◈ The Method of Ghusl Janābah (Major Ritual Bath) ◈
Sayyidah Maymūnah رضي الله عنها narrates:
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to perform ghusl, he first washed both hands, then cleaned his private part.
He rubbed the left hand (used for washing the private area) on the ground and then washed it.
He performed rinsing of the mouth, snuffed water into the nose, washed the face and arms up to the elbows, then poured water on his head ensuring it reached the roots of the hair — pouring water over the head three times — then washed his entire body.
Afterward, he stepped away from the bathing area and washed his feet.
I offered him a cloth to dry his body, but he did not take it.”
(Bukhārī: 256, Muslim: 317)◈ Wiping the Head During Ghusl
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله states:
“There is no hadith that mentions wiping the head during ghusl Janābah.”
(Fatḥ al-Bārī)Sayyiduna ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not wipe the head during ghusl Janābah, rather he poured water over it.”
Imām Nasā’ī titled this:
“Abandoning Wiping of the Head in Ghusl Janābah.”
(Nasā’ī: 224)Imām Abū Dāwūd reports that Imām Aḥmad said:
“Why would one wipe the head when water is poured over it anyway?”
◈ Husband and Wife Using the Same Water for Ghusl
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها narrates:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I used to perform ghusl from one vessel, taking turns with handfuls of water.”
(Bukhārī: 272, Muslim: 320)Sayyiduna Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما reports that the Prophet’s wife performed ghusl using a tub. When the Prophet ﷺ came to make wudu from the remaining water, she said:
“O Messenger of Allah! I was in a state of Janābah.”
He replied:
“Water does not become impure by Janābah.”
(Abū Dāwūd: 86)◈ Covering During Ghusl
Sayyidah Umm Hānī’ رضي الله عنها said:
“I visited the Prophet ﷺ while he was bathing, and Sayyidah Fāṭimah رضي الله عنها was shielding him with a cloth.”
(Bukhārī: 280, Muslim: 336)The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Protect your private parts from everyone except your wife or slave woman.”
When a Companion asked, “What if a person is alone?”
He ﷺ replied:
“Allah is more deserving that one shows modesty before Him.”
(Abū Dāwūd: 4017)Sayyiduna Ya‘lā ibn Umayyah رضي الله عنه reports:
The Prophet ﷺ saw a man bathing naked and said during a sermon:
“Indeed, Allah is modest and loves modesty and concealment. So, when you bathe, cover yourselves.”
(Abū Dāwūd: 4012)◈ Permissibility of Bathing Naked in Private
“The Children of Israel used to bathe together naked. Mūsā عليه السلام bathed alone.”
(Bukhārī: 273, Muslim: 320)◈ Visiting Multiple Wives with One Ghusl
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه narrates:
“The Prophet ﷺ would visit all his wives in a single night with one ghusl.”
(Muslim: 309)Sayyiduna Abū Rāfiʿ رضي الله عنه said:
“The Prophet ﷺ visited his wives one by one, and would perform ghusl after each. I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Wouldn’t one ghusl suffice?’
He replied: ‘This is purer and cleaner.’”
(Abū Dāwūd: 219)◈ Ghusl Janābah Suffices as Wudu
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
“The Prophet ﷺ would not perform wudu after ghusl.”
(Tirmidhī: 107, Abū Dāwūd: 250 — Declared authentic by Ḥākim, Dhahabī, and Tirmidhī)✔ This means the Prophet ﷺ considered the initial wudu within ghusl sufficient.
However, if the private part is touched during ghusl, a fresh wudu is needed.◈ Ghusl for Jumuʿah
Sayyiduna Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما said:
“When any one of you comes for Jumuʿah, he should perform ghusl.”
(Bukhārī: 877, Muslim: 844)Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrates:
“It is a right upon every Muslim to bathe once a week, washing his head and body.”
(Bukhārī: 897, Muslim: 849)Sayyiduna Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه said:
“Ghusl is obligatory upon every adult Muslim on the day of Jumuʿah.”
(Bukhārī: 879, Muslim: 846)Sayyiduna ʿUmar رضي الله عنه once said to Sayyiduna ʿUthmān رضي الله عنه for arriving late:
“Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say that whoever comes for Jumuʿah should perform ghusl?”
(Bukhārī: 888, Muslim: 854)Sayyiduna Samurah رضي الله عنه reported:
“Whoever performs wudu for Jumuʿah has done well, and whoever performs ghusl, then ghusl is better.”
(Abū Dāwūd: 354, Tirmidhī: 496)➡ This shows that ghusl for Jumuʿah is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu’akkadah).
◈ Ghusl After Washing the Deceased
Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه said:
“Whoever bathes the deceased should himself perform ghusl.”
(Abū Dāwūd: 3163, Tirmidhī: 993, Ibn Mājah: 1463 — Authentic)Sayyiduna Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
“You are not required to perform ghusl after washing the deceased. The deceased dies pure, not impure. Washing the hands suffices.”
(Bayhaqī: 1/603 — Declared authentic by Ḥākim, Dhahabī; ḥasan by Ibn Ḥajar)
Conclusion:Ghusl after washing a deceased person is recommended (mustaḥabb), not obligatory.
◈ Ghusl for a New Muslim
Sayyiduna Qays bin ʿĀṣim رضي الله عنه reports:
“When he accepted Islam, the Prophet ﷺ instructed him to perform ghusl with water and lotus leaves (sidr).”
(Abū Dāwūd: 355, Tirmidhī: 605 — Declared ḥasan by Imām Nawawī; ṣaḥīḥ by Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Ḥibbān)◈ Ghusl on the Days of ‘Īd
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr رحمه الله said:
“There is no authentic hadith from the Prophet ﷺ on ghusl for the days of Eid. However, it is established from the Companions.
Some scholars recommend it by analogy with Jumuʿah.”
Nāfiʿ reports:
“Sayyiduna Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما used to perform ghusl on the day of Eid al-Fiṭr.”
(Muwaṭṭa Imām Mālik 1/171)Sayyiduna ʿAlī رضي الله عنه said:
“One should perform ghusl on Friday, ‘Arafah, the Day of Sacrifice, and Eid al-Fiṭr.”
(Bayhaqī 3/287)◈ Ghusl When Entering into Iḥrām
Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thābit رضي الله عنه reports:
“When the Prophet ﷺ assumed iḥrām for ḥajj, he performed ghusl.”
(Tirmidhī: 830 — Declared ḥasan)◈ Ghusl Upon Entering Makkah
Sayyiduna Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما said:
“When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah, he performed ghusl.”
(Bukhārī: 1533, Muslim: 1259)◈ The Practice of Miswāk
Sayyiduna Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه said:
“When the Prophet ﷺ awoke at night for tahajjud, he would use the miswāk.”
(Bukhārī: 245, Muslim: 252)Sayyiduna Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
“The Prophet ﷺ would use the miswāk after every two rak‘āt during the night.”
(Muslim: 255)Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
“The miswāk cleans the mouth and earns the pleasure of Allah.”
(Nasā’ī: 5 — Declared ṣaḥīḥ by Nawawī and Ibn Ḥibbān)Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها said:
“Whenever Jibrīl came to me, he commanded me to use the miswāk so frequently that I feared I might scrape the front of my mouth.”
(Bayhaqī 7/94 — Declared ḥasan by Bukhārī)Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated:
“If I had not feared hardship upon my Ummah, I would have ordered them to use the miswāk before every prayer.”
(Bukhārī: 887, Muslim: 252) The Prophet ﷺ loved that his Ummah use miswāk before every prayer, but did not make it obligatory due to possible hardship.
