The reasons that make the full bath (ghusl) necessary
What major ritual impurity (janabah) is, why the full bath (ghusl) becomes obligatory, and the detailed rulings for the release of semen, a wet dream, and intercourse.
Someone who needs to make ghusl is called junub, and the reason for it is called janabah. Ghusl becomes fard (necessary) for these reasons:
Reasons ghusl becomes necessary
- A discharge (semen) leaves the body together with a feeling of desire, whether while awake or in a dream.
- A husband and wife have been intimate together, even if nothing else happens.
- A woman's monthly bleeding ends.
- A woman's bleeding after having a baby ends.
A husband and wife who have been intimate together must both make ghusl, once each of them has reached the age of responsibility (baligh), whether or not anything else happened.
A person who is in need of ghusl for one of these reasons is called junub, and the state itself is called janabah.
The reasons ghusl becomes obligatory
- Emission of semen with sexual desire.
- Experiencing a wet dream (ejaculation during sleep).
- Sexual intercourse.
- The end of menstruation (hayd).
- The end of postnatal bleeding (nifas).
Emission of semen with desire (the first reason) applies specifically to semen released with desire while awake (whether through touch, looking, thought, or a deliberate act) even if no desire is felt at the exact moment the semen leaves the body.
If semen is released with desire and the person makes ghusl before urinating, sleeping or walking, and then prays, and afterwards more semen exits without desire, ghusl must be repeated, but the earlier prayer does not need to be repeated.
If semen exits without desire (for example from lifting something heavy, falling from a height, or another physical impact), ghusl does not become obligatory.
A person with a medical condition causing semen to flow continuously is not obligated to make ghusl on that account.
Ghusl is not obligatory where only pre-ejaculatory fluid (madhy) or post-urinary discharge (wady) is released.
123A wet dream (ihtilam) is ejaculation occurring during sleep, whether or not it comes with the sensation of intercourse.
| Situation | Ghusl obligatory? |
|---|---|
| Certain the wetness is semen, even without recalling a wet dream | Yes |
| Certain it is madhy, but recalls a wet dream | Yes |
| Uncertain whether it is semen or another discharge, but recalls a wet dream | Yes |
| Certain the fluid is not semen but is madhy or wady | No |
| Uncertain whether it is semen, madhy or wady, and did not recall an erection before sleeping | No |
| Recalls a wet dream, even the sensation of ejaculation, but finds no trace on the body or clothes | No: this applies to women as well |
Intercourse is defined as the entry of the head of the man's private part (hashafah) into a woman's private part, or into the back passage of a man or a woman.
Both the person performing and the person receiving intercourse must make ghusl, regardless of whether ejaculation occurs, provided both are mature (baligh). If only one of them is mature, only that person is obligated to make ghusl, though the minor should still be taught to make ghusl, to build the habit of cleanliness.
1234Intercourse with an animal, with a deceased person, or with a very young girl not yet an object of desire, does not make ghusl obligatory unless ejaculation occurs.
One obligated to make ghusl by any of these causes is termed junub, and the cause itself is termed janābah.
The reasons that make ghusl obligatory
- Emission of semen (manī) with sexual desire (shahwah).
- A wet dream (ihtilām): ejaculation during sleep.
- Sexual intercourse (jimāʿ).
- The end of menstruation (ḥayḍ).
- The end of postnatal bleeding (nifās).
The first cause applies specifically to semen released with shahwah while awake (whether occasioned by touch, sight, thought or a deliberate act) even where no desire is felt at the precise instant the semen leaves the body.
Where semen is released with desire and ghusl is performed before urinating, sleeping or walking, and prayer follows, and afterward further semen exits without desire, ghusl must be repeated for the second emission, though the prayer already performed need not be repeated.
Emission without desire (from lifting a heavy weight, a fall, or another physical impact) does not oblige ghusl.
One whose semen flows continuously owing to a medical condition (istihādah-like flow) is not obligated to ghusl on that account.
Ghusl is not obligatory for the emission of madhy (pre-seminal fluid) or wady (post-urinary discharge) alone.
123Iḥtilām is ejaculation occurring during sleep, whether or not accompanied by the sensation of intercourse.
| Situation | Ghusl obligatory? |
|---|---|
| Certain the wetness is semen, even without recalling a wet dream | Yes |
| Certain the fluid is madhy, but recalls a wet dream | Yes |
| Uncertain whether the fluid is semen or another discharge, but recalls a wet dream | Yes |
| Certain the fluid is not semen, but is madhy or wady | No |
| Uncertain whether the fluid is semen, madhy or wady, and did not recall an erection before sleeping | No |
| Recalls a wet dream, even to the point of the sensation of ejaculation, but finds no trace on the body or clothes | No; this ruling applies equally to women |
Jimāʿ is defined as the entry of the ḥashafah (the glans of the man's organ) into the specific area of a woman's private part, or into the back passage of either a man or a woman.
Ghusl is obligatory on both the active and the receiving party to intercourse, regardless of whether ejaculation occurs, provided both are bāligh. Where only one party is bāligh, the obligation falls on that party alone, although the minor should still be instructed to perform ghusl, so as to instil the discipline of cleanliness.
1234Intercourse with an animal, with a deceased person, or with a very young girl who is not yet an object of desire, does not oblige ghusl unless ejaculation occurs.
This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 744 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Bath (Ghusl) Note 3
- Ghusl becomes obligatory after sexual intercourse, ejaculation, menstruation, and postnatal bleeding (i.e., in these cases, Ghusl is required). If semen comes out during wakefulness without intercourse or ejaculation, but with desire, Ghusl is obligatory. Similarly, if a man or woman wakes up and finds wetness on their body or clothes, and they are certain it is semen, whether or not they remember a wet dream, or if they are certain it is pre-ejaculatory fluid (Mazi) and remember a wet dream, or if there is doubt whether it is semen or Mazi but they remember a wet dream, Ghusl will be obligatory in all these situations.
- When a man or woman needs to perform Ghusl, the following actions are prohibited until Ghusl is performed: offering prayers, performing prostration, touching the Quran, reciting the Quran with the intention of reading, and entering a mosque.
There are five Sunnahs in Ghusl 25. Reasons for Ghusl (Actions that make Ghusl necessary)
These are the conditions that make Ghusl obligatory:
- Emission of semen with sexual desire.
- Experiencing a wet dream (i.e., ejaculation during sleep).
- Sexual intercourse.
- End of menstruation (hayd).
- End of postnatal bleeding (nifas).
There are five Sunnahs in Ghusl Note
Each of these conditions has further explanations and related rulings, detailed as follows.
There are five Sunnahs in Ghusl Explanation of the First Condition (Emission of Semen with Sexual Desire)
- This condition applies specifically when semen is released with desire while awake. This could happen by touching or looking at someone, by mere thought or imagination, or by physical action such as masturbation, even if there is no desire at the time the semen exits the body.
- If semen is released with desire and one performs Ghusl before urinating, sleeping, or walking, then prays, and later more semen exits without desire, Ghusl must be performed again, but the prayer does not need to be repeated.
- If semen exits without desire due to lifting something heavy, falling from a height, or any physical impact, Ghusl does not become obligatory.
- If a person has a medical condition where semen flows continuously, Ghusl is not obligatory in such cases.
- Ghusl is not obligatory if only pre-ejaculatory fluid (madhy) or post-urinary discharge (wady) is released.
There are five Sunnahs in Ghusl Explanation of the Second Condition (Wet Dream)
- A wet dream (ihtilam) refers to ejaculation occurring while sleeping, whether or not one experiences a feeling of intercourse.
- If a man or woman finds wetness on their body or clothes after waking and is certain it is semen (even if they do not recall a wet dream), or if they are sure it is madhy but recall a wet dream, or if they are uncertain whether it is semen or another discharge but remember the wet dream—Ghusl is obligatory in all three cases. If one is certain the fluid is not semen but is either madhy or wady, or if there is doubt whether it is semen, madhy, or wady, and they did not recall an erection before sleeping, Ghusl is not obligatory in these two cases.
- If one recalls a wet dream (even to the point of feeling the pleasure of ejaculation) but finds no trace of it on the body or clothes, Ghusl is not obligatory. (This ruling applies to women as well).
There are five Sunnahs in Ghusl Explanation of the Third Condition (Intercourse)
- Intercourse is defined as the entry of the head of a man’s private part (called حشفہ in Arabic) into a woman’s private part (specific area) or into the back passage (anus) of a man or woman.
- Both the person performing and the person receiving intercourse must perform Ghusl (ritual purification), regardless of whether ejaculation occurs, as long as both are mature (baligh). If one of them is mature, only that person must perform Ghusl, although the minor should also be instructed to perform Ghusl to instill the habit of cleanliness.
- If someone performs intercourse with an animal, a deceased person, or a very young girl (who is not yet a subject of desire), then Ghusl is not obligatory unless ejaculation occurs.
- If a man’s head of the private part (حشفہ) is cut off, the obligation will apply to whatever portion of it remains that is equivalent in size to the head.
There are five Sunnahs in Ghusl Note
Anyone required to perform Ghusl due to the above causes (such as ejaculation, wet dream, or intercourse) is known as junub, and the causes are called janabah.
If Ghusl becomes obligatory, one should not delay it unnecessarily. If someone delays until the last moments of the prayer time, then performing Ghusl immediately becomes obligatory. Some women, especially those who have given birth, mistakenly wait for forty days without performing Ghusl, thinking they cannot pray before this period ends. This is a misunderstanding. As soon as menstruation or postnatal bleeding stops, they should perform Ghusl and resume their prayers.
Terms on this page
Related
- Menstruation (hayd), postnatal bleeding (nifas), and the rulings of major impurity What menstruation (hayd) and postnatal bleeding (nifas) are, how long they last, what is forbidden during major impurity, and when prayer and intercourse resume.
- What the full bath (ghusl) is, and when it is required The definition of the full bath (ghusl), the occasions it is obligatory (fard), necessary (wajib), sunnah or recommended (mustahabb), the conditions for it to count, and its three obligations.
- Severe and light impurity, what is excused, and what is not impure at all What counts as severe or light impurity, how much of each is excused on the body or clothes, and things that are not impure at all.
- What breaks a fast: making it up (qada), expiation (kaffarah), or nothing at all Which acts break a fast and only need making up, which need making up plus an expiation, and which do not break the fast at all.