The Kafan and Ghusl of Hazrat Faatimah (Radhiyallahu Anha)
At the time of the death of Hazrat Faatimah (Radhiyallahu anha), Hazrat Asmaa Bint Umais (Radhiyallahu anha) was present. Hazrat Faatimah said to her, “I do not like it that the janaazahs of women are taken with only a cloth covering (like that of men), showing the figure of the deceased.”
Hazrat Asmaa (Radhiyallahu anha) replied, “I will show you something that I saw in Habshah.”
She asked for twigs and made with it a type of canopy. Hazrat Sayyidah Faatimah (Radhiyallahu anha) liked it very much and she said to Hazrat Asmaa, “When I pass away then you and Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu) should give me the ghusl. Do not allow anyone else to take part in the ghusl.”
When Hazrat Faatimah (Radhiyallahu anha) passed away, then Hazrat Aishah (Radhiyallahu anha) came to give the ghusl, but Hazrat Asmaa stopped her. Hazrat Aishah (Radhiyallahu anha) complained to Hazrat Abu Bakr, who came there and asked Hazrat Asmaa (his wife), “O Asmaa! Why have you stopped the wife of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) from going to his daughter?”
Hazrat Asmaa replied: “Faatimah (Radhiyallahu anha) instructed me to do so.” Hazrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallahu anhu) then said: “Alright, act upon her instructions.” Accordingly, Hazrat Asmaa (Radhiyallahu anha) did so. In other words, she and Hazrat Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu) gave the ghusl and then placed the canopy over the kafan.
(Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Rahmatullahi alaih, writes in Al-Isaabah that Ibn Fathoon considers this account far-fetched, raising the objection of Hazrat Asmaa being in the nikaah of Hazrat Abu Bakr, Radhiyallahu anhu, at that time, so how would it be correct for her give the ghusl with Hazrat Ali, Radhiyallahu anhu!?
The second objection arises from the Hanafi Math-hab. According to the Hanafi Math-hab the husband cannot give ghusl to his deceased wife, as it appears in Fataawal Aalamgeeriyyah: “It is permissible for a woman to give ghusl to her deceased husband, not the husband to his deceased wife, according to us.”
The response to both objections can be given as follows: It is possible that Hazrat Ali was behind a screen and passing on the water to Hazrat Asmaa, Radhiyallahu anha, who was giving the ghusl. Wallahu A’lam)
(Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam Kee Saahbzaadiya)