Ghusl for Touching a Dead Body

527. If a person touches a human dead body which has become cold and has not yet been given Ghusl (i.e. brings any part of his own body in contact with it) he should do Ghusl regardless of whether he touched it while asleep or awake, voluntarily or otherwise. Ghusl will also be wajib if his nail or bone touches the nail or bone of the dead body. However, Ghusl is not obligatory if one touches a dead animal.

528. If a person touches a dead body which has not become entirely cold, Ghusl will not be wajib, even if the part touched has become cold.

529. * If a person brings his hair in contact with the body of a dead person, or if his body touches the hair of the dead person, or if his hair touches the hair of the dead person, Ghusl will not become obligatory.

530. * If a person touches a dead child or a foetus in which life has entered, then Ghusl for touching it will be obligatory. Hence, if a still-born child whose body has become cold, comes in contact with the outer part of its mother’s body, the mother should do Ghusl for touching the dead body. In fact, as an obligatory precaution, she should do Ghusl even if the child has not touched the outer part of her body.

531. * A child who is born after its mother has died, and her body has become cold, and if it touches any outer part of mother’s dead body, it should do Ghusl on attaining the age of puberty. In fact, it should do Ghusl, as a precaution, even if it did not touch the mother’s body.

532. If a person touches a dead body after it has been given three obligatory Ghusls, Ghusl for touching will not be wajib. However, if he touches any part of the dead body before the completion of 3 Ghusls he should do Ghusl for touching the dead body, even if the 3rd Ghusl of that part which he has touched may have been done.

533. If an insane person or a minor touches a dead body, the insane person would do Ghusl when he becomes sane, and similarly the minor child would do Ghusl when he attains the age of puberty.

534. * If a part is separated from a living person, or from a dead body which has not yet been given Ghusls, and a person touches that separated part he does not have to do any Ghusl even if that separated part contains bones.

535. * It is not obligatory to do Ghusl for touching a separated bone which has not been given Ghusl, whether it has been separated from a dead body or a living person. The same rule applies to touching the teeth which have been separated form a dead body or a living person.

536. The method of doing Ghusl for touching the dead body is the same as of Ghusl for Janabat. However, for a person who has done Ghusl for touching a dead body, the recommended precaution is that he should perform Wudhu if he wants to pray.

537. One Ghusl is sufficient for one who touches several corpses or touches the same corpse a number of times.

538. A person who has not done Ghusl after touching a dead body is not prohibited from halting or pausing in a masjid or from having sexual intercourse with his wife, or from reciting the verses of the holy Qur’an which have obligatory Sajdah. However, he should do Ghusl for offering prayers or for other similar acts of worship.