Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Mufti, how should we shroud a deceased when white cloth is unavailable?
Answer:
Wa’alaikumussalam w.b.t.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Shrouding means wrapping or covering a deceased. Generally, shrouding a deceased is supposed to be with a white cloth according to syarak. This is in accordance with a hadith from Ibn Abbas RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
الْبَسُوا مِنْ ثِيَابِكُمُ الْبَيَاضَ فَإِنَّهَا خَيْرُ ثِيَابِكُمْ وَكَفِّنُوا فِيهَا مَوْتَاكُمْ
“Wear your white garments, for they are among your best garments, and shroud your dead in them.”
Sunan Abu daud (4061)
The imperative verb (فعل الأمر) in the above narration carries the sunnah ruling for it. The reason is, the Prophet PBUH wears numerous clothing which are not white proving its permissibility.
Imam al-Nawawi said that the process of shrouding a deceased using white cloth is sunnah. The type of cloth used, maintaining the rights of the deceased is whatever is permissible for the deceased when he was alive. Which means, it is permissible to shroud a woman with silk, however, this is makruh (undesirable). While for man, it is prohibited (haram) to shroud him with silk. See: Raudhah al-Thalibin, Al-Nawawi (2/110).
Hence, if white cloth is unavailable, then it is permissible to shroud a deceased with cloth of any type which is permissible for the deceased to wear when he was alive.
If three pieces of cloths are unavailable, then it is sufficient to just use one piece of cloth to shroud the deceased. Imam al-Nawawi said:
أقل الكفن ثوب ، وأكمله للرجال ثلاثة ، وفي قدر الثوب الواجب ، وجهان . أحدهما : ما يستر العورة ، ويختلف باختلاف عورة المكفن في الذكورة والأنوثة . والثاني : ما يستر جميع بدنه إلا رأس المحرم ، ووجه المحرمة
To shroud a decease, the least that should be used is a single clothing. The complete and prioritized is three cloths. The obligatory (as shroud cloth) is divided into two opinions (according to the madhab’s scholars).
First: (Clothing) that covers the aurah and it differs according to the gender of the deceased that is being shrouded; whether it is a man or a woman.
Second: Clothing that covers the entire body of the deceased unless if the deceased is in ihram state and the face of a deceased woman in ihram. Refer: Raudhah al-Thalibin, Al-Nawawi (2/110).
Conclusion
As a conclusion, we would like to state that if there is no white cloth available to shroud a deceased, then it is permissible to shroud the deceased with any type of clothing that covers the aurah of the deceased completely using the type of cloth that is permissible for the deceased to wear during his life.
We also advise preachers who went to preach in rural areas to bring along the necessities for a funeral to ease the affairs of the society that live there.
Lastly, may Allah SWT give us the right understanding in our religion. Amin.