A woman performing ghusl: does she undo her hair?

Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah! I braid my hair tightly; should I undo it for the ritual bath?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is enough for you to pour water over your hair three times and then pour water over your whole body, and you will be purified."

Ubayd bin Umayr said: Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was informed that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) orders women to undo their braids for the ritual bath. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "How strange of Ibn Amr! Why does he not order them to shave their heads? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and I used to bathe from a single vessel, and I would not pour water over my head more than three times."

Ibrahim said: "A bride should undo her braids in order to perform the ritual bath."

Once a woman complained to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the ritual bath for janabah. She said: "Pour water over your head three times; whatever (water) has gone has gone, and whatever is left is left."

A woman asked Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the ritual bath (ghusl) for major ritual impurity (janabah), and she said: "Pour water three times." The woman said: "My hair is abundant." She said: "Gather the hair one part over another."

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: For a woman with braided hair, pouring water three times is sufficient.

Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that she asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "I am a woman who braids my hair tightly; what should I do when I take the ritual bath (ghusl)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pour three handfuls of water over your head, then after each handful drench it thoroughly with water."

Al-Zuhri and Ata said: A woman should not undo her hair; rather, she should pour water over it three times and then rub it.

Al-Hasan said concerning a woman taking the ritual bath: Pouring water three times is sufficient for her. If she wishes, she need not undo her braids.

Shu'bah said: I asked Hammad about a woman's ritual bath, and he said: If the water can reach underneath, she should not undo her braids; and if it does not reach, she should undo them. Al-Hakam said: She should wet the roots and the ends of her braids; there is no need to undo them.

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A woman in menstruation and a woman in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) should pour water over their heads and should not undo their braids.

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his wife: Run water through the hair of your head, so that the Fire does not reach the dry parts.

Ata and al-Zuhri said: The ritual bath for menstruation and for major ritual impurity (janabah) is the same.

Nafi' said: The wives of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and the mothers of his children (his slave women who had borne him children) did not undo their hair for the ritual bath of menstruation and janabah; however, they would wet it very thoroughly.

Ikrimah was asked about a woman who wishes to take the ritual bath for menstruation or janabah. He said: She should loosen her braids and pour water so that it reaches the roots; there is no need to undo them.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The woman should run her fingers through her hair. The same is also reported from Ata.