 The Cleansing Quality of Water

The Quantity of Water that Always Remains Clean

The Case of a Small Quantity of Water, the Water with a Dead Body in it and its use by a Man to Wash His Dirty Hand in it

The Case of a Well and Things that May Fall in It (Fatwa best explains Ahadith 2-12 as well as the following chapter.)

A Well near a Cesspool

Taking Wudu’ With Water from Which Animals, Beasts and Birds Have Drunk

Taking Wudu’ with the Water from Which a Woman during Her Hayd (menses), People After Having Carnal Relations, a Jew, a Christian or a Person Hostile toward ’A’immah Has Drunk (Fatwa best explains Ahadith 4-6 of this chapter.)

A Man Places His Hand in the Water before Washing, the Limit of Washing Hands Because of Carnal Relations, Urination, Feces and Sleeping

Mixing of Rain Water with Urine, with Water Used for Taking Ghusl (bath) Because of Carnal Relations, Touching of One’s Cloth with Water Used for Washing Because of Urine

Water of Bath Houses and Water Heated by the Sun’s Rays

Places Not Desirable to Use as a Lavatory

Expressions to Say When Entering a Lavatory and When Coming Out

Draining Urine, Washing and If One Does Not Find Water

The Quantity of Water Required for Wudu’, Showers and One Who Is Excessive in the Use of Water for Wudu’

Brushing One’s Teeth

Rinsing One’s Mouth and Nostrils

Description of Wudu’

The Area of the Face and Hands to be Washed for Wudu’

Wiping of Head and Feet

Wiping Over the Shoes

Bandages and Wounds

Facing Doubts about Wudu’ Forgetting or Mixing Proper Order

Matters that Invalidate or Do not Invalidate Wudu’

One’s Stepping over Feces or Other Such Things

Certain Fluid, Which Is Other than Urine and Semen

Kinds of Ghusl (bath)

Matters Covered by Ghusl (bath)

Necessity of Ghusl (bath) on Friday

Description of Ghusl (bath), Wudu’ Before or Thereafter and a Man’s Ghusl (bath) in an Improper Place, Expressions to Say During Taking Ghusl (bath) and Moving a Ring During Ghusl (bath)

Reason Necessitating Ghusl (bath) for Men and Women

Wet Dreams of Men and Women

Finding Fluid Coming Out after Ghusl (bath)

One after Carnal Relations Eats, Drinks, Reads, Enters a Masjid, Dyes Hair, Uses Fragrance and So On

One after Carnal Relation Sweats in His Clothes, Clothes Touch His Wet Body

Semen or Al-Madhiy Comes in Contact with One’s Clothes or Body

Urine Comes in Contact with One’s Clothes or Body

Urine of Animals and Their Dung

Clothes Come in Contact with Blood and Pus

Dogs Touching Clothes, Body and So On

Description of Tayammum

When Tayammum Is Necessary and Finding Water Thereafter

One’s having Little Water on a Journey but Is Afraid of Facing Thirst

One’s Experiencing Carnal Relations and Having Only Ice

Taking Tayammum with Clay

Bandages, Injuries, One’s Suffering from Smallpox and or Experiencing Carnal Relations

Rare Ahadith about Wudu’

Chapters on Hayd (menses)

Minimum and Maximum Duration of Hayd

Women’s Experiencing Hayd After or Before Their Date of Hayd

Women Observe Yellowish Blood Before or After Hayd (menses)

First Time Hayd (menses)

Examining if Hayd (menses) has Ended or Not

Taking Ghusl (bath) Because of Hayd and the Kind of Water Needed

Women Find Blood after Sexual Relation

Comprehensive Instructions About Hayd (menses) and Istihadah (irregular menses)

Signs for Differentiating Between Blood of Hayd and Istihadah

Differentiating Among Blood of Hayd, Virginity or a Wound

Pregnant Woman Finds Blood

Blood Because of Childbirth

Blood Discharge after a Woman’s Experiencing Discharge-Free Period after Childbirth and Blood Discharge before Birth or after Childbirth

Matters Necessary for Women during Hayd at the Times of Salah (prayer)

Women Find Hayd Blood after the Coming of the Time for a Salah (Prayer) Before Performing It Or Become Clean Before the Coming of the Time for a Salah (Prayer) But Are Too Lazy for Ghusl (bath)

Women Feel Hayd during Salah (Prayer)

Women Must Make-up-for Fasting Because of Hayd but Not Salah (Prayer) 

Women’s Reading the Holy Quran During Hayd or Child-birth 

Women during Hayd Can Pick up Things from a Masjid but Must Not Leave Anything Therein

Women’s Hayd (menses) Stops, Comes Again and the Time of Menopause

Women’s Using Medicine to Have Hayd (menses) after It Stops 

Using Dye during Hayd (menses) 

Washing Clothes of Women during Hayd 

Women During Hayd Pick up Prayer Rug or Water 

Causes of Death and that Believing People May Die by any Manner of Dying 

The Reward for a Person Suffering from Illness 

Another Section on the Same Subject 

The Limits of Complaints 

A Patient’s Giving Permission to His Visitors 

How Often a Patient Should Be Visited, How Long the Duration of Visitation Should Be and Complete Visit 

The Limit of a Sudden Death 

The Virtue (Reward) of Visiting a Patient 

Dictations to a Dying Person

Difficulty in Dying (If Dying Becomes Difficult and the Agony of Death Intense) 

Facing the Dying Person Toward Qiblah

A Believing Person Is Not Caused to Die Against His Will

Things that Believers and Unbelievers See in Dying Conditions

Taking out of the Souls of Believing and Unbelievers

Burial Should Take Place Immediately

Rare Ahadith

Women during Hayd Nurse a Patient (The following chapters are about rules of washing a dead body for burial, shrouding and other matters of burial, and are best explained in the form of fatwa. Consult current fatwa about them.)

Washing a Dead Body

Hunut (Rubbing Camphor) on a Dead Body and Shrouding

Shrouding a Deceased Women

Undesirability of Perfuming the Shroud or Warming Water for Washing Dead Bodies

The Desirable Pieces of Shroud and the Undesirable Ones

The Amount of Water Needed for Ghusl (bath) of a Deceased Person

The Two Fresh Al-Jaridah (Twigs of Palm Tree)

Persons Dead Without Shower Due to Carnal Relations Hayd or Child Birth Reasons

Chapter 26- Dead Woman with a Baby Moving Inside Her

Cutting of Nails and Hairs of Dead Person Undesirable

Things Coming Out of a Dead Body after Ghusl (bath)

Washing of Persons of opposite Gender

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ قُدَامَةَ بْنِ زَائِدَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) سَلَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ابْنَهُ سَلاًّ وَرَبَّعَ قَبْرَهُ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from ibn Bukayr from Qudamah ibn Za’idah that Abu Jaf'ar (al-Baqir) (as) said: Rasulullah (sw) placed his son Ibrahim in a basket-shaped place in the grave and made the surface into a square shape.’”

2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُدْخَلَ مَعَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ جَرِيدَةٌ رَطْبَةٌ وَيُرْفَعَ قَبْرُهُ مِنَ الأرْضِ قَدْرَ أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ مَضْمُومَةٍ وَيُنْضَحَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءُ وَيُخَلَّى عَنْهُ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is preferable to place two fresh twigs of palm tree with the deceased in the grave, raise the surface of the grave above ground by four inches, sprinkle water on it and then leave it alone.’” 

3ـ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ وَضْعِ الرَّجُلِ يَدَهُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ مَا هُوَ وَلِمَ صَنَعَ فَقَالَ صَنَعَهُ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عَلَى ابْنِهِ بَعْدَ النَّضْحِ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ كَيْفَ أَضَعُ يَدِي عَلَى قُبُورِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الأرْضِ وَوَضَعَهَا عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَفَعَهَا وَهُوَ مُقَابِلُ الْقِبْلَةِ.

3. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about one’s placing his hand over the grave, its significance and why it is done. He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah had done so over the grave of his son after sprinkling water.’ He (the narrator) has said that I then asked, ‘How should I place my hand over the graves of the Muslims?’ He (the Imam) pointed with his hand, placed it on the ground, then raised it while he was facing al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’” 

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَصْنَعُ بِمَنْ مَاتَ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ خَاصَّةً شَيْئاً لاَ يَصْنَعُهُ بِأَحَدٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى عَلَى الْهَاشِمِيِّ وَنَضَحَ قَبْرَهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ حَتَّى تُرَى أَصَابِعُهُ فِي الطِّينِ فَكَانَ الْغَرِيبُ يَقْدَمُ أَوِ الْمُسَافِرُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَيَرَى الْقَبْرَ الْجَدِيدَ عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ كَفِّ رَسُولِ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَيَقُولُ مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه).

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah from who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah would do something over the grave of the people from the tribe of banu Hashim and he would not do on other Muslims’ graves. After performing Salah (prayer) for a deceased from banu Hashim, sprinkling water over his grave, he would place his hand over the grave while his fingers pressed in the clay. Strangers or travelers who came in the town and saw a new grave with marks of the fingers of the Messenger of Allah on it could tell that someone from banu Hashim has died. They would ask, ‘Who from the family of Muhammad, O Allah grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has died?”’ 

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي قَالَ لِي ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فِي مَرَضِهِ يَا بُنَيَّ أَدْخِلْ أُنَاساً مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ حَتَّى أُشْهِدَهُمْ قَالَ فَأَدْخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ أُنَاساً مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ يَا جَعْفَرُ إِذَا أَنَا مِتُّ فَغَسِّلْنِي وَكَفِّنِّي وَارْفَعْ قَبْرِي أَرْبَعَ أَصَابِعَ وَرُشَّهُ بِالْمَاءِ فَلَمَّا خَرَجُوا قُلْتُ يَا أَبَةِ لَوْ أَمَرْتَنِي بِهَذَا لَصَنَعْتُهُ وَلَمْ تُرِدْ أَنْ أُدْخِلَ عَلَيْكَ قَوْماً تُشْهِدُهُمْ فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ لاَ تُنَازَعَ.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Isa who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One day my father during his illness said to me, ‘Son, call certain people from Quraysh and people of al-Madinah, so I can appoint them as witness.’ I then called a number of people. He said, ‘O Ja‘far, when I die, give Ghusl (bath) to me, place me in the shroud, raise the surface of my grave by four fingers above the ground and sprinkle water on it.’ When they left I asked, ‘Father, had you commanded me, I would have done all these things. Why did you decide to call these people to be witnesses?’ He said, ‘My son I did it so no one will raise any disputes against you.’” 

6ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فِي رَشِّ الْمَاءِ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ قَالَ يَتَجَافَى عَنْهُ الْعَذَابُ مَا دَامَ النَّدَى فِي التُّرَابِ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “About spraying water on the grave abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Suffering is withdrawn from it as long as the moisture exists.’” 

7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ كَانَ رَشُّ الْقَبْرِ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه).

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Talhah ibn Zayd who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that sprinkling water over a new grave was during the time of the Messenger of Allah.” 

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِذَا فَرَغْتَ مِنَ الْقَبْرِ فَانْضَحْهُ ثُمَّ ضَعْ يَدَكَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَتَغْمِزُ كَفَّكَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ النَّضْحِ.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah from who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you complete the grave sprinkle water on it, then place your hand near the head of the deceased and depress your hand on it after sprinkling water.”’ 

9ـ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عَجْلاَنَ قَالَ قَامَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَلَى قَبْرِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ فَقَالَ اللهمَّ صِلْ وَحْدَتَهُ وَ آنِسْ وَحْشَتَهُ وَأَسْكِنْ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ مَا يَسْتَغْنِي بِهَا عَنْ رَحْمَةِ مَنْ سِوَاكَ.

9. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad from more than one person from Aban from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Ajalan who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), stood on the grave of one of his followers and said, ‘O Lord, grant company in his loneliness, comfort his fear and settle down with him of your mercy that much which will make him free from want from others except yourself.’” 

10ـ أَبَانٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ يُدْعَى لِلْمَيِّتِ حِينَ يُدْخَلُ حُفْرَتَهُ وَيُرْفَعُ الْقَبْرُ فَوْقَ الأرْضِ أَرْبَعَ أَصَابِعَ.

10. Aban has narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Prayers are said when a deceased is placed in his grave and the surface of the grave is raised above the ground by four fingers.’” 

11ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الدَّلاَّلُ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الله قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ مَا عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَدْرَءُوا عَنْ مَيِّتِهِمْ لِقَاءَ مُنْكَرٍ وَنَكِيرٍ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ قَالَ إِذَا أُفْرِدَ الْمَيِّتُ فَلْيَتَخَلَّفْ عِنْدَهُ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِهِ فَيَضَعُ فَمَهُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ يُنَادِي بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ يَا فُلاَنَ بْنَ فُلاَنٍ أَوْ يَا فُلاَنَةَ بِنْتَ فُلاَنٍ هَلْ أَنْتَ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ الَّذِي فَارَقْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ سَيِّدُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَأَنَّ عَلِيّاً أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ وَأَنَّ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ الْمَوْتَ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ الْبَعْثَ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ الله يَبْعَثُ مَنْ فِي الْقُبُورِ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ مُنْكَرٌ لِنَكِيرٍ انْصَرِفْ بِنَا عَنْ هَذَا فَقَدْ لُقِّنَ حُجَّتَهُ. 

11. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from certain persons of our people from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from ’Isma‘il who has that narrated to me abu al-Hassan al-Dallal from Yahya ibn ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘It does not harm the family of a deceased among you to prevent his fear of meeting al-Munkar and al-Nakir (interrogating angels).’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘How can they do so?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When the deceased is left alone, the nearest relative is left behind near the deceased who places his mouth near the head of the deceased and calls loudly, ‘O so and so, son of so and so, or daughter of so and so, are you still true to the covenant (belief) with which you departed us. The testimony that states, ‘I testify that only Allah deserves worship, He is one and has no partners and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, master of the prophets. I testify that Ali is ’Amir al-Mu’minin (master of the believers) and master of the executors (of the wills of the prophets). I testify that whatever Muhammad (a.s.), has brought from Allah is all true, that death is a truth, resurrection is a truth and that Allah will raise everyone from the grave.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Al-Munkar then says to Nakir, ‘Allow us to turn away from him; his argument (authoritative statements of his belief) are dictated to him.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 3

Book 3, Chapter 67