Ruling 510. If someone touches – i.e. makes part of his body come into contact with – the body of a dead person after it has become cold but before it has been given ghusl, he must perform the ghusl for touching a corpse, irrespective of whether he touches it while he is asleep or awake, voluntarily or involuntarily. Even if one’s nail or bone touches a nail or bone of the corpse, he must perform this ghusl. However, if one touches a dead animal, performing ghusl is not obligatory for him.

Ruling 511. Performing this ghusl is not obligatory for touching a deceased person whose entire body has not yet become cold, even if one touches a part that has become cold.

Ruling 512. If a person makes his hair touch a corpse, or he makes his body touch the hair of a corpse, or he makes his hair touch the hair of a corpse, then performing this ghusl is not obligatory for him.

Ruling 513. If a child is stillborn, his mother must perform this ghusl based on obligatory precaution. If [a child is born alive but] his mother dies, the child must perform this ghusl before reaching the age of legal responsibility based on obligatory precaution.

Ruling 514. If a person touches a corpse that has been given the three ghusls[1] completely, then performing this ghusl does not become obligatory for him. However, if one touches part of a corpse before the completion of the third ghusl, then even if that particular part of the corpse has been given the third ghusl, he must perform the ghusl for touching a corpse.

Ruling 515. If an insane person or a child who has not reached the age of legal responsibility touches a corpse, then after the insane person becomes sane or the child reaches the age of legal responsibility, he must perform the ghusl for touching a corpse. If the child is mumayyiz [and performs this ghusl], his ghusl is valid.

Ruling 516. If part of the body of a living person, or part of the body of a dead person who has not been given ghusl, becomes separated and one touches it before it is given ghusl, it is not necessary for him to perform the ghusl for touching a corpse even if the separated part contains a bone. However, if a corpse is cut into pieces and one touches all or most of them, this ghusl becomes obligatory.

Ruling 517. Performing this ghusl is not obligatory for touching a bone that has not been given ghusl and has separated from a dead or living person. Similarly, [performing this ghusl is not obligatory] for touching a tooth that has separated from a dead or living person.

Ruling 518. The ghusl for touching a corpse is like the ghusl for janābah, and it suffices in place of wuḍūʾ.

Ruling 519. If a person touches a number of corpses or one corpse a number of times, then performing one ghusl is sufficient.

Ruling 520. There is no problem for someone who has touched a corpse but has not performed the ghusl for touching a corpse to stay in a mosque, have sexual intercourse with his wife, or recite verses of the Qur’an that contain an obligatory sajdah.[69] However, for prayers and suchlike, he must perform ghusl.