Wudu/Ghusl after touching dead body?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question:

Assalamu Alaykum,

In medical school, we dissect cadavers. If one touches any part of the cadaver (i.e. contacts my skin, not just latex glove), are there any implications as far as wudu or ghusl?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Touching the dead doesn't affect one's state of ritual purity. However, if any filth (such as blood or pus) from the dead get on one's skin, one washes it away like any other filth.

It is also recommended to perform wudu after washing the dead. [Hindiyya quoting Qadikhan]

And Allah alone gives success.

Faraz Rabbani

في الفتاوى الهندية:

( الوضوء أنواع ثلاثة ) فرض وهو وضوء المحدث عند القيام إلى الصلاة , وواجب وهو الوضوء للطواف إن طاف بالبيت بدونه جاز ويكون تاركا للواجب , ومندوب وذلك غير معدود فمنها الوضوء للنوم , ومنها المحافظة على الوضوء وتفسيره أن يتوضأ كلما أحدث ليكون على الوضوء في الأوقات كلها , ومنها الوضوء بعد الغيبة وبعد إنشاد الشعر ومنها الوضوء على الوضوء ومنها الوضوء إذا ضحك قهقهة ومنها الوضوء لغسل الميت كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان .

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