Q144 :What is the reason for washing a dead person
before burying him, when we know that the process of denetposition
starts with death?
A144 : When a person dies and he is prepared for
burial, all his body is washed, in the same way as a living person
washes his body to remove the state of ceremonial impurity. Death marks
the end of the stage of our life on earth, and the beginning of another
state which leads to life in the hereafter. The departure from this
life is thus marked by an act of symbolic purification. The
denetposition that takes place is a process which will eventually be
reversed as we are resurrected. Therefore, the symbolic gesture of
purification is useful because it marks an end to a stage of life where
purification is necessary before any act of worship. It signifies that
one is approaching the next stage without any lingering impurity.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )