Written by: Shaykh Mubashar Ahmed Rabbani (Hafidhahullah)
"I said: O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who braids her hair tightly. Should I undo it for Ghusl of Janabah?"
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
"No, it is enough for you to pour three handfuls of water over your head and then pour water over your entire body, and you will be purified."
Or he said: "Thus, you have attained purification."
[Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Hal Tanqud al-Mar’ah Sha'rah Ind al-Ghusl 105, Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hayd Bab Hukm Dafair al-Mughtasila 330/58, Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Fi al-Mar'ah Tanqud Sha'rah Ind al-Ghusl 251]
This authentic Hadith clarifies that a woman is given the concession of not undoing her braids for Ghusl of Janabah or menstruation. The primary goal is to ensure that water reaches the roots of the hair. It is obligatory in Ghusl of Janabah that the hair is fully soaked. If parts of the hair remain dry, the Ghusl will not be valid.
[See commentary in Mishkat, by Maulana Ismail Salafi 343/1]
In a narration from Sahih Muslim, Umm Salamah asks:
“Should I undo my braids for menstruation and Janabah?”
This confirms that whether the Ghusl is for menstruation or Janabah, the objective is for the water to reach the roots of the hair. Women have been given the concession to keep their braids tied, as long as water reaches the hair roots.
In another Hadith narrated by Aisha (رضي الله عنها), she said:
"Then she pours water over her head and rubs it thoroughly so that it reaches the roots of her hair."
[Mirqat 136/2, Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Fi al-Hayd Kayfa Taghtasil 642, Tiyalisi 60/1, Musnad Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Sahih Muslim 61/332, Ibn Khuzayma 248, Ibn Hibban 1199]
From these authentic Hadiths, it becomes clear that whether the Ghusl is for menstruation or Janabah, a woman is religiously permitted not to undo her hair. However, it is necessary to ensure that the water reaches the roots of the hair.
Aisha (رضي الله عنها), the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), narrates:
"When the Prophet (ﷺ) performed Ghusl after Janabah, he would first wash his hands, then perform Wudu like the Wudu for prayer. Then he would insert his fingers into the water and use them to comb through the roots of his hair. After that, he would pour three handfuls of water over his head, and then he would pour water over his entire body."
[Bukhari, Kitab al-Ghusl: Bab al-Wudu Qabl al-Ghusl 248, Muslim, Kitab al-Hayd 321, Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab al-Ghusl min al-Janabah 242, Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Ma Jaa Fi al-Ghusl min al-Janabah 104]
In Sunan Abu Dawood and other Hadiths, it is mentioned that after washing the hands, he would also wash his private parts ( فرجه ) and remove any impurities. Then, after combing his hair with his fingers, he would ensure that the water reached the scalp. When he was satisfied that the water had reached the skin, he would pour water over his head three times.
It is also narrated by Maymunah (رضي الله عنها), the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), that she said:
"The Prophet (ﷺ) performed Wudu like he did for prayer, except that he did not wash his feet. He then washed his private parts and any impurity, poured water over his body, and then moved aside to wash his feet. This was his Ghusl for Janabah."
[Bukhari, Kitab al-Ghusl Bab al-Wudu Qabl al-Ghusl 249]
She further narrates:
"I placed water for the Prophet (ﷺ) for Ghusl. He poured water with his right hand onto his left hand, then washed them. Then he washed his private parts and rubbed his hands on the ground to clean them. He then washed them again, rinsed his mouth and nose, washed his face, poured water over his head, and then moved aside to wash his feet."
[Bukhari, Kitab al-Ghusl: Bab al-Madmada wal-Istinsaq fil-Janabah 259, Ibn Majah 573, Musnad Ahmad 329/6, 33]
From these narrations, we can see that the Prophet (ﷺ) would follow this method for Ghusl after Janabah:
Question:
Should a woman wet her hair while performing Ghusl for Janabah, or is the Ghusl valid even if the hair is not wet? Please clarify this matter with authentic Hadiths in such a way that leaves no ambiguity, and also provide the complete prophetic method of performing Ghusl, without any shortcomings.Answer:
It is narrated by Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) that she said:"I said: O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who braids her hair tightly. Should I undo it for Ghusl of Janabah?"
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
"No, it is enough for you to pour three handfuls of water over your head and then pour water over your entire body, and you will be purified."
Or he said: "Thus, you have attained purification."
[Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Hal Tanqud al-Mar’ah Sha'rah Ind al-Ghusl 105, Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hayd Bab Hukm Dafair al-Mughtasila 330/58, Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Fi al-Mar'ah Tanqud Sha'rah Ind al-Ghusl 251]
This authentic Hadith clarifies that a woman is given the concession of not undoing her braids for Ghusl of Janabah or menstruation. The primary goal is to ensure that water reaches the roots of the hair. It is obligatory in Ghusl of Janabah that the hair is fully soaked. If parts of the hair remain dry, the Ghusl will not be valid.
[See commentary in Mishkat, by Maulana Ismail Salafi 343/1]
In a narration from Sahih Muslim, Umm Salamah asks:
“Should I undo my braids for menstruation and Janabah?”
This confirms that whether the Ghusl is for menstruation or Janabah, the objective is for the water to reach the roots of the hair. Women have been given the concession to keep their braids tied, as long as water reaches the hair roots.
In another Hadith narrated by Aisha (رضي الله عنها), she said:
"Then she pours water over her head and rubs it thoroughly so that it reaches the roots of her hair."
[Mirqat 136/2, Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Fi al-Hayd Kayfa Taghtasil 642, Tiyalisi 60/1, Musnad Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Sahih Muslim 61/332, Ibn Khuzayma 248, Ibn Hibban 1199]
From these authentic Hadiths, it becomes clear that whether the Ghusl is for menstruation or Janabah, a woman is religiously permitted not to undo her hair. However, it is necessary to ensure that the water reaches the roots of the hair.
The Prophetic Method of Ghusl:
The method of Ghusl as practiced by the Prophet (ﷺ) is narrated in several authentic Hadiths:Aisha (رضي الله عنها), the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), narrates:
"When the Prophet (ﷺ) performed Ghusl after Janabah, he would first wash his hands, then perform Wudu like the Wudu for prayer. Then he would insert his fingers into the water and use them to comb through the roots of his hair. After that, he would pour three handfuls of water over his head, and then he would pour water over his entire body."
[Bukhari, Kitab al-Ghusl: Bab al-Wudu Qabl al-Ghusl 248, Muslim, Kitab al-Hayd 321, Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab al-Ghusl min al-Janabah 242, Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Taharah: Bab Ma Jaa Fi al-Ghusl min al-Janabah 104]
In Sunan Abu Dawood and other Hadiths, it is mentioned that after washing the hands, he would also wash his private parts ( فرجه ) and remove any impurities. Then, after combing his hair with his fingers, he would ensure that the water reached the scalp. When he was satisfied that the water had reached the skin, he would pour water over his head three times.
It is also narrated by Maymunah (رضي الله عنها), the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), that she said:
"The Prophet (ﷺ) performed Wudu like he did for prayer, except that he did not wash his feet. He then washed his private parts and any impurity, poured water over his body, and then moved aside to wash his feet. This was his Ghusl for Janabah."
[Bukhari, Kitab al-Ghusl Bab al-Wudu Qabl al-Ghusl 249]
She further narrates:
"I placed water for the Prophet (ﷺ) for Ghusl. He poured water with his right hand onto his left hand, then washed them. Then he washed his private parts and rubbed his hands on the ground to clean them. He then washed them again, rinsed his mouth and nose, washed his face, poured water over his head, and then moved aside to wash his feet."
[Bukhari, Kitab al-Ghusl: Bab al-Madmada wal-Istinsaq fil-Janabah 259, Ibn Majah 573, Musnad Ahmad 329/6, 33]
From these narrations, we can see that the Prophet (ﷺ) would follow this method for Ghusl after Janabah:
- Wash both hands.
- Wash the private parts and remove impurities.
- Perform Wudu (like for prayer).
- Wet the roots of the hair by combing through them with the fingers.
- Pour three handfuls of water over the head.
- Wash the entire body.
- Finally, wash the feet.
