The Ghusl (bath) Necessary for Touching a Dead Body and Washing or Touching When the Body Is Still Warm or Has Become Cold

مَنْ غَسَّلَ مَيِّتاً فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ مَسَّهُ مَا دَامَ حَارّاً قَالَ فَلَا غُسْلَ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِذَا بَرَدَ ثُمَّ مَسَّهُ فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ قُلْتُ فَمَنْ أَدْخَلَهُ الْقَبْرَ قَالَ لَا غُسْلَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّمَا يَمَسُّ الثِّيَابَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One who gives Ghusl (bath) to a dead person must himself also take a Ghusl (bath). I then asked, ‘What is one required to do after touching a dead body when it is still warm? He (the Imam) said, ‘Ghusl (bath) is not obligatory for him in such a case. One must take Ghusl (bath) after t

قُلْتُ الرَّجُلُ يُغَمِّضُ عَيْنَ الْمَيِّتِ عَلَيْهِ غُسْلٌ قَالَ إِذَا مَسَّهُ بِحَرَارَتِهِ فَلَا وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا مَسَّهُ بَعْدَ مَا يَبْرُدُ فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ قُلْتُ فَالَّذِي يُغَسِّلُهُ يَغْتَسِلُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ فَيُغَسِّلُهُ ثُمَّ يُكَفِّنُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ قَالَ يُغَسِّلُهُ ثُمَّ يَغْسِلُ يَدَهُ مِنَ الْعَاتِقِ ثُمَّ يُلْبِسُهُ أَكْفَانَهُ ثُمَّ يَغْتَسِلُ قُلْتُ فَمَنْ حَمَلَهُ عَلَيْهِ غُسْلٌ قَال

“I once asked one of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about a man who closes the eyes of a deceased if he must take Ghusl (bath) because of touching a dead body. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he does it when the dead body’s natural temperature is not lost, Ghusl (bath) is not obligatory on him

يُغَسِّلُ الَّذِي غَسَّلَ الْمَيِّتَ وَ إِنْ قَبَّلَ إِنْسَانٌ الْمَيِّتَ وَ هُوَ حَارٌّ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ غُسْلٌ وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا مَسَّهُ وَ قَبَّلَهُ وَ قَدْ بَرَدَ فَعَلَيْهِ الْغُسْلُ- وَ لَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَمَسَّهُ بَعْدَ الْغُسْلِ وَ يُقَبِّلَهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Those who give Ghusl (bath) to a deceased, themselves must take Ghusl (bath). If one kisses a deceased when the dead body is still warm, one is not required to take Ghusl (bath); but if he touches the dead body or kisses it when it has become cold, must take Ghusl (bath) and

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَمَسُّ الْمَيْتَ أَ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ مِنْهَا قَالَ لَا إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْإِنْسَانِ وَحْدَهُ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُصِيبُ ثَوْبُهُ جَسَدَ الْمَيِّتِ فَقَالَ يَغْسِلُ مَا أَصَابَ الثَّوْبَ.

“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

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَنْهَى عَنِ الْغُسْلِ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْقَبْرَ.

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, prohibit taking Ghusl (bath) because of entering the grave.”

إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَبَّلَ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ مَظْعُونٍ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah kissed ‘Uthman ibn Maz’un after his death.”

إِنْ كَانَ غُسِّلَ الْمَيِّتُ فَلَا تَغْسِلْ مَا أَصَابَ ثَوْبَكَ مِنْهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ لَمْ يُغَسَّلْ فَاغْسِلْ مَا أَصَابَ ثَوْبَكَ مِنْهُ.

“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.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ أَ يَغْتَسِلُ مَنْ غَسَّلَ الْمَيِّتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ مَنْ أَدْخَلَهُ الْقَبْرَ قَالَ لَا إِنَّمَا يَمَسُّ الثِّيَابَ.

“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