The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No.501- A child who is born after the death of its mother should, as an obligatory precaution, perform ghusl for touching a dead body upon being mature.

Issue No.502- If an immature [1] or an insane person touches a dead body, it will be obligatory on him to perform ghusl upon becoming mature and sane, respectively. However, if a child who understands the meaning of ghusl (i.e., knows that some things entail ghusl and knows how to perform it) performs ghusl, it will be in order.

Issue No.503- If a body part containing bone (e.g., a hand, or even a finger) is separated from a live person, or from a dead person on which the ghusls have not yet been performed, and a person touches that separated part, he should perform ghusl for touching a dead body. However, if that part does not contain a bone, it is not obligatory to do ghusl. Similarly, it is not obligatory to do ghusl for touching a bone alone or a tooth which has been separated from a live or a dead person.

Issue No.504- The method of performing ghusl for touching a dead body is the same as that of ghusl for janābah, and it suffices for wuḍū as well, although the recommended precaution is to perform wuḍū if one wants to perform prayer.

Issue No.505- One ghusl is sufficient for one who touches several corpses or touches the same corpse a number of times.

Issue No.506- A person who has not done ghusl for touching a dead body may enter a mosque or recite the sūrahs of the holy Qur'an which have obligatory sajdahs, or have sexual intercourse. However, he should perform ghusl for offering prayer or similar acts. In other words, one who is under the obligation to perform ghusl for touching a dead body is like a person who is not with wuḍū.

Issue No.526- If Sidr and camphor are not available to the required extent, then the available quantity should be mixed with water as an obligatory precaution, and if they are not available at all, ghusl should be performed on the dead body only with water.

Issue No.527- If a person who is in the state of Ihram for ḥajj or ‘umrah dies before completing ṭawāf (i.e., circumambulation) and before sweet scents become Halal for him, ghusl should be performed on his body with pure water.

Issue No.528- A person who performs ghusl on a dead body should be Muslim, mature and sane and should know the necessary rulings of ghusl, and as a recommended precaution, he should be a twelver Shi‘a.

Issue No.530- Ghusl on the body of a Muslim child, though of illegitimate birth, is obligatory. It is also obligatory to perform ghusl on someone who has been insane since childhood and has grown up without recovering if either of his parents is Muslim. Similarly, it is necessary to perform ghusl on the dead body of a person who had been Muslim and then became insane.

Issue No.533- A man may perform ghusl on the dead body of a girl less than 3 years old. Similarly, a woman may perform give ghusl on the dead body of a boy less than 3 years.

Issue No.534- If there is no man available to perform ghusl on the dead body of a man, his maḥram women can perform ghusl on the body. Similarly, if no woman is available to perform ghusl on the dead body of a woman, her maḥram men can perform ghusl on her body, although it is better that the ghusl is performed while the body is dressed.