Question:
Is it permissible for a husband to give bath to his dead wife?
Answer:
Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,
For a man’s body, the order of preference for who should wash him is as follows:
1) Those who are most entitled to lead the funeral prayer are most entitled to perform the ghusl; the most learned takes preference over the eldest. Relatives are given preference over strangers.
2) The deceased’s wife, even if remarried.
3) Female relatives.
And for a woman’s body:
1) Female relatives.
2) Other women.
3) Her husband, even if remarried.
4) Male relatives; their preference is based on who is more entitled to lead the funeral prayer.
This order of preference considers that the person washing is: 1) free, 2) shares the same religion as the deceased, 3) did not commit murder which would abdicate the right of inheritance and 4) is not a transgressor or hostile.
If there are only strange members of the opposite gender available, tayammum should be made. There is no problem for a man or woman to wash a pre-pubescent boy or girl.
(al-Hawashy al-Madaniyyah 1/107; Mughni al-Muhtaj 2/13)
And Allah knows best.
Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.