May a wife wash her husband?

Question

Many women, after their husband's death, do not touch their husband; ignorant women think that the nikah breaks. How far is this correct? Women, during the days of 'idda — four months and ten days — remain in the husband's marriage, in his nikah; therefore, in case of need, they may even wash the husband. So why is touching avoided?

Answer

This notion of the women is wrong; rather, it is permissible according to the Sacred Law for a woman to shroud her husband and wash him after his death. The proof is the very one you have written (“Radd al-Muhtar”, p. 576).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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