Shia Kafan Shrouding Rules: Cloth Dimensions, Layers, and Step-by-Step Wrapping

Shrouding the deceased — takfin — is the third obligatory act after the ritual washing (Ghusl) and camphoration (Tahnit) in Shia funeral practice. Three pieces of white cloth, each with specific minimum dimensions, wrapped in a precise order. The cloth must be clean, ritually pure, and lawfully obtained. Getting the dimensions wrong can leave required areas uncovered, so measure the cloth against the required coverage.

Here are the exact requirements, based primarily on the rulings of Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

The Three Obligatory (Wajib) Pieces

For a person of average height (up to six feet), these are the standard dimensions:

Loincloth (Mi'zar): Approximately 42 × 72 inches (105 × 180 cm). Must cover from the navel to the ankles as an obligatory precaution, though it's recommended to extend from the chest to the feet.

Shirt/Tunic (Qamis): Approximately 36 × 108 inches (90 × 270 cm). Must cover from the shoulders to mid-calf as an obligatory precaution. The recommended coverage extends over the feet.

Full Cover (Lifafah): Approximately 72 × 90 inches (180 × 225 cm). Must cover the entire length of the body, long enough for both ends to be tied with strings, and wide enough for left and right sides to overlap over the chest.

All three pieces must be white, unstitched cotton cloth. Silk is prohibited for male deceased; for female deceased, there's scholarly debate, but white cotton is universally accepted.

Additional Recommended (Mustahab) Pieces

For male deceased:

• Undergarment: 36 × 108 inches (90 × 270 cm) — wrapped around the pelvic area and tied with bands
• Turban (Imamah): 6 × 72 inches (15 × 180 cm) — wrapped once around the head with the two loose ends placed flat on the chest

For female deceased:

• Undergarment: same as above
• Veil/Scarf (Khimar): 24 × 60 inches (60 × 150 cm) — wrapped securely over the head, hair, and neck in the manner of prayer dress
• Chest Band (Sinaband): 18 × 60 inches (45 × 150 cm) — tied across the bust, covering five inches above and below the chest line

These additional layers are highly recommended but not obligatory. In practice, most Shia communities include them as standard.

The Wrapping Order

After Tahnit (camphor applied to the seven sajdah points), the body is placed on the prepared shroud layers:

1. Lay out the lifafah (outermost layer) first
2. Place the qamis on top of the lifafah
3. Place the mi'zar on top of the qamis
4. Place the body on the layered cloths
5. Wrap the mi'zar first (innermost around the lower body)
6. Fold the qamis over the body (like a long shirt)
7. Wrap the lifafah last (outermost, overlapping right side over left)
8. Tie both ends with cloth strips

The Green Twigs (Jarida)

Before the lifafah is wrapped shut, two fresh, green, leafless twigs must be placed inside the shroud. Cut from a live tree — date palm is highly preferred, but any green wood is acceptable — each approximately the length of the forearm bone.

• First twig: placed on the right side, touching bare skin under the right armpit
• Second twig: placed on the left side, between the qamis and the mi'zar, slightly above the left armpit

This is a highly recommended (mustahab) act that many families consider essential.

Inscriptions on the Shroud

A distinctive Shia custom: writing spiritual inscriptions directly on the kafan fabric. Using a clean finger dipped in camphor water or saffron water (or a dedicated writing tool), the following are traditionally inscribed:

• The Shahadatain (two testimonies of faith) and the names of the twelve Imams
• Selected Quranic chapters or the entire Quran (on pre-printed shrouds available from Islamic centers)
• The Dua Jaushan-e-Kabir and Dua Jaushan-e-Saghir

Pre-printed kafan sets — with these inscriptions already professionally printed — are available from many Shia Islamic centers and online retailers, which saves significant time during the actual shrouding process.

Cotton Pads for Fluid Prevention

It's highly recommended to place cotton pads sprinkled with camphor (called chiro) over the private parts and joints. This prevents any fluid seepage from staining the shroud after burial — a practical detail that's easy to overlook but makes a real difference.

Where to Source Kafan Cloth

In diaspora settings, sourcing kafan on short notice can be stressful. Options:

• Local Shia mosque or Islamic center: Many maintain emergency funeral supply kits that include pre-measured kafan cloth, camphor, sidr leaves, and green twigs
• Online Islamic retailers: Pre-cut, pre-printed kafan sets are widely available, though shipping time makes them impractical for same-day burials
• Fabric stores: Plain white cotton sheeting can be purchased and cut to the dimensions listed above — this is fully permissible as long as the fabric is clean and pure

The Muslim (Shia) Funeral Guide includes a printable measurement worksheet so your family can pre-calculate the exact dimensions based on the deceased's actual height and build, rather than relying on the averages listed above. When you're shrouding a loved one, measuring once correctly is far less distressing than discovering mid-process that a cloth piece is too short.