it could be categorized with those under seven, because it shares the same meaning. It is also possible that it is not categorized with them, because it differs from them regarding the command to pray and its proximity to puberty. As for a young girl, Abu Abdullah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) did not view it as appropriate for a man to wash her, saying: Women are more pleasing to me. It was mentioned to him that al-Thawri says: A woman may wash a young boy, and a man may wash a young girl. He replied: There is no harm in a woman washing a young boy, but as for a man washing a young girl, I would not dare to do so, unless a man washes his own young daughter, for it is narrated from Abu Qilabah that he washed his own young daughter. Al-Hasan said: There is no harm in a man washing his daughter if she is young. Sa'id and al-Zuhri disapproved of a man washing a young girl. Al-Khallal said: Analogy dictates equality between the boy and the girl, were it not for the fact that the Tabi'in distinguished between them, so Ahmad disapproved of it for that reason. Abu al-Khattab treated them as equal, proposing two versions regarding them, following the requirements of analogy. The correct view is that which the Salaf held, which is that a man does not wash a girl, and that there is a distinction between the 'awrah of a boy and a girl; this is because the 'awrah of a girl is more sensitive, and because custom dictates the woman's handling of the young boy and touching his 'awrah during his upbringing, while the custom of a man touching the 'awrah of a girl during her life did not exist, so it is the same in the state of death. And Allah knows best. As for a child washing the deceased, if he is discerning (aqil), his washing is valid, whether he is young or old, because his own purification is valid, so it is valid for him to purify others, like an adult.

Section: It is valid for a person in ihram to wash a person not in ihram, and for a person not in ihram to wash a person in ihram; because the purification and washing of each one of them is valid, so it is permissible for them to wash another.

Section: The washing of a Muslim by a disbeliever is not valid; because it is an act of worship, and the disbeliever is not among its people.