should cover the private parts, then he should do so, because they are more important to cover, as evidenced by the state of life. If the number of those killed is large and shrouds are scarce, two or three men may be shrouded in a single garment, as was done with the martyrs of Uhud. Anas said: 'The [number of those killed at Uhud was large, and garments were scarce].' He said: 'A man, two, or three would be shrouded in a single garment, and then they would be buried in a single grave (13).' Al-Tirmidhi said: 'The hadith of Anas is a hasan gharib (good yet scarce) hadith.'

346 - Issue: He said: '(He should apply zarira (a type of aromatic powder) to his joints, apply perfume to the places of prostration and the body folds, and he should be treated as one treats a bride.)'

Zarira is pulverized perfume. It is recommended to apply it to the joints and body folds of the deceased; these are the places where the human body bends, such as the bends of the knees, under the armpits, and the bases of the thighs, because these are places where dirt accumulates. One should follow the practice of removing dirt and grime from these places, as one does for the living, and follow it with perfume (1) of musk and camphor on the places of prostration, because these are noble limbs. He is treated as a bride is treated, because it is narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'Treat your dead as you treat your brides' (2). Ibn Umar used to trace (3) the body folds and joints of the deceased with musk. Ahmad said: 'Camphor is mixed with the zarira.' It was said to him: 'Should musk be sprinkled on the deceased or rubbed onto him?' He said: 'It does not matter. It has been narrated from Ibn Umar that he sprinkled it on him, and it has been narrated from him that he rubbed it on him with musk. Ibn Sirin anointed a person with musk from his head to his feet.' Ibrahim al-Nakha'i said: 'Hanut (embalming perfume) is placed on the organs of prostration: the forehead, the palms, the knees, and the tops of the feet.'

347 - Issue: He said: '(And he should not place camphor in his eyes.)'

This is disliked only because it spoils and destroys the organ, and such is not done to the living. Ahmad said: 'We have only heard this regarding the mosques (1).' It was recounted to him from Ibn Umar that he used to do it (2), but he denied that Ibn Umar had done it and disapproved of it.

348 - Issue: He said: '(And if something slight exits from him after he has been placed in his shrouds, he is not returned for washing, and he is carried.)'

We know of no disagreement among the scholars regarding this. The reasoning for this is that returning him for washing involves severe hardship, as it would require taking him out, re-washing him, washing his shrouds, and drying or replacing them, and one is not safe from a similar occurrence a second or third time, so it is waived for that reason (1). There is also no need to repeat his ablution, nor to wash the area of impurity, to avoid this hardship, and he is carried as he is. It is narrated from al-Sha'bi that when one of his daughters was wrapped in (2) her shrouds, something appeared from her, so al-Sha'bi said: 'Lift [him/her].' However, if what exited was large and significant, the implication of the words of al-Khiraqi here is that his washing is repeated if it is before the completion of the seventh (3) washing, because a large amount is considered excessive.