When Is Ghusl Compulsory for Women? A Complete Guide

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Hello readers! Are you looking for an explanation on "When is ghusl compulsory for women?" If your answer is "Yes," then congratulations! You're reading the right article. In this article, I will explain everything you need to know about when ghusl becomes obligatory for women. As a Muslim, it's essential to understand this topic, and that's why I wrote this article for you. So, make sure to read it till the end!

In this article, I will highlight five important aspects regarding "When ghusl is compulsory for women." These five key points are as follows:

Why Is the Explanation of Ghusl for Women Important?

The first key point I will discuss is why the explanation of ghusl for women is important. Understanding this is crucial before delving deeper into the details. Why? Because this lays the foundation for understanding the urgency of the topic.

To further clarify:

  • Major hadas is a state that prevents Muslims from performing acts of worship that require them to be in a pure state.
  • There are different methods of purifying both male and female bodies.

So, why is the explanation of ghusl for women important?

  • Women, like men, are obligated to perform ghusl for various reasons, such as after menstruation or sexual activity.
  • Major hadas can only be removed through ghusl, unless water is unavailable, in which case tayammum is allowed as an alternative.

This is a brief explanation of why it's important to understand ghusl for women.

Why Is Ghusl Compulsory for Women?

The second point I will explain is "Why is ghusl compulsory for women?" This is essential for understanding the basis of our discussion.

Ghusl Dua for Females After Periods in English and Arabic

Islamic jurisprudence provides two main reasons why ghusl is compulsory for women:

  • To eliminate major hadas, which occurs after specific acts such as sexual intercourse, the release of sperm, menstruation, and childbirth. If water is unavailable, tayammum should be performed for acts of worship requiring purification.
  • There are six key reasons when ghusl is obligatory for women, which I will explain later in this article.

This briefly explains why ghusl is compulsory for women.

Types of Compulsory Ghusl for Women

The third point to address is the types of compulsory ghusl for women. There are two main types of ghusl in Islam:

Regular Ghusl

This is the ghusl done for personal hygiene, which is not mandatory but is encouraged in Islam. It helps ensure cleanliness and prevents bad odors. Regular ghusl is recommended, especially to look presentable and maintain good hygiene. We find support for this in the following hadiths:

عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ ، وَيُحِبُّ مَعَالِيَ الْأَخْلَاقِ وَيَكْرَهُ سَفْسَافَهَا

From Jabir, he said, "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Verily Allah Taala is a God who is beautiful and loves beauty. He likes noble ethics and hates bad ethics."

عَنْ أَبِيْ سَعِيْدٍ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّ اللهَ جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ ، وَيُحِبُّ أَنْ يَرَى أَثَرَ نِعْمَتِهِ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ ، وَيَبْغَضُ الْبُؤْسَ وَالتَّبَاؤُسَ

From Abu Said, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Verily Allah is a God who is beautiful and loves beauty. He is pleased to see the effect of His grace which He has given to His servant. He hates bad circumstances and pretending to be bad."

Ghusl After Death

This ghusl is performed by the living for a deceased Muslim (including women). The deceased must be washed by those still alive before burial.

Ghusl Janabah

This ghusl is mandatory to eliminate major hadas, particularly after sexual intercourse. If a woman experiences this state, she must perform ghusl to regain purity before engaging in acts of worship.

Thus, ghusl after death and ghusl Janabah are the two types of compulsory ghusl for women.

Quran and Hadith About Ghusl for Women

The fourth key point is understanding the Quranic verses and hadiths about ghusl for women. These religious texts provide the foundation for the practice of ghusl.

Quranic Verses

Al-Baqarah 2:222

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْمَحِيضِ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي الْمَحِيضِ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

"They ask you about menstruation. Say, 'Menstruation is something dirty.' Therefore, stay away from women during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are purified. Once they are purified, then come to them as Allah has commanded you. Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and those who purify themselves."

Al-Waqi'ah 56:79

لَّا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

"None shall touch it except those who are purified."

Hadiths

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّ تَحْتَ كُلِّ شَعْرَةٍ جَنَابَةً ، فَاغْسِلُوْا الشَّعْرَ ، وَانْقُوْا الْبَشَرَةَ . رَوَاهُ أَبُوْ دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ

From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has said, "Verily under every hair there is Janabah. Wash your hair and clean your skin!" The hadith was narrated by Abu Daud and at-Tirmidhi.

عَنْ أَبِيْ سَعِيْدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : الْمَاءُ بِالْمَاءِ . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

From Abu Sa'id al-Khudri radliyallaahu anhu, he said, "Allah's Messenger sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Water from water." The hadith is narrated by Muslim.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهَا ؛ لَوْ مُتِّ قَبْلِيْ لَغَسَلْتُكِ . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ مَاجَه

From Aishah radliyallahu anha, that the Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam once said to her, "If you died before me, then I would definitely bathe you." The hadith was narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Majah.

This is a brief explanation of Quranic verses and hadiths related to ghusl for women.

When Is Ghusl Compulsory for Women?

The fifth important point about when ghusl is compulsory for women includes six causes that require women to perform ghusl. It is essential to understand these causes as they are very significant in Islamic teachings.

Below is an explanation of the six causes of compulsory ghusl for women:

Ghusl After Sex for Women

The first cause of compulsory ghusl for women is sex. After having sexual intercourse, a woman must perform ghusl. The following hadith clarifies this:

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِذَا جَلَسَ بَيْنَ شُعَبِهَا الْأَرْبَعٍ ثُمَّ جَهَدَهَا فَقَدْ وَجَبَ الْغُسْلُ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ . وَزَادَ مُسْلِمٌ : وَإنْ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ

From Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: If a man sits between the four parts of a woman and has sexual intercourse, ghusl becomes obligatory. This hadith is agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim. Muslim added: Even if he does not ejaculate."

Ghusl After Menstruation for Women

The second cause of compulsory ghusl for women is menstruation. After menstruation, a woman must perform ghusl. The following hadith explains this:

قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِذَا أقْبَلَتِ الحَيْضَةُ، فَدَعِي الصَّلَاةَ، وإذَا أدْبَرَتْ، فَاغْسِلِي عَنْكِ الدَّمَ وصَلِّي

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "When menstruation comes, stop praying. When it goes, wash away the menstrual blood and pray."

Ghusl After Wet Dreams for Women

The third cause of compulsory ghusl for women is wet dreams that result in the discharge of sperm. If a woman experiences this, she must perform ghusl. The following hadith supports this:

عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا: أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ : جَاءَتْ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ- اِمْرَأَةُ أَبِيْ طَلْحَةَ- إِلَى رَسُوْلِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَتْ : يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ ، إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ ؛ هَلْ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ مِنْ غُسْلٍ إِذَا هِيَ اِحْتَلَمَتْ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: نَعَمْ، إِذَا رَأَتِ الْمَاءَ

From Umm Salamah, Ummul Mukminin, may Allah be pleased with her, she said: "Umm Sulaym, the wife of Abu Talha, came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, verily Allah is not ashamed of the truth: should a woman take a bath if she has had wet dreams?' The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'Yes, if she sees the water (semen).'”

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : فِيْ الْمَرْأَةِ تَرَى فِيْ مَنَامِهَا مَا يَرَى الرَّجُلُ -- قَالَ : تَغْتَسِلْ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ . زَادَ مُسْلِمٌ : فَقَالَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ : وَهَلْ يَكُوْنُ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ , فَمِنْ أَيْنَ الشِّبْهُ

From Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'When a woman sees in her dream what a man sees, she must take a bath.' This hadith is agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim. Muslim added: 'Umm Salamah then asked, 'Can this happen?' He replied, 'Yes, so where is the similarity?'"

Ghusl After Nifas for Women

The fourth cause of compulsory ghusl for women is nifas (postpartum bleeding). After nifas, a woman must perform ghusl. Imam Nawawi, a prominent Islamic scholar from Indonesia, said:

لِأَنَّ الْغُسْلَ يَجِبُ بِخُرُوْجِ الْمَاءِ الَّذِيْ يُخْلَقُ مِنْهُ الْوَلَدُ، فَبِخُرُوْجِ الْوَلَدِ أَوْلَى

Because ghusl is obligatory due to the release of the fluid (semen) from which a child is created, it becomes even more important after childbirth.

Ghusl After Death for Women

The fifth cause of compulsory ghusl for women is death. When the soul of a Muslim woman departs, she must be given ghusl by the living Muslim women. The following hadith explains this:

عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ : دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَ نَحْنُ نَغْسِلُ اِبْنَتَهُ فَقَالَ : اِغْسِلْنَهَا ثَلَاثًا , أَوْ خَمْسًا , أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ , إِنْ رَأَيْتُنَّ ذَلِكَ بِمَاءٍ وَسِدْرٍ وَاجْعَلْنَ فِيْ الْأَخِرَةِ كاَفُوْرًا أَوْ شَيْئًا مِنْ كَافُوْرٍ . فَلَمَّا فَرَغْنَا آذَنَّاهُ فَأَلْقَى إِلَيْنَا حَقْوَهُ فَقَالَ : أَشْعِرِنَّهَا إِيَّاهُ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Ummu Athiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, came to us while we were bathing his daughter. He said: 'Wash her three times, or five times, or more if you think necessary, using water and ziziphus spina christi leaves. In the final wash, add camphor or something from the camphor tree.' When we finished, we informed him, and he gave us his sarong and said, 'Place it on her body.'" This hadith is narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.

Ghusl After Converting to Islam for Women

The sixth cause of compulsory ghusl for women is conversion to Islam. If a woman, including a man, converts to Islam, she must perform ghusl. One of the reasons for this is to cleanse herself from major impurity (hadath akbar) that existed before her conversion to Islam.

The following hadith explains this:

بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَيْلًا قِبَلَ نَجْدٍ، فَجَاءَتْ بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي حَنِيْفَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ : ثُمَامَةُ بْنُ أُثَالٍ، فَرَبَطُوْهُ بِسَارِيَةٍ مِنْ سَوَارِي المَسْجِدِ ، فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَحَاوَلَهُ فَقَالَ : يَا ثُمَامَةُ ، مَا تَقُوْلُ ؟ قَالَ : أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ . فَأَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِغُسْلِهِ

The Prophet, peace be upon him, sent a cavalry to Najd and brought a man from Banu Hanifah named Thumamah ibn Uthāl. They tied him to one of the columns of the mosque. When the Prophet went to him and asked, 'What do you say, Thumamah?' he replied, 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and messenger.' The Prophet then instructed him to take a bath."

Conclusion

Ghusl is compulsory for women in various situations, including after sexual intercourse, menstruation, wet dreams, childbirth (nifas), death, and conversion to Islam. Understanding these causes is crucial for women in order to maintain cleanliness and observe the prescribed Islamic practices.

Akhmad Syafiuddin
Akhmad Syafiuddin An expert in Islamic discourse and law, and a graduate of Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 comments

Comment Author Avatar
Omar
January 8, 2025 at 12:33 AM Delete
I just finished reading this article about when ghusl is compulsory for women, and I have to say, I am really grateful for the detailed and clear explanation provided. As someone who is new to Islam, I have been searching for guidance on this topic for a long time, and I finally feel like I understand it fully now. This article has helped me to understand not only the importance of ghusl for women but also when it becomes compulsory, what the types of ghusl are, and how they relate to different aspects of Islamic teachings.

The explanation of why ghusl is compulsory for women was especially enlightening. It's clear now that ghusl is necessary to cleanse a person from major hadas, which can occur after actions like sexual intercourse, menstruation, or childbirth. This was something I was unsure about before, but now I know that ghusl is essential for maintaining spiritual purity and enabling a Muslim woman to engage in acts of worship.

I also appreciated how the article broke down the different types of ghusl, including regular ghusl, ghusl after death, and ghusl janabah. It's not just about hygiene, but it's deeply connected to the concept of purification in Islam. I learned that ghusl janabah, for example, is specifically required when someone experiences major hadas, and ghusl after death is an important act of compassion and respect for the deceased.

The way the article cited Quranic verses and Hadiths was also very helpful. I now have a better understanding of how the concept of ghusl is rooted in Islamic scripture, with references to the Quran like Surah Al-Baqarah (222) and Hadiths from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was reassuring to know that the practice is firmly supported by both the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet.

Finally, the section explaining the six causes of compulsory ghusl for women was particularly valuable. I now know that ghusl becomes necessary after sex, menstruation, childbirth, and other significant events, which is important to keep in mind when trying to maintain purity for worship.

I feel much more confident in my understanding of ghusl after reading this article, and I am so grateful to the author for taking the time to explain these important aspects of Islam so clearly. This is definitely a resource I will refer back to whenever I have questions about this topic in the future. Thank you for this insightful and thorough article!
Comment Author Avatar
January 13, 2025 at 6:16 AM Delete
Hi Omar,

Ameen.

You're welcome and thank you for reading this article.

Regards,