A’ishah (RAA) narrated, ‘When the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) died and they wanted to make Ghusl (full ritual washing of the body), they said, ‘By Allah we do not know whether we should take off the clothes of Allah’s Messenger as we do for our dead or not?’ Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.

Umm ‘Atiyah (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) came to us when we were washing his daughter (Zainab) after she had died and said,“Wash her three times, five times or more if necessary, with water and lotus leaves (Sidr) and apply some camphor to the last washing.”When we finished making Ghusl for her, we informed the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and he threw his Izar (a cloth, which he wore round his waist) to us and told us to wrap her in it as the first sheet of the shroud (next to her body).’ Agreed upon. In another narration,“Start by washing the organs on the right and those parts that are washed in ablution.”In the narration of Al-Bukhari,“We braided her hair in three braids and made them fall at her back.”

A’ishah (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was shrouded in three pieces of white Yemenite cotton sheets. They did not include either a shirt or a turban.’ Agreed upon.

‘Abdullah bin ’Umar (RAA) narrated, ‘When ‘Abdullah bin Ubay (the head of the hypocrites) died, his son came to the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Please give me your shirt to shroud him (his father) in it.’ So, Allah’s Messenger gave it to him, Agreed upon.

Ibn ‘Abbas (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said:“Wear white clothes, for they are (considered as) your best clothes, and enshroud your dead in them.”Related by the five Imams, except for An-Nasa’i, and At-Tirmidhi reported it to be sound.

Jabir (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said:“When one of you is in charge of shrouding his brother, he should give him the best shroud he can (i.e. clean, covering the whole body, but not necessarily expensive as this is disliked.)”Related by Muslim.

Jabir (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) had each two martyrs of the battle of Uhud wrapped in one shroud, and then would ask,“Which one of them knew more of the Qur’An?”He would put that one (that was pointed out) first in the grave. They were not washed and the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) did not offer a funeral prayer for them.’ Related by Al-Bukhari.

‘AIi (RAA) narrated, ‘l heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) say,“Do not be extravagant in shrouding (i.e. do not spend too much money on them) for it will decay quickly.”Related by Abu Dawud.

A’ishah (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said to her,“If you die before me, I will wash you myself.”Related by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih.

Asma’ bint ’Umais (RAA) narrated that Fatimah (RAA) (the daughter of the prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) made a will that ‘Ali (RAA) was to wash her when she dies.’ Related by Ad-Daraqutni.