There are many legislations in our Islamic religion for which Allah has sent no authority, yet we consider them fundamental parts of religion that must not be touched.
Among those legislations is the issue of washing and shrouding the dead!
In this article, I will focus on the washing process more than the prayer.
I do not know what the purpose behind this issue is!
For Allah, glorified and exalted be He, has detailed His book and everything we need: "And We have explained everything in detail" [Al-Isra: 12]. Returning to the Book of Allah, we do not find a single verse talking about washing the dead.
Did Allah forget that, and did those who wrote the narratives remember it?
When there is a legislation in Islam, it is supposed to apply to all Muslims. However, the issue of washing the dead does not apply to those who are killed in the way of Allah; they claim that their blood is what washed them!
I don't know where they got this claim from!
The sanctity of a living person is that their private parts (Awra) should not be exposed.
The sanctity of a dead person is also that their private parts should not be exposed.
Washing the dead is an innovation (Bid'ah) that has no origin in Islam and is a form of madness.
Furthermore, what is the point of washing a person and then burying them in the ground for worms to eat them!
While the fighter is buried without being washed!
In addition, this act is a flagrant violation of the deceased's privacy and an exposure of their private parts and tampering with them. This is followed by absurd actions like placing cotton or cloth in sensitive areas of the body. Let us not forget the stories leaked by washers, especially women, about exposing some of the deceased's private matters.
All of this is tampering and a violation of the sanctity of the deceased. It is better that valuable items be removed from the deceased for the benefit of the living, and then they should be buried in their clothes.
The direct question: What would happen if the deceased was not washed, shrouded, or prayed over, and was buried in the clothes they died in?
The answer: Nothing. This will not change the fate of the deceased. The deceased has their own deeds which will not decrease, increase, or be affected whether they were washed or not, or whether they were prayed over or not.
This is a confirmation of Allah's saying: "And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives" [An-Najm: 39].
If the deceased is not washed or prayed over, will Allah enter them into the Fire?!
Whoever believes that is delusional and should review their thoughts and the Book of Allah carefully. The Book of Allah did not say that, and washing the deceased or praying over them are not conditions for the acceptance of deeds.
Washing the dead is a collection of customs and traditions that have been inherited and became a common practice that has nothing to do with religion.
As for the funeral prayer: Prayer (Salah) means "supplication" (Du'a) and not the kinetic prayer we know.
This is the meaning of Allah's saying: "And do not ever pray over any of them who has died or stand at his grave" [At-Tawbah: 84].
Prayer here means supplication for the deceased for mercy and forgiveness.
This is confirmed by Allah's saying: "And those who came after them, saying, 'Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith'" [Al-Hashr: 10].
And His saying: "Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established" [Ibrahim: 41].
So, the most we can offer the deceased is supplication, and Allah is the one who accepts or rejects.
Summary:
The funeral prayer in its current form gives peace of mind to the deceased's family and brings them tranquility after losing a loved one. There is no violation of the deceased's privacy in it, unlike washing and shrouding. The Holy Quran did not mention anything about washing the dead, but rather focused on the importance of supplication for them. It is better to bury the deceased in their clothes while removing valuable items for use, as this is more respectful to the deceased and more in line with the spirit of the true religion of Islam.