Whenever it is impossible to perform the obligatory major...

Whenever it is impossible to perform the obligatory major and minor ritual ablutions, it becomes obligatory to perform the dry ablution (i.e. tayammum ; wiping a portion of the face and the backs of both hands with dust of certain qualifications) instead. It is individually obligatory to put moribund Muslims, be they male or female, adult or child, legitimate or illegitimate child of two Muslims, in the direction of qiblah .

To put someone in the direction of qiblah is to make him/her lie on the back with the feet facing the qiblah direction. It must be noted, however, that this is one of the controversial issues in Muslim jurisprudence.

It is individually obligatory upon each duty-bound person who becomes informed of a Muslim’s death to purify the dead body from ceremonial impurities and then give three ritual ablutions: first, with sidr (jujube) leaves water, meaning a little amount of jujube leaves mixed with water; second, with camphor mixed with water; third, with pure (unmixed) water.

It is obligatory to perform hanut , meaning to rub camphor on seven parts of a dead body, which are the parts that touch the ground while prostrating. These seven parts are the forehead, the palms of the hands, the knees, and the big toes. It is obligatory to shroud every Muslim dead person with three pieces of pure and legally obtained ( halal ) fabric; (1) a waistcloth, (2) a shirt, and (3) an allover cloth. The abovementioned three obligations (i.e.

ritual ablution, camphorating, and shrouding) are not obligatory upon those martyred in the battlefield. It is obligatory to perform the Prayer of the Dead ( salat al-mayyit ) on any dead Muslim of more than six years of age, even if he or she is an illegitimate child of a Muslim. This prayer is performed after the ritual ablution, camphorating, and shrouding.

It is obligatory to bury any dead Muslim person under the earth, towards the qiblah direction, in a way that the right side be on the ground and facing the qiblah . To perform the abovementioned five matters (i.e. ritual ablution, camphorating, shrouding, praying, and burying) is a collective obligation. It is forbidden to perform these things for a disbeliever and to bury him/her in a Muslim cemetery.

It is obligatory to obtain permission from the dead person’s guardian for performing these five rituals. When such a guardian is missing, it becomes obligatory upon all Muslims, yet unconditionally, to perform these five rituals. In this respect, a guardian (i.e.