I am asked to give a detailed explanation of the washing and enshrouding of the deceased to students. Is it permissible to use a doll like the mannequins used to display clothing in stores.

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is impermissible to use such mannequins for explaining the washing and enshrouding of the deceased due to the general indication of the religious evidence in prohibiting such an act. You can instead use a headless doll. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The head is what makes something an image. So if the head is cut off, then there is no (forbidden) image.” [Al-Bayhaqi in As-Sunnan and Al-Albani in As-Silsilah As-Saheehah: authentic]

Also, Abu Hurayrah said, “The image is the head, so anything without a head is not an image (that is forbidden).” [At-Tahawi in Sharh Ma‘ani Al-Athar]

Allah knows best.