What is the prescribed method of shrouding a deceased person who lacks sufficient cloth?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Funerals
Primary text
If a man cannot find a garment to cover his entire body, he must cover his head and place grass or leaves over his feet. This is based on the tradition concerning Mus'ab ibn Umayr on the Day of Uhud, where the Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded that his head be covered and 'idhkhir (a type of grass) be placed over his feet when the cloth was insufficient for both. If only enough cloth exists to cover the private parts (awrah), that must be covered first, as this takes precedence, demonstrated by the ruling for the living. If the number of dead is large and shrouds are scarce, two or three individuals must be wrapped in a single garment, as was done for the martyrs of Uhud. Anas reported that two or three men were shrouded in one cloth and buried in one grave.