Section: Abu Dawud said: I asked Ahmad: "Is a child covered just as an adult is covered?"—meaning a deceased child during the washing. He replied: "What part of him is to be covered, since his private parts are not considered 'awrah' (private parts to be concealed) and women wash him?"

332 - Issue: He said: (It is recommended that he not be washed under the open sky, and that no one attends except for those who assist in his affairs as long as he is being washed.)

The total of this is that it is recommended that he be washed in a room. Ibn Sirin used to recommend that the room in which he is washed be darkened. Ahmad mentioned this, and if such is not available, he should place a screen between him [and the sky]. Ibn al-Mundhir said: al-Nakha'i used to like that he be washed with a screen between him and the sky. Abu Dawud narrated with his isnad (chain of transmission); he said: al-Dahhak instructed his brother Salim, saying: "When you wash me, place a screen around me, and place a screen between me and the sky." The Qadi mentioned that Aisha said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to us while we were washing his daughter, and we placed a screen between her and the ceiling." He said: This was only recommended for fear that his private parts might be exposed to the sky. It is disliked that someone attends who is not assisting in his affairs, because it is disliked to look at the deceased except in cases of necessity. It is recommended for those present to lower their gazes from him, except out of necessity. The reason for this is that the deceased might have a defect that he used to conceal, and he would dislike for it to be seen after his death. Something might also occur from him that the living person would dislike to have seen in him, and perhaps something might appear on him which is, in appearance, reprehensible, thus causing it to be discussed, resulting in scandal for him. Furthermore, his private parts might be exposed and witnessed. For this reason, we preferred that the washer be a trustworthy, honest, and righteous person, in order to conceal what he comes across. In the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he said: "Let your trustworthy ones wash your dead." Narrated by Ibn Majah. It is also narrated from him, peace be upon him, that he said: "Whoever washes a deceased person, then does not disclose anything about him, he emerges from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him." Narrated by Ibn Majah as well. In al-Musnad, from Aisha, she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever washes a deceased person, fulfills the trust regarding him, and does not disclose what occurs from him during that, he emerges from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him."