This is part 3 of 11 of “The Book of the Dying and Funerals (al-Jana'iz)”, book 12 of Al-Kafi — Hadith 4,320–4,369. The book is long enough that it is split across 11 pages so each one stays quick to load; the parts run in order and are linked at the foot of the page.
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When applying camphor on a deceased person, apply it on the seven parts of the body which are placed on the ground during Sujud (prostrations), and all of the joints of the body, his head, beard and on his chest.’ He (the Imam) said that hunut of man and woman is the same.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I dislike following a dead body with burning incense.’”
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from Hariz from Zurarah and Muhammad ibn Muslim who have said the following: “Once we asked abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, if turban is part of shroud for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not part of it. The obligatory shroud consist of three pieces of cloths, one over all; the minimum of which must be large enough to cover the whole body and any extra is of the Sunnah up to five pieces and more than this is contrived.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The Holy prophet commanded to prepare turban and it was prepared for the Holy prophet.’ The truthful shaykh, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, sent for us one dinar, when we were in al-Madinah at the time of the death of abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’. He (the Imam) commanded us to buy for him hunut and turban which we did.”’
6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘A deceased must be shrouded with three pieces of cloth besides turban, and one piece which is wrapped around the hips, so that nothing is exposed. The piece of cloth and turban are necessary but they are not part of shroud.’”
7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘ Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘My father, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, wrote in his will to me to shroud him with three pieces of cloth, one was a gown made in Hibarah with which he performed Salah (prayer) on Fridays and another piece of cloth, and a shirt. I asked my father, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, “Why do you write these things?” He (the Imam) replied, “I am afraid people will overpower you. If they said to use four or five pieces, do not do so. Prepare a turban for me but turban is not counted as part of shroud. It is prepared to wrap the body therewith.’””
8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from ‘Uthman al-Nawwa’ who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, that I give Ghusl (bath) to the deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘Treat it very gently, do not pinch his body, do not touch his ears with camphor and when preparing turban for him, do not wrap it like the turban of an Arab.’ I then asked, ‘How must I do it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Hold it from its center and spread it on his head turn it to the back of the head and allow the rest to hang down his chest.’”
9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about how shroud is prepared. He (the Imam) said, ‘Take one piece of cloth to wrap around his hips and legs.’ I asked about loincloth. He (the Imam) said, ‘It does not count for anything. It is only to hold that area so that nothing is exposed. The cotton that is use is better than this. The shirt is torn and is taken out from the side of his legs when Ghusl (bath) is given.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Part of shroud is the shirt without buttons and borders, and a turban that is wrapped around his head and the extra is allowed to hang down to his legs.’”
10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the turban for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘Wrap it around his head.’”
11. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad ibn Mahbub from Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahab who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Five pieces of cloth are used to shroud a deceased: a shirt without button, a loincloth, a piece to wrap therewith his midsection, an overall sheet to wrap him in it, a turban that is wrapped around his head and the extra is allowed to hang down his chest.’”
12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ’Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from more than one person who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Camphor is for hunut.”
13. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Salih al-Sindiy from Ja‘far ibn Bashir from Dawud ibn Sarhan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, once said to me about the shroud of abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’, ‘Camphor is for hunut; however, go and do what people do.’”
14. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Dawud ibn Sarhan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’ died and I was in al-Madinah. Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, sent a dinar and said, ‘Buy with it hunut and take notice that hunut is camphor; however, do as people do.’ When I went, he (the Imam) sent a dinar and said, ‘Buy camphor with it.’”
15. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Kindiy from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan al-Mithamiy from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about hunut for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘Apply it on the parts of his body used during prostration.’”
16. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Holy prophet prohibited placing of hunut on a coffin.’”
1. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Kindiy from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd af-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Aliah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about how many pieces of fabric must be used for shrouding a woman. He (the Imam) said, ‘Five pieces of fabric must be used for shrouding a woman, of which one is al-Khimar (veil)”
2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from certain persons of our people in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about how must a woman be shrouded. He (the Imam) said, ‘A deceased woman is shrouded just like a deceased man, except that a piece of fabric is used to tie down her breasts to her chest, with the other end tied down behind her back. More cotton and camphor is used for hunut and to fill her back and front private parts and the piece of fabric is very tightly tied down around lower part of her body (as mentioned in the case of a deceased man).”
3. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amir from Fadalah from al-Qasim ibn Yazid from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘A deceased man is shrouded in three pieces of fabrics. A deceased woman of greatness is shrouded with five pieces of fabrics, the shirt, loincloth, veil and the two pieces of fabric (to tie down around her chest and the lower part of her body from the waist down to her knees).”
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘A shroud is not perfumed”
2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from a number of our people who have said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘There is no need for warming up of water for Ghusl (bath) of a deceased, starting up a fire and perfuming the shroud.”’
3. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Kufiy has narrated from ibn al-Jumhur from his father from Muhammad ibn Sinan from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said that ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman has narrated from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘You must not perfume shrouds and your deceased one’s except with camphor; a deceased person is like one in the state of Ihram.’”
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Holy prophet, has said, ‘You must not walk behind the procession for a deceased with a brazier, censer.’”
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Prepare good quality shroud for your deceased ones; it is beautification for them.’”
2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from abu Jamilah from Jabir who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘In your dresses the best is white. Dress up with them your deceased ones also.’”
3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman and others from al-Mufaddal ibn Salih from Jabir who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Holy prophet has said, ‘No other clothes in your clothes is better than white, so dress up and shroud your deceased ones in white.”
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “He (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘It is desirable to keep for shroud a piece which one has used in Salah (prayer). It should be clean; it is desirable.”’
5. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from certain persons of our people from ibn Faddal from Marwan from “Abd al-Malik who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about a man who has purchased a certain amount of the covering of al-Ka‘bah of which he has used a certain amount for his needs, and a certain amount is left with him. Can he sell? He (the Imam) said, ‘He can sell whatever he wants or give it as gift or benefit thereby and seek blessings.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘Can it be used for shrouding a deceased person?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, it cannot be used for this purpose.’”
6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Hashim from abu Khadijah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Try to make your shrouds look beautiful; you will be raised with your shrouds.’”
7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Hashim from abu Khadijah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘The Israelites used silk for shroud; and cotton is for the followers of the Holy prophet, Muhammad, O Allah grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’”
8. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa’id from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub who has said the following: “I once, heard abu al-Hassan al-Awwal, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, say, ‘I shrouded my father with two pieces of Shatawiyayn (name of a place in Egypt) fabric. He (the Imam) had used them for ’Ihram, and with a shirt of his shirts, a turban which Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, had used, and in a large sheet, which I purchased for forty dinars. Today it costs four hundred dinars.”’
9. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from Ayyub ibn Nuh from those whom he has mentioned from abu Maryam al-Ansariy who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that abu al-Hassan, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, shrouded ‘Usamah ibn Zayd with a red Burd which was made in Hibarah and Ali, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, shrouded Sahl ibn Hunayf with a red Burd which was made in Hibarah.”
10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan ibn Ali from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah from ‘Ammar ibn Musa who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Shroud can be made of Burd; if Burd is not available, then the whole shroud is of cotton. If a turban of cotton is not available, then Sabiriy fabric can be used for this purpose.’”
11. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from certain persons of his people from al-Washsha’ from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘A deceased is not shrouded in black.’”
12. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Rashid who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the fabrics made in al-Basrah in the form of Yemenite workmanship out of silk or cotton if it can be used to shroud a deceased? He (the Imam) said, ‘If the amount of cotton in the fabric is more than the amount of silk, then it is permissible to use it for shrouding.’”
1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Fudayl Sukkarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, saying, ’I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, how much water is needed for Ghusl (bath) of a deceased? He (the Imam) said, The Messenger of Allah said to Ali, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, “When I die, bring six pails of water from Ghars well (name of a well) and give me Ghusl (bath) with it. Thereafter shroud me and apply hunut on me. When you complete hunut (applying camphor), then make me sit up, then ask me whatever you want, by Allah, of whatever you ask I will give the right answer.’””
2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Um ay r from Hafs al-Bakhtariy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah said to Ali, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, “O Ali, when I die give me Ghusl (bath) with seven pails of water from Ghars well.’””
3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has said that Muhammad ibn al-Hassan who has narrated the following: “I once wrote to abu Muhammad, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘How much water is needed for Ghusl (bath) of a deceased person?’ The answer came with the signature of the Imam, ‘The amount of water needed is to wash the dead body clean, by the will Allah.’ He (the narrator) has said that he wrote again to him (the Imam) asking, ‘Is it permissible to wash a deceased person where the water poured on him flows into the toilet or cesspool or if water with which one takes Wudu’ flows in the toilet?’ He (the Imam) wrote back to him with his signature, ‘It does end up in the toilet.’”
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father in a marfu‘ manner: “The Sunnah about hunut (application of camphor) is thirteen dirham (in weight) and one third at most. He (the Imam) has said that Jibril came to the Messenger of Allah with hunut (camphor) that weighed forty dirhams. The Messenger of Allah divided it in three part: one for himself, one for Ali, and one for Fatimah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam.’”
5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad ibn abu Najran from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘The minimum camphor for a deceased is one Mithqal (4.68 g).”’ In the narration of al-Kahiliy and Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, it is said that a balanced amount of camphor for this purpose is four Mithqal.
1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Safwan ibn Yahya from ibn Muskan from al-Hassan ibn Ziyad al-Sayqal who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Two pieces of twig are placed with a deceased, one on the right and the other on the left.’ He (the narrator) has said, that he (the Imam) said, ‘Al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree) benefits both, believers and non-believers.’”
2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ from Hanan ibn Sadir from Yahya ibn ‘Ubadah al-Makkiy who has said the following: “I heard Sufyan al-Thawriy asking him (the Imam) about greening. He (the Imam) said that once a man from al-Ansar died and the Messenger of Allah was asked to attend his funeral. He (the Messenger of Allah) asked one of the relatives of the deceased to green up their fellow man; greening people are very few.’ They asked, ‘What is greening?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘It is a fresh twig which is placed near the hands up to the collar bones.’”
3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah, from a man from Yahya ibn ‘Ubadah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Two pieces of fresh twigs one yard in length are placed with a deceased’ - pointing with his hand - ‘one end from collar bones to the hands wrapped with cloth.’ He (the narrator) has said that the man then said, ‘I met abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, afterwards and asked him (the Imam) about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes I spoke about it to Yahya ibn ‘Ubadah.’”
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, what happens if two fresh al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree) are not placed with a deceased? He (the Imam) said, ‘Torture and accounting is kept away from him as long as the al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree) are fresh. All tortures take place in one day in one hour for a duration within which people return and leave the gravesite. The two al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree) (branches) are placed for this reason, and after they dry there will be no torture and accounting by the will of Allah.’”
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj who has said the following: “He (the Imam) has said, ‘Al-Jaridah (twigs of palm tree) are of the size of one Shibr (ten inches) of which one is placed with one end near the collarbones downward as far as it reaches next to the skin, and the other on the left side near the collarbones downward as far as it reaches over the shirt.’”
6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Muhammad ibn Sanaa ‘ah from al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that two pieces of al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree) are placed with a deceased: one on the right and the other on the left side.’”
7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from Hariz and Fudayl and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ’Abd Allah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, was asked, ‘Why a twig is placed with a deceased? He (the Imam) replied, ‘Torture is kept away from him as long as it (twig) is fresh.”’
8. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “It was said to him (the Imam), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, because of the presence of fear I may not be able to place al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree) as you have told us.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Place them just as it is possible for you to do.’”
9. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Kindiy from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the twig which is placed in the grave. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”
10. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from more than one person of our people who have said the following: “We said to him (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘We pray to Allah to keep our souls in service for your cause. What should we do if we cannot find al-Jaridah (twig of palm tree)? He (the Imam) said, ‘Twig of berry tree is also good.’ It then was asked, ‘What should be done if twig of berry tree is also not found? He (the Imam) said, ‘Then it is twig of al-Khilaf (certain tree).”’
11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Ali ibn m h al-Qasaniy from Muhammad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Bilal who has said the following: “I wrote to him (the Imam) asking about al-Jaridah (palm tree twig) if it is not available, can any other branch be used if palm tree is not available? He (the Imam) wrote, ‘It is permissible if al-Jaridah (palm tree twig) is not available, but al-Jaridah (palm tree twig) is better; there is Hadith about it.’”
12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated in another Hadith that the branch of pomegranate is placed in place of al- Jaridah (palm tree twig). H 4365, Ch. 24, 13
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah, in a Muzmar manner, who has said the following: “I once said to him (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, that there is one who has died after sexual relation but before Ghusl (bath). How is Ghusl (bath) prescribed for him and how much water is needed? He (the Imam) said, ’Only one Ghusl (bath) is sufficient for both reasons, each of which is inviolable requiring one inviolable act (Ghusl (bath)).’”
Hasan· al-Majlisi
Sunni collections: text from the open hadith-api dataset. Al-Kafi: Arabic text, Muhammad Sarwar's translation and gradings from Thaqalayn.net via the Thaqalayn API. Hadith numbering follows those editions and can differ from a printed copy — check the Arabic against a trusted edition before relying on a reference.
