Qestion:

Dear Imam Mohsin

Assalam-o-Alaikum

I have two questions:

1: Can a husband give bath to his deceased wife.

2: I have seen some brothers that they don’t wash their feet rather simply wet their hands and rub over the feet. Is it permissible? If yes, then under what conditions and terms?

Jazak Allah khair.

The answer:

Wa alaikum assalam,

Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
It is OK for the both spouses to wash one another after deeth if they know how to do that. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) washed his wife Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), and Asmaa bint ‘Umays washed her husband Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him).
Secondly:

In wudoo’ the feet has to be washed up to the ankles, namely the bones at the bottom of the leg.
The evidence for that is the hadeeth narrated by Humraan the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan, who said that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allah be pleased with him) called for water to do wudoo’. He washed his hands three times, then he rinsed his mouth and nose, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his right arm up to the elbow three times, then he washed his left arm likewise. Then he wiped his head, then he washed his right foot up to the ankle three times, then he washed his left foot likewise. Then he said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) doing wudoo’ as I have done it, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Whoever does wudoo’ as I have done it, then prays two rak’ahs in which he focuses completely on his prayer, his previous sins will be forgiven.’” (Narrated by Muslim).
So to wipe on the feet is not allowed except of wiping over one’s socks while in a state of tahaarah (purity) if one puts them on in a state of purification with four conditions as following:
Four conditions apply to wiping over the socks:

1. That they should have been put on when one was in a state of tahaarah(purity, i.e., when one has wudoo’).
2. That the khufoof (leather slippers which cover the ankle) or socks should be taahir (pure).
3. They may be wiped over when one is purifying oneself from minor impurity (i.e., doing wudoo’ after passing wind, urine or stools), not when one is in a state of janaabah (major impurity following sexual activity) or when ghusl is required.
4. That the wiping may be done within the time specified by sharee’ah, which is one day and one night in the case of one who is not travelling, and three days and three nights in the case of one who is travelling.

And Allah knows best.
Mohsen Shaker Bayoumy
Imam of Osaka Ibaraki Mosque