Ritual Bath

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Umm Habībah to take a ritual bath when she asked him about what she had to do concerning her non-menstrual vaginal bleeding. She, thus, used to do so for every prayer. She remained in this state for seven years. This non-menstrual vaginal bleeding, however, is uncommon among women. The regular blood women discharge is that of menstruation in a number of days monthly. It has signs that women can recognize.

تأسيس الأحكام للنجمي، ط2، دار علماء السلف، 1414هـ. تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام للبسام، حققه وعلق عليه وخرج أحاديثه وصنع فهارسه: محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، ط10، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، 1426هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة لأحكام لابن عثيمين، ط1، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، ط2، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق ، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، 1408هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited Muslims from urinating in stagnant water, which is not running, because doing that would cause it to be polluted with impurities and microbes that the urine might be carrying. This, in turn, will harm those who use such water. In addition to that, the one who urinates in stagnant water may use it himself in taking a ritual bath. So, it is not logical to urinate in the water that he will, later on, use in purifying himself. Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited the one in the state of major ritual impurity from taking a ritual bath in stagnant water, because that causes the water to be polluted with the filth and impurities of the ritual state.

تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام للبسام، حققه وعلق عليه وخرج أحاديثه وصنع فهارسه: محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، ط10، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، 1426 هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام لابن عثيمين، ط1، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، ط2، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق ، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، 1408هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led his Companions in the Fajr prayer. When he finished the prayer, he noticed a man that had not prayed with them. Out of his remarkable gentleness and good call to Allah, the Almighty, he did not rebuke the man for having failed to attend the congregational prayer until he could know the reason behind this. So, he asked the man: “O so-and-so, what prevented you from praying with the congregation?” The man clarified his excuse, according to his reasoning. He said that he was in a state of ritual impurity and had no water; that is why he delayed the prayer until he could find water and purify himself therewith. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that Allah, the Almighty, out of His kindness, provided a replacement for water when it comes to purification; and that is clean earth. He told him to use it instead of water, which was unavailable.

الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام لإسماعيل الأنصاري، ط1، دار الفكر، دمشق، 1381هـ. تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام للبسام، حققه وعلق عليه وخرج أحاديثه وصنع فهارسه: محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، ط10، مكتبة الصحابة، الأمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، 1426هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة لأحكام لابن عثيمين، ط1، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، ط2، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق ، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، 1408هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) met Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) on one of the streets of Madīnah. Abu Hurayrah was in a state of Janābah (major ritual impurity). Out of his profound respect for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he disliked sitting with him and conversing while in that state, believing himself to be impure. So he discreetly went away and performed Ghusl (ritual bath), then returned and sat down. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him where he had gone. He informed him of his condition and that he had disliked sitting with him while in a state of impurity from Janābah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) responded with surprise, saying: "Verily, the believer is pure and never becomes impure under any circumstance—whether alive or dead."

1. Janābah only prevents one from praying, touching the Qur’an, and staying in the mosque. It does not prevent sitting with or meeting other Muslims, nor does it render the person impure.
2. The believer is pure, whether alive or dead.
3. Honoring the people of virtue, knowledge, and righteousness—and keeping their company in the best manner.
4. The legitimacy of a follower seeking permission from their leader before departing—for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reproached Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) for leaving without his knowledge. Indeed, seeking permission is a sign of good manners.
5. Saying: Subānallāh (Glory be to Allah) upon astonishment.
6. The permissibility of a person speaking about private matters concerning themselves, when there is a legitimate benefit.
7. The disbeliever is impure, but his impurity is spiritual, stemming from the corruption of his beliefs.
8. An-Nawawi said: "This Hadīth also contains etiquettes, that when a scholar notices something from their student that they fear may contradict correct practice, they should inquire about it, explain the proper way, and clarify the ruling to them, and Allah knows best."

صحيح البخاري (1/ 65) (285). صحيح مسلم (1/ 282) (371). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 46). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص61). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (1/ 74).

Maymūnah, Mother of the believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) informed about the way the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Ghusl from Janābah, as she put water for him to use in his bath and screened him with a screen. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, did the following: First: He poured water over his hands and washed them before putting them inside the vessel. Second: He poured water with his right hand over his left hand and washed his private parts to clean them from the traces of Janābah. Third: He struck the ground with his hand and wiped it, then washed it to remove any impurity. Fourth: He rinsed his mouth by taking water into his mouth, moving it around, and then spitting it out; he sniffed water by letting the water into his nose, inhaling it, and then blew it out to clean it. Fifth: He washed his face and arms. Sixth: He poured water over his head. Seventh: He poured water over the rest of his body. Eighth: He moved aside and washed his feet, which he had not washed before, in another place. Then, she brought him a piece of cloth to dry himself, but he did not take it, and he started wiping the water and shaking it off his body with his hands.

1. The Prophet's wives were extremely careful to describe the minutest details about his life to teach the Ummah.
2. This manner of Ghusl is one of the manners proven from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the manner of complete Ghusl from Janābah. As for the valid manner, it is by pouring water over the whole body along with rinsing the mouth and sniffing water.
3. It is permissible either to dry one's body with a piece of cloth or leave it after performing Ghusl or Wudū’ (ablution).

صحيح البخاري (1/ 63) (276). صحيح مسلم (1/ 254) (317). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص64). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (1/ 78).

On taking a ritual bath from Janābah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would start washing his hands. Then, he would make Wudū’ (ablution) as he would for prayer. Then, he would pour water over his body. Then, he would run his wet hands through his hair, and when feeling that water had reached the roots of the hair and had wetted the skin, he would pour the water thrice over his head, then, he would wash the rest of his body. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to bathe from a single container from which we would take water simultaneously.

1. Ghusl (ritual bath) has two types: valid and perfect. In the valid Ghusl, one intends Tahārah (ritual purification), then washes his whole body with water along with making Madmadah (rinsing the mouth) and Istinshāq (sniffing water into the nose and blowing it out). As for the perfect Ghusl, one takes a bath in the same manner the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did in this Hadīth.
2. Janābh is used to refer to whoever ejaculated or had sexual intercourse without ejaculating.
3. It is permissible for the spouses to look at each other's ‘Awrah (private parts) and to take a bath together from the same vessel.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 63) (272، 273). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 48). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص62). خلاصة الكلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص33).

Umm Sulaym al-Ansāriyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him about something. But as her question pertained to the private parts, something people would usually feel shy to talk about, she said a few words as a prelude to the question, preparing the attendees for what was to come. She noted that Allah, the Almighty, does not refrain from speaking the true things which people may refrain from due to shyness, as long as mention of such things is useful. After this introduction, she got to the point and asked: Is a woman required to take a ritual bath if she sees in a dream that she engages in sexual intercourse. In reply, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes, she is, if she sees vaginal fluid.

الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري، ط1، دار الفكر، دمشق، 1381هـ. تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام، حققه وعلق عليه وخرج أحاديثه وصنع فهارسه: محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، ط10، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، 1426هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين، ط1، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم، لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، ط2، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، 1408هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) mentions that when the garment of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would become stained with semen, if it were wet, she would wash it with water and he would go out to pray wearing it while the water had not dried. If the semen were dry, she would rub it well off his garment and he would pray while wearing it.

تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، تحقيق: محمد صبحي حلاق، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة: العاشرة 1426هـ - 2006م. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، الطبعة: الأولى 1426هـ - 2005م. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، الطبعة: الثانية 1408ه - 1988م. صحيح البخاري، محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري الجعفي، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.