Chapter 14 of 33 2 min read
1. Uncovering the Face and Kissing it
1. كشف الوجه وتقبيله
Those present at the individual’s death or those who come to see the dead person for the last time are allowed to uncover the face and kiss it. Kissing the 13 Collected in Musnad Ahmad, vol.6, p.74 and authenticated in Ahkaamul-Janaa’iz, p.19. 14 Collected in Musnad Ahmad, vol.4, p.136 and authenticated in sahih Sunan Ibn Maajah, vol.2, p.57, no.1973 and Ahkaamul-Janaa’iz, p.15. For the English text, see Mishkat Al-Masabih, vol.1, p.626.
face of the dead is considered a part of the sunnah of the Prophet (r) and his companions. ِﻭلَ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪﺴﺕﹸ ﺭﺃَﻴﺎﺌِﺸﹶﺔﹶ ﻗﹶﺎﻟﹶﺕﹾ ﺭ ﻋﻥﻋ r ﺕﹸ ﺃَﻴﺘﱠﻰ ﺭﺕﹲ ﺤﻴ ﻤﻭﻫﻭﻥٍ ﻭﻅﹾﻌ ﻤﻥ ﺒﺎﻥﺜﹾﻤلُ ﻋﻘﹶﺒﻴ ﺘﹶﺴِﻴلُﻭﻉﻤﺍﻟﺩ . ‘Aa’ishah reported that when the Prophet (r) came to see ‘Uthmaan ibn Math‘oon after he had died, he uncovered his face, bent over him and kissed him.15 ﺍﻟﻨﱠﺒِﻲﺝﻭﺎ ﺯﻨﹾﻬ ﻋﻀِﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪﺎﺌِﺸﹶﺔﹶ ﺭ ﻋﻥﻋ r ﻗﹶﺎﻟﹶﺕﹾﺘﹾﻪﺭ ﺃَﺨﹾﺒ : ﻨﹾﻪ ﻋﻀِﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪﻜﹾﺭٍ ﺭﻭ ﺒلَ ﺃَﺒﺃَﻗﹾﺒ ﻜﹶﻠﱢﻡِ ﻴ ﻓﹶﻠﹶﻡﺠِﺩﺴﺨﹶلَ ﺍﻟﹾﻤلَ ﻓﹶﺩﺘﱠﻰ ﻨﹶﺯﻨﹾﺢِ ﺤﻜﹶﻨِﻪِ ﺒِﺎﻟﺴﺴ ﻤﺴِﻪِ ﻤِﻥﻠﹶﻰ ﻓﹶﺭﻋ ﻠﹶﻰ ﺨﹶلَ ﻋﺘﱠﻰ ﺩ ﺤ ﺍﻟﻨﱠﺎﺱ ﺍﻟﻨﱠﺒِﻲﻡﻤﺎ ﻓﹶﺘﹶﻴﻨﹾﻬ ﻋﻀِﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪﺎﺌِﺸﹶﺔﹶ ﺭﻋ r ﺃَﻜﹶﺏﻬِﻪِ ﺜﹸﻡﺠ ﻭﻥﺓٍ ﻓﹶﻜﹶﺸﹶﻑﹶ ﻋﺭﺩِ ﺤِﺒﺭﻰ ﺒِﺒﺠﺴ ﻤﻭﻫ ﻭ ﻜﹶﻰ ﺒ ﺜﹸﻡﻠﹶﻪﻪِ ﻓﹶﻘﹶﺒﻠﹶﻴﻋ . ‘Aa’ishah said, “Aboo Bakr came riding on his horse from his home in Sunh. He dismounted and entered the masjid without saying anything to the people until he entered ‘Aa’ishah’s house. He then went to the Prophet (r), who was covered in his striped yemeni cloak, uncovered his face, then bent over and kissed him [between his eyes]16 and cried.17