[Things or Acts which make Ghusl Obligatory | Additional Rules Concerning Ghusl]
[Those Conditions when Ghusl is not Fardh | Those Conditions when Ghusl is Wajib [obligatory]]
[Those Conditions when Ghusl is Sunnat | Those Conditions when Ghusl is Mustahab]
[Rules Concerning Hadath-e-Akbar [major impurity]]

1. The person taking a bath should first of all wash both hands up to the wrists. Then wash the private parts. The hands and private parts should be washed irrespective of whether there is any impurity on them or not. Both these have to be washed under all conditions. Thereafter, any impurity found on the rest of the body should be washed. Then make wudhu. If one is sitting on a stool or stone while bathing, then the feet should also be washed when making wudhu. But if one is sitting in a place where the water accumulates and he will have to wash the feet again after completing the ghusl, then the entire wudhu should be made but the feet should not be washed. After performing wudhu, pour water on the head three times. Thereafter pour water over the right and left shoulders three times each in such a way that water reaches the entire body. Thereafter move from this place and go to a clean spot and wash the feet. If the feet were washed when making wudhu there will be no need to wash them again.

2. Whilst pouring water over the body the first time, rub the body well so that water reaches everywhere properly and no place remains dry.

3. The above method of ghusl is according to the sunnah. Some of the items explained above are fardh without which ghusl will not be complete and the person will remain impure. Some other items are sunnah. Observing them entails reward, and by not carrying them out, ghusl will still be complete. The fardh acts are only three:
   
   (a) To gargle the mouth in such a way that water reaches everywhere.
   (b) To wash the nose up to the soft bone.
   (c) To pour water over the entire body.

4. While bathing, one should not face the qiblah. Too much of water should not be used, nor should so little be used, that one is unable to wash thoroughly. The bath should be taken at such a place that no one can see the bather. One should not talk while bathing. After bathing, the body should be wiped with a cloth or towel. The person should hasten to cover his body to the extent that if the feet were not washed when making wudhu, then when he moves from the place of ghusl, he should cover himself up first and then wash the feet.

5. If the bathing place is secluded where no one can see, then it is permissible to bath naked, irrespective of whether one is standing or sitting and irrespective of whether the roof is covered or not. However, it is better to sit and bath because there is more modesty in this. To expose the body from the navel to below the knees before anyone is a sin. Many women bath completely naked in the presence of other women. This is a very evil and shameful act.

6. Once water reaches the entire body, and the mouth and nose are washed; ghusl will be complete irrespective of whether one made intention for ghusl or not. Based on this, if someone stands in the rain in order to cool himself, or falls in a pool, etc. and in doing so the entire body gets wet and the mouth and nose are also washed - then ghusl will be complete. Similarly, it is not necessary to read the kalimah or to read it and blow on the water at the time of making ghusl. Whether one reads the kalimah or not, one will still get purified. In fact, it is better not to read the kalimah or any other dua while bathing.

7. Even if an area equal to a hair's breadth is left dry, ghusl will not be complete. In the same way, if one forgets to gargle the mouth or wash the nose, ghusl will not be complete.

8. 8. If after having a bath, one remembers that a particular area was left dry, then it is not necessary to repeat the entire ghusl. Instead, only that dry area should be washed. However, it is not sufficient to merely pass the wet hand over that area. Some water should be taken and poured over that area. If a person forgets to gargle the mouth, he should gargle it. And if a person forgets to wash the nose, he should wash it. In other words, whichever part has been left out, should be washed. It is not necessary to repeat the entire ghusl.

9. If, due to some illness, it would be harmful to pour water on the head, and he left out the head and washed the rest of the body, even then ghusl will be complete. But once the head has healed, it should be washed and it will not be necessary to repeat the entire ghusl.

10. In ghusl it is fardh to wash the foreskin of the front organ. If water does not reach there, ghusl will not be complete.

11. If the hair of the head is not plaited, then it is fardh to wet all the hair and the roots of the hair. If even one hair is left dry, or water did not reach even one root, ghusl will not be complete. However, if the hair is plaited, it is not necessary to wash it. But it is fardh to wet all the roots of the hair. Even one root should not be left dry.

12. Nose, ear and finger rings should be moved so that water reaches the holes. Even if ear-rings are not worn, one should try and put water into the holes. It should not happen that water does not reach and ghusl remains incomplete. If rings are so loose that without moving them water will reach below them, then it won't be necessary to move them. Instead, it will be mustahab to move them.

13. If dough gets stuck under the nails and gets dry and water does not go there, then ghusl will not be complete. When  one remembers and sees the dough, it should be removed and water poured there. If any salaat was offered prior to pouring water, that salaat will have to be repeated.

14. If the hands or feet get cracked and some wax, ointment, or some other medication is applied; then it is permissible to suffice with pouring water over the area.

15. Care should be taken that water reaches the nose and the navel. If water does not reach, ghusl will not be complete.

16. If the mouth was not gargled at the time of bathing, but instead a mouthful of water was drunk in such a way that the water reached the entire mouth, ghusl will be complete because the object is that water should reach the entire mouth, irrespective of whether one gargles or not. However, if one drinks water in such a way that water does not reach all parts of the mouth, then this drinking will not be sufficient. One will also have to gargle the mouth.

17. If oil has been applied on the head, hands or feet in such a way that when water is poured, it passes off without wetting those parts, then there is no harm in this. Once water has been poured on the entire head and body, the ghusl will be complete.

18. If betel nut (or other such food particle) gets stuck between the teeth, it should be removed with a toothpick. If, for some reason, water does not reach between the teeth, ghusl will not be complete.

19. If there is tinsel or decorative paint on the forehead, or some sort of gum has been applied in such a way that the hair will not get wet properly, then the gum should be removed and the tinsel washed. If water does not reach under the gum but just flows over it, ghusl will not be complete.

20. If someone has applied a lot of lipstick, etc. it should be removed first and then the mouth should be gargled. If not, ghusl will not be complete.

21. Someone has a very sore eye and because of this a lot of pus came out and became dry in such a way that if it is not removed, water will not reach below it. It will therefore be wajib to remove it. Without removing it neither wudhu nor ghusl will be complete.

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Things or acts which make ghusl obligatory

1. If semen is discharged out of passion while one is awake or asleep, ghusl becomes wajib irrespective of whether it is discharged by touching a person of the opposite sex, or by having any such thoughts or fantasies, or by any other way -in all cases, ghusl will be wajib.

2. If one awakens and sees semen on his clothing or body, ghusl will be wajib irrespective of whether one sees a dream or not.
   
   Note: At the time of excitement, in the beginning a particular fluid which increases the excitement, comes out. This fluid is called mazi (pre-coital fluid). When climax is reached and one is satiated, the liquid which comes out at that time is called mani (semen). That which distinguishes the two is that when semen comes out, one becomes satisfied and his passion is cooled, while the coming out of mazi does not decrease the excitement but increases it. Furthermore, mazi is thin while semen is thick. The discharge of mazi does not make ghusl obligatory; however, wudhu breaks.

3. When the glans of the penis enters the vagina and is not visible, ghusl becomes wajib irrespective of whether semen was discharged or not. The insertion of the penis in the front makes ghusl obligatory irrespective of whether semen is discharged or not. If it is inserted in the anus, then too ghusl will be obligatory. However, it is a major sin to insert or ask someone to insert the penis into the anus.

4. That blood which is discharged monthly is called haidh (menstruation, or monthly period). When this blood stops flowing, ghusl becomes obligatory. That blood which is discharged after child-birth is called nifaas. Ghusl also becomes obligatory when this blood stops flowing. In short, ghusl becomes obligatory in four conditions:
   
   (a) Discharge of semen out of excitement.
   (b) Entry of the glans of the penis into the vagina (or anus).
   (c) At the end of menstruation.
   (d) At the end of nifaas.

5. If a person has sexual intercourse with a minor girl, ghusl will not be obligatory on her. But in order to get her into the habit, she should be made to bath.

6. While sleeping, one has a wet dream and even experiences some excitement. However on awakening, one notices that no semen was discharged. Ghusl will therefore not be obligatory. However, if semen was discharged, ghusl will be obligatory. If there is any wetness on the clothing or body, but one is in doubt as to whether it is mazi or semen, then too it will be obligatory to make ghusl.

7. A little semen comes out and one therefore had a bath. After bathing, more semen comes out. It will be obligatory to bath again. If after bathing, the husband's semen comes out of the wife's vagina, the ghusl will be complete and it will not be necessary to repeat it.

8. If, due to some sickness, or some other reason, semen comes out of its own accord, and there was no excitement or desire, then ghusl will not be obligatory, but wudhu will break.

9. The husband and wife were sleeping on one bed. When they awoke, they saw stains of semen on the bed-sheet. However, neither the husband nor the wife remember seeing any dream. As a precaution, both of them should have a bath because it is not known as to whose semen it is.

10. If any non-Muslim accepts Islam, it is mustahab for him to have a bath.

11. If someone gives ghusl to a dead person, it is mustahab for that person to have a bath.

12. If one upon whom ghusl is obligatory, wishes to eat or drink something before going for a bath, he should first wash his hands, face and gargle his mouth. Thereafter he should eat and drink. But if he eats or drinks without washing his hands and face, there is no sin in this.

13. It is not permissible for the one on whom ghusl is obligatory, to touch the Quran, read it or to enter a musjid. However, it is permissible to take the name of Allah, to read the kalimah or to read durood shareef (salutations upon Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Rules similar to these will Insha Allah be explained in detail in the chapter on menstruation.

14. To touch the books of tafsir (commentaries of the Quran) without bathing or without wudhu, is makruh. To touch a Quran with its translation is haraam.(Note: this prohibition is in regard to the one upon whom ghusl is obligatory).

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The First Cause

The first cause is the coming out of semen. That is, the coming out of semen from its place and out of the body with desire. This is irrespective of whether it comes out while one is asleep or awake, unconscious or conscious, through sexual intercourse or without sexual intercourse, by thinking or imagining, or by fondling one's private part, or in any other way.

1. If the semen was ejaculated from its place with desire, but at the time of actually coming out of the private part there was no desire, even then ghusl will become fardh. For example, the semen came out of its place with desire but he sealed the exit by holding it with his hand or placed cotton wool or something else over it. After some time when his desire or excitement subsided, he removed his hand or the cotton wool from the exit and the semen came out without any desire. Even then ghusl will be fardh.

2. Semen came out of his penis and he made ghusl. After having made ghusl, semen came out again without desire. In this case, the first ghusl will be nullified and it will be fardh to make ghusl again. This is on the condition that this second semen comes out before sleeping, or before urinating, or before taking forty steps or more. But if he read salaat before this semen could come out a second time, the salaat will be valid and it will not be necessary to repeat it.

3. After urinating, semen came out of a persons penis. Ghusl will be fardh on him as long as it came out with desire.

4. If anyone (man or woman) awakens from his sleep and notices some wetness on his body or clothing, then there can be many possibilities in this. From among these possibilities, ghusl will become fardh in eight conditions: (a) a person has conviction or is quite sure that it is semen and even remembers having a wet dream, (b) he is convinced that it is semen but does not remember having a wet dream, (c) he is convinced that it is pre-coital fluid (mazi) and even remembers having a wet dream, (d) he is not sure as to whether it is semen or pre-coital fluid but remembers having a wet dream, (e) he is not sure as to whether it is semen or wadi (liquid that precedes urine) but remembers having a wet dream, (f) he is not sure as to whether it is pre-coital fluid or wadi but remembers having a wet dream, (g) he is not sure as to whether it is mani, mazi, or wadi but remembers having a wet dream, (h) he is not sure as to whether it is mani or mazi and does not even remember having a wet dream.

5. A person has not circumcised himself and semen comes out from his penis and goes into that skin which is removed when circumcision takes place. Ghusl will become fardh on him even though the semen may not have come out of that skin.

The Second Cause

The second cause of hadath-e-akbar is insertion (eelaaj). That is, the insertion of the glans of the penis with desire into the vagina of a living woman or into the anus of any other person irrespective of whether the person is a man, woman or hermaphrodite and irrespective of whether semen comes out or not. Ghusl will become fardh on both of them if the condition is found in both of them, i.e. if both of them have reached the age of puberty. If this condition is only found in one of them, ghusl will only be fardh on the one in whom the condition is found.

1. If a woman is under age but not so small that if one has intercourse with her there is a fear of the vaginal tissues tearing to such an extent that the vagina and anus will virtually come together; then by the insertion of the glans of the penis into her vagina ghusl will become fardh on the man if he has reached the age of puberty. (However, if there is the aforementioned fear in a very minor girl, then mere insertion of the penis does not render ghusl obligatory.)

2. If a person whose testicles have been cut off inserts his penis into the back part of anyone or the vagina of a woman, ghusl will be fardh on both of them if both are mature. Alternatively, it will be fardh on the one who is mature.

3. If the glans of a person has been cut off, it will be calculated according to the balance of his organ. That is, if from the balance of his organ, he inserts equal to the extent of the glans, ghusl will be fardh. If it is less than that, it will not be fardh.

4. If a man wraps his private part with a cloth, etc. and then inserts it, then ghusl will become fardh if he can perceive the heat of the body. However caution demands that it becomes fardh irrespective of whether one feels the heat or not.

5. If a woman inserts the penis of a man who has no desire, the penis of an animal, a stick or any other object, or her own finger into her vagina out of passion - even then ghusl will become fardh on her irrespective of whether seminal fluid comes out or not.

The Third Cause

Purification after menstruation.

The Fourth Cause

Purification after nifaas.

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Those conditions when ghusl is not fardh

1. If semen does not come out with desire from its actual place, ghusl will not be fardh even if it comes out from the exit. For example, a person lifted a heavy weight, fell from an elevated place, or someone hit him and out of this shock semen came out without any desire. In this case ghusl will not be fardh.

2. If a man has intercourse with any under-aged woman, ghusl will not become fardh on condition that semen does not come out and that woman is so young that one fears that by having intercourse with her, her private parts will become connected.

3. If a person wraps his penis with a cloth and has intercourse, then ghusl will not become fardh on condition that the cloth is so thick that he does not feel the heat of the body, nor does he get any enjoyment from the intercourse. But as a precaution, it is best to say that the moment the glans is inserted, ghusl becomes wajib.

4. If a man inserts less than the size of the glans of his penis, ghusl will not be fardh.

5. By the emission of mazi and wadi, ghusl does not become fardh.

6. Ghusl is not fardh in the case of istihaada.

7. If a person has the sickness of continuous flowing of semen, then due to this flowing, ghusl will not be fardh on him.

8. On awakening, some wetness is noticed on the clothes. In the following cases ghusl will not be compulsory: (a) he is convinced that it is mazi and does not even remember having a wet dream, (b) he is in doubt as to whether it is semen or wadi and does not even remember having a wet dream, (c) he is in doubt as to whether it is mazi or wadi and does not remember having a wet dream, (d) he is convinced that it is wadi, but remembers having a wet dream, (e) he is convinced that it is wadi and does not even remember having a wet dream, (f) he is in doubt as to whether it is mani, mazi, or wadi and does not remember having a wet dream. Note: As a precaution, it will be wajib to make ghusl in the first, second and sixth cases. If he does not make ghusl, his salaat will not be valid and he will be committing a grave sin. This is because there is a difference of opinion between Imam Abu Yusuf and tarafayn, i.e. Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Muhammad. Imam Abu Yusuf says that ghusl is not wajib, while tarafayn say that it is wajib and the fatwa is according to what tarafayn say.

9. By injecting something into the anus, ghusl does not become fardh.

10. If a man inserts his penis into the navel of a man or woman, ghusl will not become fardh if semen does not come out.

11. In his dream a person sees his semen coming out and he even experiences satisfaction upon its emission. However he does not see any wetness or any other traces on his clothing. Ghusl will not be fardh in this case.

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Those conditions when ghusl is wajib [obligatory]

1. A disbeliever accepts Islam and while he was in the state of kufr he experienced hadath-e-akbar. He did not have a bath, or if he did, it was not considered to be a valid ghusl in Islam. After accepting Islam, ghusl will become wajib on him.

2. If a person reaches puberty before the age of fifteen and he experiences his first wet dream. As a precaution, ghusl will be wajib on him. If he has any wet dreams after this or after the age of fifteen, ghusl will be fardh.

3. To give a bath to the dead body of a Muslim is fardh-e-kifayah.

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Those conditions when ghusl is sunnat

1. It is sunnat to make ghusl on Fridays at any time after Fajr salaat until the time of Jumuah salaat for those upon whom Jumuah is wajib.

2. It is sunnat to make ghusl after Fajr salaat on the days of Eid for those upon whom Eid salaat is wajib.

3. It is sunnat to make ghusl when donning the Ihraam for Hajj or Umrah.

4. It is sunnat for the person performing Hajj to make ghusl after zawaal (mid-day) on the day of Arafah (ninth of Zil Hijjah).

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Those conditions when ghusl is mustahab

1. It is mustahab to make ghusl upon accepting Islam if one is pure from hadath-e-akbar.

2. A boy or girl reach the age of fifteen and until now there is no sign that they have reached puberty. It is mustahab for them to make ghusl.

3. It is mustahab to make ghusl after cupping (removing of dirty blood from the body), after recovery from insanity, intoxication, and unconsciousness.

4. After bathing the dead, it is mustahab for the one who gave the bath to make ghusl.

5. It is mustahab to make ghusl on the night of Bara'at, i.e. fifteenth of Sha'baan.

6. Ghusl is mustahab for the one who identifies Lailatul Qadr (the night of power).

7. It is mustahab to make ghusl when one intends entering Madinah Munawwarah.

8. In order to stay in Muzdalifah on the tenth of Zil Hijjah, it is mustahab to make ghusl after Fajr.

9. Ghusl is mustahab for Tawaaf-e-Ziyaarat. (this tawaaf is made during Hajj).

10. Ghusl is mustahab at the time of pelting the shaytaan.

11. Ghusl is mustahab for offering the salaats of Kusuf (solar eclipse), Khusuf (lunar eclipse) and Istisqaa' (salaat read for rains).

12. Ghusl is mustahab for offering the salaat of Khauf (fear and calamities).

13. It is mustahab to make ghusl when repenting for any sin.

14. Ghusl is mustahab for the traveller upon returning to his home or country.

15. Ghusl is mustahab when going to a gathering and when wearing new clothes.

16. Ghusl is mustahab for the one who is about to be killed.

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Rules concerning hadath-e-akbar (major impurity)

1. When ghusl becomes fardh on a person, it is haraam for him to enter a musjid. However, it will be permissible if there is a dire need. For example, the door of someone's house opens out into the musjid and there is no other way for him to come out nor is there any other place where he could stay. It will be permissible for him to make tayammum and go into the musjid. Or, for example, there is a fountain, well, or pond of water in the musjid and there is no water anywhere else.; To make tayammum and go into that musjid will be permissible.

2. It will be permissible for such a person to go into the Eid-gah, the madrasah, the khanqah, etc.

3. When a woman is in a state of menstruation or nifaas, it is not permissible to look at the area between her navel and knees, it is not permissible to touch that area if it is not covered with any clothing nor is it permissible to have sexual intercourse with her.

4. It is permissible to do the following things with a woman who is in a state of menstruation or nifaas: to kiss her, to drink her left-over water, etc., to sleep next to her, to touch the areas above her navel and below her knees even if there is no clothing on them, to touch the area between her navel and knees if it is covered with a cloth. However, it is makruh to sleep separately or stay aloof from a woman on account of her bleeding.

5. A person awakes from his sleep and sees some wetness on his private part, and prior to sleeping he had an erection. Ghusl will not be fardh on him and that wetness will be regarded as pre-coital fluid. This is on the condition that he does not remember having a wet dream, nor is he convinced that the wetness is semen. If there is wetness on his thighs and clothes as well, ghusl will be obligatory on him.

6. If two men, or two women, or one man and one woman slept together on one bed; and after awakening they noticed some stains of semen on the bed and they do not know whose semen it is, nor did anyone else sleep on that bed prior to that; then in such a case ghusl will be fardh on both of them. But if someone had slept on that bed prior to this and the semen is dry, then in both these cases ghusl will not be fardh.

7. Ghusl became fardh on a person but there is no secluded place. It will be wajib on a man to bath naked in front of other men. The same will apply to a woman in front of other women. But for a man to bath in front of women or a woman to bath in front of men is haraam. Instead, they should make tayammum.

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