Funerals: Shrouding Men and Women

1. The three garments of a man’s shroud

وَالسُّنَّةُ أَنْ يُكَفَّنَ الرَّجُلُ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ: إِزَارٍ، وَقَمِيصٍ، وَلِفَافَةٍ
Translation: The recommended shroud for a man consists of three garments: an izar, a qamis and a lifafah.

Takfin is the act of clothing the deceased in a shroud. The term sunnah here identifies the full recommended arrangement; it does not mean that fewer garments are invariably invalid.

Each named cloth has a distinct form or wrapping function.

2. Identifying the izar, qamis and lifafah

Izar is the cloth spread beneath and wrapped around the deceased, ordinarily extending from head to feet in this funeral arrangement.

Qamis is the shroud tunic covering the body below the neck without the ordinary details of a sewn shirt.

Lifafah is the outermost encompassing sheet wrapping the other pieces.

3. The funeral qamis differs from an ordinary shirt

The funeral qamis is not an everyday tailored shirt. It is simple material for covering the body rather than a garment intended for regular wear.

Its purpose is covering, not ornament; distinguishing it from the two shroud sheets explains the wrapping method.

4. Three pieces: Hanafi and Shafi‘i forms

The number three is widely recognized for a man’s shroud, but jurists differ over which pieces should make up those three. The Hanafi arrangement includes the qamis, whereas the reported Shafi‘i, Maliki and Hanbali preference is for three wrapping sheets without a distinct tunic.

The report of Aishah describes the Prophet ﷺ being shrouded in three white Sahuli cloths without a shirt or turban; other transmitted reports mention a qamis. This underlies a difference about preferred form, not the obligation to cover the deceased respectfully.

5. Permissibility of two shroud pieces

فَإِنِ اقْتَصَرُوا عَلَى ثَوْبَيْنِ: جَازَ
Translation: If the man is shrouded in only two pieces of cloth, that is also permissible.

Iqtasaru means that they were satisfied with fewer pieces. The two-piece arrangement is valid, although it is not described as equivalent in recommendation to the full three-piece form.

In the two-piece arrangement the izar and outer wrap are used; severe shortage gives rise to a separate rule of necessity.

6. Recommended, sufficient, and necessary shrouds

Hanafi jurists distinguish recommended shrouding, a sufficient shroud, and a necessity-based shroud.

The recommended arrangement for a man is three pieces; two pieces are sufficient; in genuine need, the available material is used to cover the body as possible.

These gradations distinguish validity from preferred completeness.

7. Shrouding expenses and the dignity of the deceased

Shrouding expenses may be taken from the deceased’s estate subject to relevant legal priorities, but extravagance is not the objective.

A clean, adequate and dignified shroud matters more than excessive ornament or unnecessary numbers of garments.

8. Wrapping the outer sheet: left then right

وَإِذَا أَرَادُوا لَفَّ اللِّفَافَةِ عَلَيْهِ: ابْتَدَؤُوا بِالْجَانِبِ الْأَيْسَرِ، فَأَلْقَوْهُ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ بِالْأَيْمَنِ
Translation: When wrapping the outer sheet, fold its left side over the deceased first and then its right side.

The lifafah is the outer wrap and is folded after the underlying pieces are positioned.

The text specifies that its left side is laid over the deceased before its right side, so the body is enclosed.

9. Complete sequence of wrapping

In the described three-piece arrangement, the outer lifafah is laid down first, with the izar spread over it. The deceased is dressed in the simple shroud qamis, then enclosed with the izar.

Finally, the left side of the lifafah is folded over, then the right, to enclose the inner layers.

10. Securing the shroud if it may open

فَإِنْ خَافُوا أَنْ يَنْتَشِرَ الْكَفَنُ عَنْهُ: عَقَدُوهُ
Translation: If there is concern that the shroud may come open, it may be tied.

Yantashira al-kafan means that the shroud may loosen or open. The permitted tie is a practical way to secure the covering, not a separate act of worship.

The text conditions tying on the possibility of unwrapping; a secure shroud does not depend upon extra knots.

11. Two valid configurations for a man

The complete Hanafi recommended arrangement is izar, qamis and lifafah.

With only izar and lifafah, the shroud remains valid, but it does not contain the full preferred three-piece arrangement. The distinction is sufficiency versus recommended completeness.

12. Five pieces of a woman’s shroud

وَتُكَفَّنُ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي خَمْسَةِ أَثْوَابٍ: إِزَارٍ، وَقَمِيصٍ، وَخِمَارٍ، وَخِرْقَةٍ تُرْبَطُ بِهَا ثَدْيَاهَا، وَلِفَافَةٍ
Translation: A woman is shrouded in five garments: an izar, qamis, khimar, a cloth used to secure the breasts, and a lifafah.

The complete recommended shroud for a woman adds two pieces to the three common layers: a khimar for the head and hair, and a strip of cloth securing the chest.

The remaining garments are izar, qamis and outer lifafah; each has a distinct covering function.

13. All five components and their functions

1. Izar: an inner wrapping cloth.
2. Qamis: simple shroud tunic.
3. Khimar: head and hair covering.
4. Khirqah: a band securing the chest.
5. Lifafah: the outer enclosing wrap.

Together these form the complete recommended arrangement, with separate roles for every piece.

14. Distinguishing the khimar from the chest band

The khimar covers the woman’s head and hair, while the khirqah binds across the chest; they are not interchangeable.

خِرْقَةٍ تُرْبَطُ بِهَا ثَدْيَاهَا
Translation: A strip of cloth with which her breasts are secured.

The wording identifies the band’s specific place, distinct from the head-cover and outer sheet.

15. Three pieces may suffice for a woman

فَإِنِ اقْتَصَرُوا عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ: جَازَ
Translation: If the woman is shrouded in three pieces of cloth, that is also permissible.

Five pieces are recommended for a woman, but three are valid.

The three retained in the sufficient arrangement are commonly the izar, qamis and lifafah, leaving out the additional head-cover and chest strip as separate garments. Validity should not be confused with the preferred five-piece arrangement.

16. Comparing the numbers for men and women

Man: full recommended shroud is three pieces (izar, qamis, lifafah); the sufficient form is two (izar and lifafah).

Woman: full recommended shroud is five pieces (izar, qamis, khimar, khirqah and lifafah); the sufficient form is three (izar, qamis and lifafah).

The categories distinguish proper coverage and sufficiency from full recommended practice.

17. Where the khimar lies in the layers

وَيَكُونُ الْخِمَارُ فَوْقَ الْقَمِيصِ تَحْتَ اللِّفَافَةِ
Translation: The khimar is placed above the qamis and beneath the outer lifafah.

The qamis lies closer to the body; the head covering is above the qamis but inside the outer lifafah.

This clarifies the khimar’s exact place in the layered arrangement.

18. Positioning a woman’s hair on the chest

وَيُجْعَلُ شَعْرُهَا عَلَى صَدْرِهَا
Translation: The woman’s hair is placed upon her chest.

The hair is brought forward over the woman’s chest and covered by the appropriate layers. The more detailed account also describes dividing the hair and placing it forward.

The phrase states the placement of the hair; it does not authorize cutting or styling it.

19. Bringing the head-cover, hair and wrap together

The woman’s hair is placed toward the chest while the qamis covers the body. The khimar covers the head and hair and the chest strip is secured.

Finally the lifafah encloses the layers, leaving the khimar above the qamis and beneath the outer wrap.

20. No combing or trimming hair, beard, or nails

وَلَا يُسَرَّحُ شَعْرُ الْمَيِّتِ وَلَا لِحْيَتُهُ، وَلَا يُقَصُّ ظُفْرُهُ، وَلَا يُقَصُّ شَعْرُهُ
Translation: The deceased’s hair and beard are not combed; the nails are not clipped, and the hair is not cut.

Yusarrah means to comb or arrange hair; yuqass means to cut. Everyday grooming practices are not automatically included in funeral preparations.

The purpose of washing is purification and dignity, not alteration of the deceased’s hair or nails.

21. Cleansing versus altering the body

Cleaning the body, removing impurity and using fragrance belong to the funeral-washing procedure. Cutting hair or nails and styling hair for adornment are different actions.

The legal distinction is between appropriate cleansing and unnecessary alteration of the deceased.

22. Perfuming the shroud an odd number of times

وَتُجَمَّرُ الْأَكْفَانُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُدْرَجَ فِيهَا وِتْرًا
Translation: Before wrapping the deceased in the shroud, perfume the shroud cloths with incense an odd number of times.

Tujammaru refers to perfuming with fragrant incense; witran means an odd number, such as three or five times.

The perfuming precedes wrapping and concerns funeral etiquette; the underlying validity of the shroud is a separate matter.

23. Timing and extent of perfuming

The phrase qabla an yudraja fiha specifies that incense is applied before the body is enclosed in the cloths.

An odd count expresses the recommended manner, not a condition without which the shroud would cease to be valid.

24. Clean, white and modest shrouding

The hadith recommends white clothing for shrouding: وَكَفِّنُوا فِيهَا مَوْتَاكُمْ
Translation: And shroud your deceased in them (white garments).

White is preferred, but validity does not depend exclusively on the color white. Appropriate clean cloth fulfills the fundamental purpose of covering.

25. Hierarchy of shroud arrangements

The full recommended arrangement is preferred; the smaller sufficient arrangement still provides a valid shroud.

Two pieces for a man rather than three, and three for a woman rather than five, demonstrate this difference between recommended completeness and legal sufficiency.

26. Two comparative cases

Case 1: A man has an izar and lifafah but no qamis. The shroud is valid though not the full three-piece recommended form.

Case 2: A woman has an izar, qamis and lifafah, but no separate khimar or chest band. This is an allowed three-piece shroud, not the full five-piece form.

In both cases, legal sufficiency and preferred completeness remain distinct.

27. Key technical terms at a glance

Izar: inner wrap. Qamis: shroud tunic. Lifafah: enclosing outer sheet.

Khimar: head and hair covering for a woman. Khirqah: chest-binding strip.

Tajmir: perfuming with incense. Witran: an odd number. Kafan al-kifayah: a sufficient but less-than-complete recommended shroud.

28. Integrated summary of the shrouding rules

The recommended shroud for a man is izar, qamis and lifafah; for a woman it is izar, qamis, khimar, chest strip and lifafah. Two and three pieces respectively can suffice.

The left side of the lifafah is folded before the right; it may be tied if necessary. The woman’s head-cover lies above the qamis and beneath the lifafah, with her hair placed over her chest.

Hair, beard and nails are not groomed or trimmed, and incense is applied to the cloths an odd number of times before wrapping.