Tirmidhi

English Commentary:
1:
The hadith is evidence that the emission of madhiy does not make ritual bath (ghusl) obligatory;
it only breaks ablution (wudu).
Madhiy is a white, thin, sticky fluid that is discharged from a man’s private part during foreplay with his wife or when intending intercourse.

2:
Whether this maniy (semen) is discharged due to intercourse, foreplay,
or in a dream (sleep),
in any case, ritual bath (ghusl) becomes obligatory due to it.
Note:
(In the chain of narration, Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad is weak,
but due to corroborating narrations and supporting evidence, this hadith is authentic.)

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Madhiy refers to that fluid which is discharged during intimacy and kissing with one’s wife.
There are several differences between this and mani (semen):
*
Mani is thick and viscous, whereas madhiy is a thin, sticky substance.
*
Mani is discharged with full sexual desire, whereas in the case of madhiy, the desire is weak.
*
The discharge of mani makes ritual bath (ghusl) obligatory, whereas with madhiy, only ablution (wudu) is necessary.
*
Purification from mani can be achieved even by scraping it off, whereas madhiy must be washed.
From some narrations, it is understood that Ali (radi Allahu anhu) himself also asked this question, but in the mentioned hadith, it is stated that Ali (radi Allahu anhu) was shy to ask such a question directly to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) due to his relationship as a son-in-law.
The hadith scholars have reconciled this by stating that at first, he asked Ammar (radi Allahu anhu) and Miqdad (radi Allahu anhu) to ask on his behalf, and when he received the answer through them, then for further satisfaction, he may have asked himself on another occasion.
In view of the authentic and explicit ahadith, the attribution of the question to all three is genuine.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 3/44)
2.
Allamah ‘Ayni (rahimahullah) has derived the following rulings from this hadith:
©.
It is permissible to appoint others as representatives to ask a question.
©.
It is valid to rely on probable information even when certain information is accessible.
©.
Observing the etiquette of relationships by marriage and in-laws is a commendable act.
©.
A husband, especially, should not discuss matters of a private (marital) nature in front of close (in-law) relatives.
©.
The discharge of madhiy only makes ablution (wudu) obligatory; ritual bath (ghusl) is not required.
©.
The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) always maintained the utmost respect and reverence for the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
©.
When a matter is not discussed directly due to modesty and shyness, it highlights the aspect of etiquette and respect.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 3/45)

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned this hadith because it indicates that ablution (wudu) becomes obligatory upon the emission of madhiy, and its emission also occurs from the same passage as urine and feces. Madhiy refers to the fluid that is discharged from the private part during foreplay with one’s wife. In the case of its emission, only ablution (wudu) is sufficient for purification; a ritual bath (ghusl) is not required. The daughter of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Fatimah radi Allahu anha, was married to Ali radi Allahu anhu. Due to this relationship, he did not consider it appropriate to ask directly, so he inquired about the matter through Miqdad radi Allahu anhu. This hadith has already been mentioned earlier (Number: 132) under the Book of Knowledge. Other benefits can be seen there. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has also mentioned it in the Book of Ghusl (Hadith: 269). In that narration, it is stated: The Prophet said: “He should perform ablution (wudu) and wash his private part.”
2.
Ali radi Allahu anhu’s avoidance of asking such matters directly is a commendable trait. From this action, it is understood that one should treat one’s father-in-law with good manners, and in his presence, a son-in-law should not mention anything related to intimacy with his wife.
3.
The name of Miqdad’s father is Amr ibn Tha’labah. He is called Ibn Aswad because Aswad ibn Abd Yaghuth raised him, or adopted him, or made a pact of alliance with him, or married his mother. He was among the earliest to embrace Islam. He also participated in the Battle of Badr.
4.
At the end, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned another chain of this narration, that Shubah also narrated it from A’mash. Abu Dawud Tayalisi has mentioned it in his Musnad. (Fath al-Bari: 1/370)

Explanation:
Ali radi Allahu anhu felt shy to ask the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about this issue due to his relationship as a son-in-law, but since it was necessary to know the ruling, he inquired about it through another Companion. The relevance of the chapter heading (tarjamat al-bab) is also established from this.

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij al-Hadith):
[175۔ البخاري فى : 4 كتاب الوضوء : 34 باب من لم ير الوضوء إلا من المخرجين 132، مسلم 303]
Lexical Explanation:
«الْمَذِیّ» Such thin fluid which is discharged from the private part without spurting, during weak sexual arousal, or while playing with one’s wife, or in a similar situation.
«مَـــدَّاء» The one who experiences excessive madhiy (pre-seminal fluid). Madhiy is impure (najis) and filthy, and there is consensus (ijma‘) on this. [المجموع 552/2، نيل الأوطار 103/1، بداية المجتهد 73/1، المهذب 46/1]
And whoever experiences madhiy, it is obligatory upon him to wash it, and then if he intends to pray, he must perform ablution (wudu). Ritual bath (ghusl) does not become obligatory due to it, as is clear from the words of the hadith: “In this, only ablution (wudu) is obligatory.”

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In another narration, it is mentioned that Ali radi Allahu anhu could not directly ask this issue from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
This was because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s daughter, Fatimah radi Allahu anha, was married to him.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Ghusl, Hadith: 269)
Due to this special relationship, he did not consider it appropriate to ask directly.
There is nothing objectionable in such modesty, as long as the issue is inquired about through someone else. Thus, he first asked Ammar, then instructed Miqdad to ask the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about it. Some narrations indicate that they asked this issue in the presence of Ali radi Allahu anhu.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/493)
➋
When, in the case of intimacy with one’s wife, moisture is discharged from the private part, it is called madhi (pre-seminal fluid).
It is, like urine, something that nullifies ablution (wudu).
Its discharge does not make ritual bath (ghusl) obligatory; rather, only ablution (wudu) is sufficient.
Other rulings and issues related to this hadith will be mentioned in the Book of Ablution (Kitab al-Wudu) and the Book of Ritual Bath (Kitab al-Ghusl).

Hadith Footnote:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Madhiy:
That white and thin (watery) fluid which, at times, comes out involuntarily during foreplay or joking with one's wife.

Benefits and Issues:
“Mani” is the fluid that is discharged (forcefully and with a spurt) at the time of ejaculation. “Madhiy” is the moisture that is secreted in a sticky form due to kissing, caressing, or intense emotions. “Wadi” is the sticky fluid that comes out before or after urination. Ritual bath (ghusl) becomes obligatory only upon the discharge of mani. If, due to extreme weakness, lifting something heavy, or any other reason, mani is discharged but without the characteristic of force and spurting, then ritual bath (ghusl) does not become obligatory.

152. Commentary:

➊ Madhi is a thin, sticky fluid that is discharged from the private part at the time of sexual arousal without ejaculation. Sometimes, one may not even feel its discharge. Its emission neither extinguishes sexual desire nor does it make ritual bath (ghusl) obligatory.

➋ The person sitting beside was Al-Miqdad radi Allahu anhu. See: [صحیح البخاري ، العلم ، حدیث : 132 ، و صحیح مسلم ، الحیض ، حدیث : 303]
In the narration of Sunan an-Nasa’i, it is mentioned that Ali radi Allahu anhu told Ammar ibn Yasir radi Allahu anhuma to ask. See: [سنن النسائي ، الطھارۃ ، حدیث : 154]
However, Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah writes regarding this that the narration in which Ammar ibn Yasir radi Allahu anhuma is said to have asked about this issue is munkar (rejected). The preserved narration is the one in which Ali told Al-Miqdad to ask the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. See: [ضعیف سنن النسائي ، رقم : 154 ، 155]
Whereas in some narrations it is mentioned that Ali radi Allahu anhu himself asked this question. Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah, reconciling between these, says that Ali radi Allahu anhu may have first told Al-Miqdad, then later told Ammar, and then perhaps asked himself as well. However, the narrations in which it is mentioned that Ali radi Allahu anhu asked himself are contrary to his own statement, which is transmitted in authentic narrations, that he felt shy to ask himself because the daughter of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Fatimah radi Allahu anha, was in his wedlock. Therefore, those narrators who attributed the question to Ali radi Allahu anhu did so because the actual issue was faced by Ali radi Allahu anhu and he was present at the occasion. As Imam Abdur-Razzaq narrated from Ayyash ibn Anas that Ali, Al-Miqdad, and Al-Aswad radi Allahu anhum discussed madhi among themselves, so Ali radi Allahu anhu said: “I experience a lot of madhi; you both ask the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about it.” So one of the two asked. On this basis, the attribution of the question to Ammar radi Allahu anhu is figurative; in reality, it was Al-Miqdad radi Allahu anhu who asked the question, as is established from the narration of the two Sahihs. See also: [فتح الباري : 493/1 ، تحت حدیث : 269]

193. Commentary:

➊ The issue of madhiy has already been discussed earlier (under Sunan an-Nasa'i hadith 152, 153). "Maniy is a thick, sticky, white fluid that is emitted with force," because in the hadith of Ali radi Allahu anhu, the restriction of "emitted with force" (fakhadh) is present. In this case, sexual desire (shahwah) is also a definite matter, and with its emission, the desire is extinguished.

➋ The hadith: «الماء من الماء» "There is a ritual bath (ghusl) due to the emission of maniy," although it is absolute, will be interpreted in light of the restricted hadith.

➌ The emission of maniy, whether through intercourse, a wet dream (ihtilam), or otherwise due to sexual desire, makes ritual bath (ghusl) obligatory. However, if someone emits maniy without sexual desire, due to some illness or by straining during relieving oneself, then according to the majority of scholars, ritual bath (ghusl) does not become obligatory. But in the case of a wet dream (ihtilam), however the maniy is discharged—whether due to desire or heat, whether the dream is remembered or not, whether it is emitted forcefully or gently—in every case, ritual bath (ghusl) becomes obligatory. According to Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah, if maniy is discharged due to illness or in any manner, ritual bath (ghusl) becomes obligatory, but this position is questionable in light of the apparent wording of the hadith. And Allah knows best.

Commentary:
(1)
Madhiy refers to that sticky fluid which is discharged from the private part due to sexual desire during playful interaction with one's wife.
Its discharge does not end sexual arousal.
Maniy refers to that thick fluid which is discharged upon completion of the sexual act, and from which human creation originates.

(2)
A ritual bath (ghusl) does not become obligatory due to madhiy; only ablution (wudu) is sufficient.
The benefit of ablution is that it diverts the mind from such thoughts and ends the state of agitation.

(3)
This issue was one that Ali radi Allahu anhu needed to ask about, but he did not ask the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam directly, because the relationship between Ali radi Allahu anhu and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was such that modesty and shyness prevented him from asking this question directly. Therefore, he inquired through Miqdad radi Allahu anhu. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Knowledge, Chapter: Whoever felt shy and ordered someone else to ask, Hadith: 132)
From this, it is understood that a hadith or ruling learned indirectly is just as reliable and obligatory to act upon as knowledge acquired directly, provided that the intermediary is trustworthy (thiqah, reliable).

Lexical Explanation:
«مَذَّاءً» "Zaal" has a shaddah (emphasis) on it. This is an intensive form. The meaning is that I experience a lot of madhi. What is madhi? Madhi is a thin and sticky fluid that is discharged from a man’s private part at the time of kissing and caressing the wife, or when remembering or intending intercourse.

«فَأَمَرْتُ الْمِقْدَادَ بْنَ الْأَسْوَدِ» Sayyiduna Miqdad radi Allahu anhu was asked to inquire about the issue, because Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu was married to the beloved daughter of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Sayyidah Fatimah radi Allahu anha. Out of modesty, Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu refrained from asking the question directly.

Narrator of the Hadith:
SR Sayyiduna Miqdad radi Allahu anhu ER is pronounced with a kasrah under the "meem". His lineage is as follows: Miqdad ibn Amr ibn Tha‘labah al-Bahrani, and due to an alliance, he was called al-Kindi. His kunyah is Abu al-Aswad or Abu Amr, and he is famous as Miqdad ibn Aswad. The "Aswad" refers to Aswad ibn Yaghuth al-Zuhri. Since Aswad had adopted Miqdad as his son (an adopted son) and had established an alliance and relations with him during the pre-Islamic period, he became well-known by this association. He was the sixth person to embrace Islam. He was honored with migration twice. He is counted among the senior, virtuous, and most excellent Companions, possessing outstanding qualities and characteristics. He participated in all the battles that took place during the Prophetic era. On the day of Badr, he was among the cavalry. He was present at the conquest of Egypt. In the year 33 AH, he passed away at the place of Jauf, which is located three miles from Madinah. His body was brought to Madinah, and Sayyiduna Uthman radi Allahu anhu led his funeral prayer, and he was buried in Baqi‘. At that time, he was 70 years old.