11/12. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 939e — Washing Three, Five, or Seven
Washing the deceased
Hadith About Washing Three, Five, or Seven Times
Sahih Muslim : 939e
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 939e
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَيُّوبُ، قَالَ وَقَالَتْ حَفْصَةُ عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَتِ اغْسِلْنَهَا وِتْرًا ثَلاَثًا أَوْ خَمْسًا أَوْ سَبْعًا قَالَ وَقَالَتْ أُمُّ عَطِيَّةَ مَشَطْنَاهَا ثَلاَثَةَ قُرُونٍ .
Umm 'Atiyyah Narrated from:
We washed her an odd number of times, i. e. three, five or seven times; and Umm 'Atiyya (further) said: We braided her hair in three plaits.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 939eIn-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 50USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 2045
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 939e
This Hadith about washing three, five, or seven times is simple and direct. Umm 'Atiyya reports that they washed her an odd number of times: three, five, or seven. She also said that they braided her hair in three plaits. The narration is useful for readers searching for ghusl mayyit hadith, funeral washing hadith, and washing deceased in Islam. It keeps the focus on two actions: washing in odd numbers and arranging the hair into three plaits. The Hadith does not add a long reason or extra ruling here. It simply preserves what was done during the washing of the deceased.
What we learn from this hadith
- The deceased was washed an odd number of times.
- The text specifically mentions three, five, or seven washings.
- The hair was braided into three plaits.
- The narration teaches careful reporting of funeral washing details.
