Generally speaking, shrouding the body of the deceased, even it be with just one piece of cloth, is a collective obligation or fard kifayah of the Muslims. The shroud should be nice, clean, and large enough to cover the entire body. This is based on a narration of Ibn Majah and Tirmizhi, who regard it a sound hadith from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “If one of you is a guardian to his deceased brother, he should give him the best shroud he can.” Moreover, the shroud should be white, as it is recorded by Ahmad, Abu Daw’ud, and Tirmizhi on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Wear white clothes, for these are your best clothes, and enshroud your dead in them.”

`Abdel Khaliq Hasan Ash-Shareef, states the following: “I see that there is no need at all to bury the dead in clothes other than those specified for the kafan or the shroud. Decorated covers or national flags should be avoided.”