ الْكَافُورُ وَ لَكِنِ اصْنَعْ كَمَا يَصْنَعُ النَّاسُ قَالَ فَلَمَّا مَضَيْتُ أَتْبَعَنِي بِدِينَارٍ وَ قَالَ اشْتَرِ بِهَذَا كَافُوراً.

“Abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’ died and I was in al-Madinah. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), sent a dinar and said, ‘Buy with it hunut and take notice that hunut is camphor; however, do as people do.’ When I went, he (the Imam) sent a dinar and said, ‘Buy camphor with it.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْحَنُوطِ لِلْمَيِّتِ قَالَ اجْعَلْهُ فِي مَسَاجِدِهِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about hunut for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘Apply it on the parts of his body used during prostration.’”

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص نَهَى أَنْ يُوضَعَ عَلَى النَّعْشِ الْحَنُوطُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Holy prophet prohibited placing of hunut on a coffin.’”