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LAWS OF THE FUNERAL PRAYER (ṢALĀT AL‑MAYYIT) →
← LAWS OF SHROUDING (TAKFĪN) A CORPSE
LAWS OF CAMPHORATING (TAḤNĪṬ) A CORPSE
Ruling 573. After ghusl has been given to a corpse, it is obligatory to camphorate it – i.e. to apply camphor on its forehead, palms, knees, and the tips of the big toes – such that a little of the camphor remains on them even if by means other than rubbing. It is recommended that camphor also be applied to the tip of the nose of the corpse. The camphor must be powdered, fresh, and mubāḥ (not usurped); and if it has lost its fragrance on account of it being old, it is not sufficient.
Ruling 574. The recommended precaution is that camphor should be first applied to the forehead of the corpse; after that, there is no particular order in applying camphor to the other parts of the body.
Ruling 575. It is better that camphorating be done before shrouding, although there is no problem in doing it during or after shrouding.
Ruling 576. If someone dies while in the state of iḥrām for ʿumrah or hajj, it is not permitted to camphorate his body except in the case mentioned in Ruling 541.
Ruling 577. Although applying perfume is unlawful for someone engaged in a spiritual retreat (iʿtikāf)[1] and for a woman whose ʿiddah has not yet finished following the death of her husband, when such a person dies, it is obligatory to camphorate his or her body.
Ruling 578. The recommended precaution is that a corpse should not be perfumed with musk, ambergris (ʿanbar), aloes-wood (ʿūd), and other fragrances, nor should these be mixed with the camphor.
Ruling 579. It is recommended to mix some turbah from the grave of His Eminence Sayyid al-Shuhadāʾ [Imam al-Ḥusayn] (ʿA) with the camphor. However, the camphor must not be applied to places on the body that would cause disrespect to that earth. Furthermore, the amount of turbah should not be so great that when mixed with the camphor, it can no longer be called ‘camphor’.
Ruling 580. If camphor cannot be procured, or if the quantity that can be procured is sufficient only for ghusl, then camphorating is not necessary. In the event that after ghusl an amount of camphor is left over but it is not sufficient for it to be applied to all seven parts of the body, then based on recommended precaution, it must first be applied to the forehead and then to the other parts if any is left over.
Ruling 581. It is recommended to place two freshly cut twigs in the grave with the corpse.
Ruling 574. The recommended precaution is that camphor should be first applied to the forehead of the corpse; after that, there is no particular order in applying camphor to the other parts of the body.
Ruling 575. It is better that camphorating be done before shrouding, although there is no problem in doing it during or after shrouding.
Ruling 576. If someone dies while in the state of iḥrām for ʿumrah or hajj, it is not permitted to camphorate his body except in the case mentioned in Ruling 541.
Ruling 577. Although applying perfume is unlawful for someone engaged in a spiritual retreat (iʿtikāf)[1] and for a woman whose ʿiddah has not yet finished following the death of her husband, when such a person dies, it is obligatory to camphorate his or her body.
Ruling 578. The recommended precaution is that a corpse should not be perfumed with musk, ambergris (ʿanbar), aloes-wood (ʿūd), and other fragrances, nor should these be mixed with the camphor.
Ruling 579. It is recommended to mix some turbah from the grave of His Eminence Sayyid al-Shuhadāʾ [Imam al-Ḥusayn] (ʿA) with the camphor. However, the camphor must not be applied to places on the body that would cause disrespect to that earth. Furthermore, the amount of turbah should not be so great that when mixed with the camphor, it can no longer be called ‘camphor’.
Ruling 580. If camphor cannot be procured, or if the quantity that can be procured is sufficient only for ghusl, then camphorating is not necessary. In the event that after ghusl an amount of camphor is left over but it is not sufficient for it to be applied to all seven parts of the body, then based on recommended precaution, it must first be applied to the forehead and then to the other parts if any is left over.
Ruling 581. It is recommended to place two freshly cut twigs in the grave with the corpse.
[1] Iʿtikāf refers to the act of staying in a mosque under particular conditions with the intention of worshipping Allah. The laws of iʿtikāf are stated in Chapter 5.