Can Husband and Wife give Ghusl to each other after One of them is Dead?

As a general rule, males should take the responsibility of washing males and females should wash females. This rule is to avoid the arousal of any undesirable feelings during this delicate procedure. The only exception to the rule is in the case of husband and wife, or small children. Permission for husbands to wash their wives and visa versa is based primarily on the fact that there is no prohibition from doing so. It is also based on statements of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his wives.

‘Aa’ishah reported that when the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) returned from a funeral at al-Baqee‘, she was suffering from a headache and said, “Oh my head.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied, “No, it is I who is in pain from whatever hurts you. If you were to die before me, I would wash you, shroud you, pray for you and bury you.”

Collected by Ibn Maajah (Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2, p.376, no.1465), Ahmad and ad-Daarimee and Mishkaat Al-Masaabih, vol.2, p.1308 and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah, vol.1, p.247, no.1197.

‘Aa’ishah said, “If I had known beforehand what I came to know after, only the wives of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would have washed him.”

Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2, p.376, no.1464 and Sunan Ab00 Daawood, vol.2, p.894, no.3135 and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah, vol.1, p.247, no.1196.

Dr. Shaykh Aboo Aeemah Bilal Philips