How To Perform A Ghusl
A Ghusl is a ritual that involves washing the entire body with water with the intention of removing major impurities such as sexual activities or menstruation or postpartum bleeding.
Occasions on when Ghusl is obligatory or recommended:
Janabah: Janabah referred to the major impurity after certain sexual activities or ejaculation such as sexual intercourse or wet dream
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When a man sits in between the four parts of a woman and did the sexual intercourse with her, bath becomes compulsory." (Bukhari)
Another hadith narrated by Aisha in At-Tirmidhi that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When the circumcised meets the circumcised then Ghusl is required."
Narrated Um Salama: Um Sulama came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ! Verily, Allah does not feel shy to tell the truth. If a woman gets a nocturnal sexual discharge (has a wet dream), is it essential for her to take a bath? He replied, "Yes if she notices a discharge."" (Bukhari)
"The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about a man who finds wetness and he does not remember having a wet dream. So he said: "He is to perform Ghusl. And (he was asked) about a man who had a wet dream but did not find any wetness, so he said: "No Ghusl is required of him." Umm Salamah said: "O Messenger of Allah! Is the woman required to perform Ghusl if she sees that?" He replied: "Yes. Indeed women are the partners of men."" (At-Tirmidhi)
Note: When the person has a wet dream but does not find a trace of ejaculation, the person does not require Ghusl but if the person sees wetness, it is required for the individual to take ghusl. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed: Bathing is obligatory in case of seminal emission." (Muslim). Ghusl is required when the two circumcised meet even without ejaculation.
When A Disbeliever Embraces Islam: Narrated Qays ibn Asim: "I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with the intention of embracing Islam. He commanded me to take a bath with water (boiled with) the leaves of the lote-tree." (Abi Dawud)
Note: According to the A Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence by Dr Salih Al-Fawzan that The Prophet (ﷺ) commands some of the new converts to Islam to perform ritual bathing following declaring their Islam. However, many scholars view that it is desirable, not obligatory for a new convert to take a ritual bath as the Prophet (PBUH) has not been reported to have commanded every new convert to do so.
Death: As a part of the funeral ritual, Ghusl is performed on the deceased. Narrated Um Atiyya: When we washed the deceased daughter of the Prophet, he said to us, while we were washing her, "Start the bath from the right side and from the parts which are washed in ablution." (Bukhari)
Narrated Ibn Abbas: While a man was at Arafat (for Hajj) with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the fell down from his Mount and broke his neck (and died). So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Wash him with water and Sidr and shroud him in two pieces of cloth and neither perfume him nor cover his head, for Allah will resurrect him on the Day of Resurrection and he will be saying 'Labbaik." (Bukhari)
Menstruation And Postnatal Bleeding: Narrated Aisha: Fatima bint Abi Hubaish said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ! I do not become clean (from bleeding). Shall I give up my prayers?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied: "No, because it is from a blood vessel and not the menses. So when the real menses begins, give up your prayers and when it (the period) has finished wash the blood off your body (take a bath) and offer your prayers." (Bukhari)
Note: Narrated by Aisha in Muslim and Sunan Ibn Majah "Asma (daughter of Shakal) asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about washing after menstruation. He said: Everyone amongst you should use water (mixed with the leaves of) the lote-tree and cleanse herself well, and then pour water on her head and rub it vigorously till it reaches the roots of the hair. Then she should pour water on it. Afterwards she should take a piece of cotton smeared with musk and cleanse herself with it. Asma said: How should she cleanse herself with the help of that? Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah) observed: Praise be to Allah, she should cleanse herself. 'A'isha said in a subdued tone that she should apply it to the trace of blood. She (Asma) then further asked about bathing after sexual intercourse. He (the Holy Prophet) said: She should take water and cleanse herself well or complete the ablution and then (pour water) on her head and rub it till it reaches the roots of the hair (of her) head and then pour water on her. 'A'isha said: "How good are the women of Ansar (helpers) that their shyness does not prevent them from learning religion."
Before the Friday Prayer (Jumu’ah): Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Ghusl (taking a bath) on Friday is compulsory for every Muslim reaching the age of puberty." (Bukhari)
How to perform Ghusl?
Narrated Aisha: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) took a bath after Janabah he started by washing his hands and then performed ablution like that for the prayer. After that he would put his fingers in water and move the roots of his hair with them, and then pour three handfuls of water over his head and then pour water all over his body. (Bukhari)
Narrated Maimuna: (the wife of the Prophet) I screened the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was taking a bath of Janabah. He washed his hands, poured water from his right hand over his left and washed his private parts. Then he rubbed his hand over a wall or the earth, and performed ablution similar to that for the prayer but did not wash his feet. Then he poured water over his body, shifted from that place, and washed his feet.
There are two forms of Ghusl the simple (acceptable) and the complete Ghusl
Simple Ghusl
- Make the intention of making ghusl to purify oneself
- Wash the entire body making sure the water reaches the whole body and rinse the mouth and nose
Complete and sunnah Ghusl
- Begin with the intention to purify oneself from the impurity in the heart
- Say the bismillah
- Wash the hands
- Wash the private parts to remove any impurity
- Wash your hands again with detergent to ensure there is impurity on them
- Perform ablution as you would for the prayer
- Pour water over your head three times and make sure the water penetrates hairs and beard.
- Pour water over the entire body and make sure the water reaches all parts of the body starting with the right side then the left side. Then wash the feet at the end if you did not wash them when performing the wudu.
Note: you can wash your feet when performing the wudu or delay washing them until at the end. If water is unavailable, it is permissible to use clean earth to do Ghusl.
*** For more information on Ghusl please refer to the Quran the book of Allah and books of hadiths