It is recommended to bind his jaws with a wide strip of cloth, tying it above his head, because if the deceased is left with his eyes and mouth open and they are not closed until he cools down, they will remain open, which makes his appearance unsightly, and there is no security against vermin entering his mouth or water entering during the time of his (6) washing. Bakr ibn Abdullah al-Muzani said: The person who closes them should say: "In the name of Allah, and upon the creed of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." Something made of iron, such as a mirror or otherwise, is placed on his abdomen so that his abdomen does not swell; if there is no iron available, then damp mud. It is recommended that the person most gentle to him should carry this out, in the gentlest manner he is able. Ahmad said: A woman may close his eyes (7) if she is a mahram (unmarriageable kin) to him. He also said: It is disliked for a menstruating woman or one in a state of major ritual impurity (junub) to close his eyes, or to come near him. Alqamah also disliked this. A similar view is narrated from al-Shafi'i. Al-Hasan, Ibn Sirin, and 'Ata' disliked for a menstruating woman or one in a state of major impurity to wash the deceased. Malik said something similar (8). Ishaq and Ibn al-Mundhir said: A person in a state of major impurity may wash him, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "The believer is not impure (9)." We know of no disagreement among them regarding the validity of their washing him or closing his eyes, but it is more appropriate that the one in charge of his affairs, in both closing his eyes and washing him, be pure, because that is more complete and better.
Section: It is recommended to hasten his preparation once death is confirmed, because that is more protective and preservative for him, and [prevents him] from changing, which makes caring for him (10) difficult. Ahmad said: The honor of the deceased is to hasten [the funeral rites]. Regarding what was narrated by Abu Dawud (11), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I see that death has occurred to Talhah (12), so inform me of him and hasten, for it is not fitting for the corpse of a Muslim to be detained among
(6) Omitted from the original. (7) In A and M: "his eye". (8) In A and M: "And with it". (9) Its documentation was previously mentioned in 1/33. (10) In A and M: "his care". (11) In: Chapter of hastening the funeral and the dislike of detaining it, from the Book of Funerals (Sunan Abi Dawud 2/178). (12) He is Talhah ibn al-Bara', an Ansari who was a companion of the Prophet.
ويُسْتَحَبُّ شَدُّ لَحْيَيْهِ بِعِصابةٍ عَرِيضَةٍ، يَرْبُطُها مِن فوقِ رَأْسِه؛ لأنَّ المَيِّتَ إذا كان مَفْتُوحَ العَيْنَيْنِ والفَمِ، فلم يُغَمَّضْ حتى يَبْرُدَ، بَقِىَ مَفْتُوحًا، فيَقْبُحُ مَنْظَرُه، ولا يُؤْمَنُ دُخُول الهَوَامِّ فيه، والماءِ في وَقْتِ (٦) غُسْلِه. وقال بَكْرُ بنُ عبدِ اللهِ المُزنِىُّ: ويقولُ الذي يُغْمِضُهُ: بِسْمِ اللهِ، وعلى مِلَّةِ رسول اللهِ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-. ويُجْعَلُ على بَطْنِه شيءٌ من الحَدِيدِ، كمِرْآةٍ أو غيرِها، لِئَلَّا يَنْتَفِخَ بَطْنُه، فإنْ لم يَكُنْ شيءٌ من الحديدِ فَطِينٌ مَبْلُولٌ، ويُسْتَحَبُّ أن يَلِىَ ذلك منه أرْفَقُ النَّاسِ به، بأرْفَقِ ما يَقْدِرُ عليه. قال أحمدُ: تُغْمِضُ المَرْأَةُ عَيْنَيْه (٧) إذا كانتْ ذات مَحْرَمٍ له. وقال: يُكْرَهُ لِلْحائِضِ والجُنُبِ تَغْمِيضُه، وأن تَقْرَباهُ. وكَرِهَ ذلك عَلْقَمَةُ. ورُوِىَ نَحْوُه عن الشَّافِعِىِّ. وكَرِهَ الحسنُ، وابنُ سِيرِينَ، وعَطاءٌ، أن يُغَسِّلَ الحائِضُ والجُنُبُ المَيِّتَ. ونحوَه (٨) قال مالِكٌ. وقال إسحاقُ، وابنُ المُنْذِرِ: يُغَسِّلُهُ الجُنُبُ؛ لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-: "المُؤْمِنُ لَيْسَ بِنَجِسٍ" (٩). ولا نَعْلَمُ بينهم اخْتِلافًا في صِحَّةِ تَغْسِيلِهما وتَغْمِيضِهما له، ولكن الأوْلَى أن يكونَ المُتَولِّى لأُمُورِه، في تَغْمِيضِه وتَغْسِيلِه، طَاهِرًا، لأنَّه أكْمَلُ وأحْسَنُ.
فصل: ويُسْتَحَبُّ المُسَارَعَةُ إلى تَجْهِيزِه إذا تُيُقِّنَ مَوْتُه؛ لأنَّه أَصْوَنُ له، وأحْفَظُ مِن أن يَتَغَيَّرَ، وتَصْعُبَ مُعَانَاتهُ (١٠). قال أحمدُ: كَرَامَةُ المَيِّتِ تَعْجِيلُه. وفيما رَوَى أبو دَاوُدَ (١١)، أنَّ النَّبِيَّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- قال: "إنِّي لأُرَى طَلْحَةَ (١٢) قد حَدَثَ فِيهِ الْمَوْتُ، فآذِنُونِى بِهِ، وعَجِّلُوا، فَإنَّه لا يَنْبَغِى لجِيفَةِ مُسْلِمٍ أنْ تُحْبَسَ بَيْنَ
(٦) سقط من: الأصل.(٧) في أ، م: "عينه".(٨) في أ، م: "وبه".(٩) تقدم تخريجه في ١/ ٣٣.(١٠) في أ، م: "معافاته".(١١) في: باب التعجيل بالجنازة وكراهية حبسها، من كتاب الجنائز. سنن أبي داود ٢/ ١٧٨.(١٢) هو طلحة بن البراء، أنصارى له صحبة.
