Is Ghusl Obligatory If One Does Not Recall a Wet Dream?
Taken from: Fatāwā Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
A person wakes up from sleep and finds traces of semen on his clothes but has no recollection of experiencing a wet dream. What is the ruling in this case?
If traces of semen are found on the clothes, Ghusl becomes obligatory, regardless of whether the person remembers experiencing a wet dream or not. The presence of traces is evidence that the wet dream occurred.
❀ Zubaid bin Sult رضي الله عنه narrated:
خرجت مع عمر بن الخطاب رضى الله عنه فنظرنا، فإذا هو قد احتلم فصلى ولم يغتسل فقال: والله ما أراني إلا وقد احتلمت وما شعرت وصليت وما اغتسلت، قال: فاغتسل وغسل ما رأى فى ثوبه، ونضح ما لم ير، وأذن وأقام الصلاة، ثم صلى بعدما ارتفع الضحى متمكنا
I went out with Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه on a journey. It became evident that he had experienced a wet dream and had led the prayer without performing Ghusl. Sayyiduna ‘Umar رضي الله عنه said: “By Allah, I did not realize that I had experienced a wet dream. I prayed without Ghusl.” Then he performed Ghusl, washed the part of the garment where traces were visible, sprinkled water where it was doubtful, gave the call to prayer and Iqamah, and performed the prayer again after sunrise.
(Muwatta’ Imam Malik, 1/49; Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar by Tahawi, 2364 – with an authentic chain)
❀ Allamah Ibn al-‘Arabi رحمه الله (543H) stated:
إجماع الأمة على أن من استيقظ ووجد المني ولم ير احتلاما فعليه الغسل
There is consensus of the Ummah that whoever wakes up and finds traces of semen but does not recall a wet dream, Ghusl is obligatory upon him.
(al-Masalik fi Sharh Muwatta’ Malik, 2/195)
Taken from: Fatāwā Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
❖ Question:
A person wakes up from sleep and finds traces of semen on his clothes but has no recollection of experiencing a wet dream. What is the ruling in this case?
❖ Answer:
If traces of semen are found on the clothes, Ghusl becomes obligatory, regardless of whether the person remembers experiencing a wet dream or not. The presence of traces is evidence that the wet dream occurred.
◈ Evidence from the Companions
❀ Zubaid bin Sult رضي الله عنه narrated:
خرجت مع عمر بن الخطاب رضى الله عنه فنظرنا، فإذا هو قد احتلم فصلى ولم يغتسل فقال: والله ما أراني إلا وقد احتلمت وما شعرت وصليت وما اغتسلت، قال: فاغتسل وغسل ما رأى فى ثوبه، ونضح ما لم ير، وأذن وأقام الصلاة، ثم صلى بعدما ارتفع الضحى متمكنا
I went out with Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه on a journey. It became evident that he had experienced a wet dream and had led the prayer without performing Ghusl. Sayyiduna ‘Umar رضي الله عنه said: “By Allah, I did not realize that I had experienced a wet dream. I prayed without Ghusl.” Then he performed Ghusl, washed the part of the garment where traces were visible, sprinkled water where it was doubtful, gave the call to prayer and Iqamah, and performed the prayer again after sunrise.
(Muwatta’ Imam Malik, 1/49; Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar by Tahawi, 2364 – with an authentic chain)
◈ Consensus of Scholars
❀ Allamah Ibn al-‘Arabi رحمه الله (543H) stated:
إجماع الأمة على أن من استيقظ ووجد المني ولم ير احتلاما فعليه الغسل
There is consensus of the Ummah that whoever wakes up and finds traces of semen but does not recall a wet dream, Ghusl is obligatory upon him.
(al-Masalik fi Sharh Muwatta’ Malik, 2/195)
