The Method of Ghusl After Accepting Islam

Authored by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri ḥafiẓahullāh

❖ Question:​

What is the ruling on performing Ghusl for someone who accepts Islam?

❖ Answer:​

Performing Ghusl (ritual purification bath) for a person who accepts Islam is recommended (mustaḥabb), as demonstrated by the following narration from Qays ibn ‘Āṣim رضي الله عنه:

إِنَّه أَسْلَمَ، فَأَمَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَّغْسِلَ بِمَاءٍ وَّسِدْرٍ
"He accepted Islam, and the Prophet ﷺ instructed him to perform Ghusl with water and lotus leaves."

[Musnad Aḥmad: 2611, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 355, Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 188, Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 605 – who graded it ḥasan. Its chain is ḥasan.]

This ḥadīth was also declared ṣaḥīḥ by:

• Imām Ibn Khuzaymah (254, 255)
• Imām Ibn Ḥibbān رحمهما الله (1240)
• Imām Ibn Jārūd رحمه الله (14)

❖ Statement of Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله:​

"This is the practice among the scholars. They recommend that when a man accepts Islam, he should perform Ghusl and wash his clothes."
[Sunan al-Tirmidhī, under ḥadīth no. 605]

❖ Additional Evidence:​

Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:

When Thumāmah ibn Uthāl رضي الله عنه accepted Islam, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِذْهَبُوا بِه إِلٰي حَائِطِ بَنِي فُلَانٍ، فَمُرُوهُ أَنْ يَّغْتَسِلَ
"Take him to the garden of so-and-so and instruct him to perform Ghusl."

[Musnad Aḥmad: 2/304 – chain is strong (isnāduhu qawiyy)]