Ghusl

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This article is about Hygiene in Islam.

Ghusl (غسل) is an Arabic term referring to the full ablution (ritual washing) required in Islam. In order to enter a state of purity before salat, a Muslim usually performs the partial ablution, or wudu. In some cases, it is mustahab (recommended) to perform ghusl. These cases include:

  1. Friday prayer[1] [2]
  2. Entering ehram for hajj [3]
  3. Being unconcious[4]
  4. Burying a mushrik[5]
  5. Before going out for the Eid prayer [6]
  6. After a new Muslim takes shahada for the first time
  7. Before performing Namaz-e-tawbah (Shia Muslims).

In other cases a ghusl is obligatory. These cases are:

  1. After having sexual intercourse or any discharge of semen or sexual fluids.[7][8]
  2. After a woman completes her menstrual cycle.[9][10]
  3. Death away from the battlefield [11]


Contents

[edit] The method of performing ghusl

Note: The method of ghusl varies among the different school of thoughts of Islam.

[edit] Method according to the Sunnah school of thought

It is reported from Aisha bint Abi Bakr that,

"When Allah's Messenger bathed because of sexual intercourse, he first washed his hands; he then poured water with his right hand on his left hand and washed his private parts. He then performed wudu as is done for prayer. He then took some water and ran his fingers in the roots of his hair. And when he found that it had been properly moistened, he poured three handfuls on his head and then poured water over his body and subsequently washed his feet." [12]

In addition, it is reported from ibn Abbas on the authority of Maimuna, his mother's sister, that she said:

"I placed water near the Messenger of Allah to take a bath because of sexual intercourse. He washed the palms of his hands twice or thrice and then put his hand in the basin and poured water over his private parts and washed them with his left hand. He then struck his hand against the earth and rubbed it with force and then performed ablution for the prayer and then poured three handfuls of water on his head and then washed his whole body after which he moved aside from that place and washed his feet, and then I brought a towel (so that he may wipe his body), but he returned it." [13]

In another hadith, ibn Abbas stated that Maimuna said that the Messenger of Allah was given a towel (after ghusl), but he did not rub (his body) with it, but he did like this with water (i.e. he shook it off). [14]

Similarly, Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen said, "Sufficient ghusl means that you rinse your mouth and nose, then you wash your entire body with water, even if that means plunging yourself into deep water in one go. Complete ghusl means washing your private parts and anywhere else that is contaminated with traces of impurity, then you do full wudoo’, then you pour water over your head three times, making sure that it reaches the roots of the hair. Then you wash the right side of the body then the left side."[15]

[edit] Method according to the Shia school of thought

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According to the Shia school there are two main methods of performing a ghusl. For both methods one has to start by doing the niyah, i.e. the intention to remove any impurities.

  • Irtimasi: one has to submerge the entire body in pure water, either at once or in stages. [16]
  • Tartibi: one needs to start by washing the head and neck, and then the rest of the body, preferably the right side first followed by the left side. [17]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 12, Hadith number 817
  2. ^ Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat by Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baaz, part 12, pg. 404
  3. ^ Tamaam al-Minnah by Shaykh al-Albani, pg. 120
  4. ^ Ibid.
  5. ^ Ibid.
  6. ^ Sharh Mukhtasar, Volume 2, pg. 102
  7. ^ Sahih Muslim, hadith number 616
  8. ^ Sharh as-Sunnah by al-Baghawi, vol 2., pg. 9
  9. ^ Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz by Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baaz, vol. 10 pg. 161
  10. ^ Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen by Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen, vol. 11 pg. 318-319
  11. ^ Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Hadith number 345
  12. ^ Sahih Muslim, hadith number 616
  13. ^ Sahih Muslim, hadith number 620
  14. ^ Sahih Muslim, hadith number 622
  15. ^ I’laam al-Musaafireen bi Ba’d Aadaab wa Ahkaam al-Safar wa ma Yakhuss al-Mallaaheen al-Jawwiyyeen by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen, pg. 11
  16. ^ http://www.al-islam.org/laws/ghusl.html
  17. ^ http://www.al-islam.org/laws/ghusl.html

[edit] See also

  • Mikvah, the Jewish ritual bath
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