11/12. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 939g — Three Plaits of Hair
Washing the deceased
Hadith About Three Plaits in Funeral Washing
Sahih Muslim : 939g
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 939g
وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ، عَنْ حَفْصَةَ، بِنْتِ سِيرِينَ عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَتْ أَتَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ نَغْسِلُ إِحْدَى بَنَاتِهِ فَقَالَ " اغْسِلْنَهَا وِتْرًا خَمْسًا أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكِ " . بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِ أَيُّوبَ وَعَاصِمٍ وَقَالَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ قَالَتْ فَضَفَرْنَا شَعْرَهَا ثَلاَثَةَ أَثْلاَثٍ قَرْنَيْهَا وَنَاصِيَتَهَا .
Umm 'Atiyyah Narrated from:
There came to us the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as we were washing one of his daughters. So he said: Wash her (dead body) an odd number of times, five times or more than that, the rest of the hadith is the same. She (further) said: We braided her hair in three plaits: (two) on the sides of her head and one on her forehead.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 939gIn-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 52USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 2047
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 939g
This Hadith about three plaits in funeral washing gives both a washing instruction and a hair detail. Umm 'Atiyya reports that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came while they were washing one of his daughters. He told them to wash her an odd number of times, five times or more than that. The rest of the Hadith is said to be like the related reports. Umm 'Atiyya then adds that they braided her hair into three parts: two on the sides of her head and one on her forehead. This helps readers looking for funeral hair braiding hadith understand the exact layout mentioned in this narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) instructed an odd number of washings.
- This narration mentions five or more washings if needed.
- The hair was braided into three parts.
- The three parts were two side plaits and one at the forehead.
