Third Wajib Act - Kafan

Method (Shrouding/Wrapping the Body with Sheets of cloth)

After the second wajib act has been completed, the third wajib act is Kafan i.e., shrouding or systematically wrapping the body with three wajib and several additional mustahab pieces of cloth.

Wajib Pieces

a) Lungi (Loin cloth) - it is an apron like loincloth that should completely cover both the front and back part of the body from the navel to the ankles.

b) Qamis - (Long shirt) a piece of cloth similar to a shirt that covers the body from the shoulders to the below the knees, preferably to the ankles.

c) Chadar - (a large piece of cloth) that covers the entire body and long and wide enough so that the front had parts overlap and the top and the bottom parts can be tied with a string.

Mustahab Pieces

The mustahab (recommended) pieces of Kafan are:

a) Second chadar - a second piece exactly like the first sheet.

b) Scarf to cover the head and the neck (for females only); a turban (for male) to cover the head.

c) Briefs / knickers / shorts to cover the complete area of the private parts and a belt to tighten them around the waist, both for male and female.

d) Brassier / seenaband to cover the whole area of the bust or breast (for female only).

e) Cotton pad sprinkled with camphor (for females only) for placing around the private parts.

N.B. All these pieces of cloth are pre arranged systematically in their proper order in the stated sequence and kept ready on the floor over a mat so as to facilitate shrouding when the body is laid on them for Tahnit followed by shrouding Kafan.

It is Mustahab (recommended) that

a) The cloth for "Kafan" should be white.

b) the body should be kept in a position that the face is towards Qibla while shrouding.

c) two fresh twigs of a tree inscribed with Shahadah (Kalma) called Jareedatain wrapped in cotton wool should be kept under the armpits of both arms before wrapping the chadar.

d) recite surahs/ayats from the Qur'an and Istaghfar while shrouding the body.

P.S. The order in which the pieces of Kafan are systematically arranged and kept to facilitate wrapping is as follows:

From Bottom to the Top (arranged before the body is placed) Belts (Upper, middle and lower to tighten the whole kafan)

male
female
Chadar
wajib
male
female
Chadar
Mustahab
male
female
Scarf
Mustahab

- female
Turban (Amama)
Mustahab
male

- Qamis (long shirt)
wajib
male
female
Loin Cloth
wajib
male
female
Briefs/knickers
Mustahab
male
female
Belt (to tighten briefs)
Mustahab
male
female
Brassier (to cover the chest)
Mustahab

- female
Cotton Pad
Mustahab

- female

The wrapping is then done from the top to the bottom to finally reach the belts to tie up the whole body after shrouding.

Adapted from: "Burial Rituals" by: "Muhammad hussien Kermali"