The number of pieces of cloth in the shroud

Question

What is the shroud that is sunna according to the Sacred Law for a deceased man? In the standard books of fiqh the qamis, izar and lifafa are explicitly stated. Now, however, some people of knowledge are saying that a cloth is needed over the qamis so that the covering of the ‘awra is complete, and as proof of this view of theirs they cite a statement of Hazrat-e Aqdas Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi and Hazrat Mawlana ‘Abd al-Shakur Lakhnawi. How far is it correct to go beyond this?

Answer

In the books of fiqh three pieces of cloth are explicitly stated, and that is what is correct. The statement of those two elders being cited against this in favour of a new cloth is not known to me: [ar]وَيُسَنُّ فِي الكَفَنِ لَهُ إزار وقميص ولفافة اهـ[/ar] “For him (a man) the izar, qamis and lifafa are sunna in the shroud” (al-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 1, p. 578).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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