Islam is a religion of purity. Purifying oneself from filth at the end of menstruation by performing ghusl is obligatory and therefore becomes an act of worship. According to the saying of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him): ‘Purity is half of the Faith’. (Sahih Muslim 223 – Kitab ut Taharah). It is essential to follow the prescribed way to perform ghusl, without which it would be invalid.
After menstruation, ghusl becomes obligatory. The Quran instructs in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 222: ‘…But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them in any manner, time or place ordained for you by Allah…’ Thus women have been commanded to purify themselves through ghusl (a bath) after their period ends.
There are certain types of ghusl which become mandatory under different conditions. These include ghusl after menstruation, ghusl after the postpartum bleeding has ended, ghusl after sexual relations, and ghusl for the deceased Muslim. Therefore we look at the Ahadith of the Prophet (PBUH) and Sunnah of his (PBUH)’s female Companions to perform the ghusl. There are certain Fard parts of ghusl and some Sunnah parts. The ghusl would be invalid if any of the Fard steps were missed. Following the Sunnah steps of ghusl in order is also necessary, while the Fard parts should be included in the ghusl regardless of the order in which they are performed.
The Fard Parts of Ghusl:
These are the essentials of the ghusl and therefore do not have to be in any particular order. You must only ensure that none of these steps are missed for the ghusl to be valid.
- To rinse the mouth thoroughly.
- To take water up into the nostrils.
- To wash the whole body so that no part is left dry. Not even a hair follicle, belly-button, behind the ears or ear-lobes for example.
The fard parts of the ghusl can be performed in any order as long as none of the steps are left out.
Sunnah Parts of the Ghusl:
- Make niyyah which may be verbal or otherwise – even an intention in the heart to perform Ghusl is enough.
- Then wash your hands, beginning with the right hand up to the wrist, followed by the left hand.
- After that wash private parts properly with water using the left hand. Then wash your hands.
- Perform wudhu or ablution like you do before performing the prayer. If you are bathing in a muddy area or where water clogs and feet can stay dirty, you should wash the feet three times at the end of the entire ghusl instead of washing them while performing the rest of the wudhu.
- Then pour water over your head three times. You must ensure that water has reached the roots of your hair and none is left dry.
- Afterwards pour water over your right shoulder thus washing the right side of the body first. Then pour water over your left shoulder washing with your hand as you pour so no part of your body is left dry.
Continuing your bath routine:
After you have finished performing the Fard and the Sunnah parts of ghusl you may continue to bath following your usual routine. This may include shampooing, applying conditioner, scrubbing, shaving arms, legs or underarms etc. However, care should be taken to keep an eye on the time you may have to offer your prayer following the ghusl. Since prayer (salah) becomes obligatory after being cleansed from menstrual impurity at the end of the period, therefore, the ghusl should be kept short – only to the Fard and Sunnah parts – if there is little time left for the prescribed prayer at the time of ghusl. Your own extra bath routine can be left out to be able to offer the prayer on time.
What to do if you forget a step:
In case you forget a step from the Fard or Sunnah part of the ghusl, you can simply perform that part instead of repeating the entire ghusl. Whenever you remember that you have missed a certain step, you can complete it then.
Different times/ conditions when ghusl becomes mandatory:
There are different conditions under which the ghusl becomes obligatory. Incidentally performing ghusl after every type of ‘najasah’ or impurity is the same, however, their terminology differs. Ghusl after menstruation is called ghusl ‘haidh’, the one after sexual contact is called ghusl ‘janabah’, the ghusl performed after the end of postpartum bleeding is called ghusl ‘nifas’ while the ghusl performed on the dead body is called ghusl ‘maiyat’. The only slight exception to the way ghusl is performed is the one performed on a deceased person although it includes the Fard and Sunnah parts of ghusl.
Written By: Amna Saadat Ali
