Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard people of knowledge say, "When a woman dies and there are no women with her to wash her and no man who has the right by blood ties to take charge of that for her and no husband to take charge of it for her, she should be purified by tayammum ,that is, by wiping her face and hands with earth." Malik said, "When a man dies and there are only women with him, they also should purify him with earth ." Malik said, "There is no particular way with us for washing the dead nor any recognised way to do it. They are just washed and purified."