Question 220: Is it permissible to put multiple shrouds on a deceased person, some being ihram clothes and others being blessed from Karbala?

57 13 Feb 2021
Read Answer

Answer

✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following narration:

عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِی جَعْفَرٍ الْعِمَامَةُ لِلْمَیِّتِ مِنَ الْکَفَنِ هِیَ قَالَ لَا إِنَّمَا الْکَفَنُ الْمَفْرُوضُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَثْوَابٍ وَ ثَوْبٌ تَامٌّ لَا أَقَلَّ مِنْهُ یُوَارَی فِیهِ جَسَدُهُ کُلُّهُ فَمَا زَادَ فَهُوَ سُنَّةٌ إِلَی أَنْ یَبْلُغَ خَمْسَةً فَمَا زَادَ فَمُبْتَدَعٌ وَ الْعِمَامَةُ سُنَّةٌ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 144

Translation: Zurarah said: I said to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): 'Is a turban part of the shroud?' The Imam said: 'No, the obligatory shroud is three pieces of cloth, (one of which is) a complete and all-encompassing cloth, and no less, in which the entire body of the deceased is covered. So whatever is more than these three is a tradition (sunnah) until it reaches five pieces, and whatever is more than that is an innovation (bid'ah), and the turban is a tradition (sunnah).'

✅ According to the above hadith and the hadiths mentioned in question 219 of the channel, the pieces of the shroud are five. Three of them, namely the shirt, the loincloth (izar), and the all-encompassing sheet (sartasari), are obligatory, and the other two, namely the khirqah and the turban, are a tradition (sunnah). If more than these are wrapped around the deceased, it is considered an innovation (bid'ah).

✅ Also, pay attention to the following narration:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ الْمَیِّتُ یُکَفَّنُ فِی ثَلَاثَةٍ سِوَی الْعِمَامَةِ وَ الْخِرْقَةِ یَشُدُّ بِهَا وَرِکَیْهِ لِکَیْلَا یَبْدُوَ مِنْهُ شَیْ ءٌ وَ الْخِرْقَةُ وَ الْعِمَامَةُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْهُمَا وَ لَیْسَتَا مِنَ الْکَفَنِ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 149

Translation: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'The deceased is shrouded in three pieces of cloth besides the turban, and with the khirqah (which is a piece of cloth with a width of about one and a half spans and a length of about two meters), the two upper parts of the deceased's thighs are tightly bound together so that nothing comes out or is exposed. And the turban and the khirqah must be there, but they are not part of the (obligatory) shroud.'

✅ We have understood that besides the turban and the khirqah, there are three obligatory pieces of the shroud, which in total makes five, and anything more than this is considered an innovation (bid'ah).

✅ Also, pay attention to the following narrations:

عَنْ أَبِی الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ یَقُولُ إِنِّی کَفَّنْتُ أَبِی فِی ثَوْبَیْنِ شَطَوِیَّیْنِ کَانَ یُحْرِمُ فِیهِمَا وَ فِی قَمِیصٍ مِنْ قُمُصِهِ...

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 149

Translation: Imam Kadhim (peace be upon him) said: 'I shrouded my father, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), in two pieces of Shatwi cloth in which he used to perform ihram and in one of his shirts.'

✅ Imam Kadhim (peace be upon him) said: 'We, the Ahl al-Bayt, our first Hajj, our women's dowries, and our shrouds are from our purest wealth.'

📚 Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, Vol. 1, p. 189

عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَنْ کَانَ کَفَنُهُ مَعَهُ فِی بَیْتِهِ لَمْ یُکْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِینَ وَ کَانَ مَأْجُوراً کُلَّمَا نَظَرَ إِلَیْهِ

📚 Vol. 3, p. 256

Translation: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever has his shroud with him at home will not be written among the heedless, and he will be rewarded for every time he looks at his shroud.'

✅ God willing, by preparing our own shrouds, we will benefit from its virtue. Insha'Allah.

✅ Other points about shrouding have also been mentioned in the narrations, which will be presented upon request. Insha'Allah.