Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalaam Aleikum Wa Rahmatulah Wabarakatu,

My question is :-

We are told that a women should put tohara by taking bath after having sex. Kindly elaborate clearly if :-

one should take shower immediately, and how, is she supposed to take shower all her body from her hair to her toe ? Or can she only take shower without washing her her ?? Or can she just put litttle water in her hair ??

Asalaam Aleikum, Shukran 

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Answer:

How to purify oneself ghusl full bath

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 6:

6 O ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ‘janaba’ (sexual impurity) bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in (sexual) contact with women, and ye find no water then take for yourselves clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty but to make you clean and to complete His favor to you that ye may be grateful.

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, being pure from sexual impurity by performing a ‘ghusl’ or full bath is an absolutely obligatory pre-condition of offering one’s prayer. The only alternative and exception allowed by the Lord Most Merciful is when one is impure and in the extreme condition where one finds absolutely no water to cleanse himself, one is permitted to perform the ‘tayammum’ to purify oneself and make themselves available for prayer. But under normal conditions it is absolutely obligatory for a believer who is in a state of sexual or major impurity to purify oneself with a ‘ghusl’ or full bath.

If the believing woman is relieved of her monthly or post child-birth menstruation or after she has conjugated with her husband; it is absolutely obligatory that she perform a ‘ghusl’ or full bath with the intention to purify herself.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.58a

According to the practice of the Prophet (saws) the correct manner of performing ghusl after making intention to purify oneself is:

1. wash both hands three times,

2. wash the private parts,

3. make a complete ablution (like the one made for prayer--the Prophet(saws) used to delay washing his feet until the end of his ghusl),

4. rub water through one's hair three times, letting the water reach down to the roots of the hair,

5. pour water over the entire body, begining with the right side, then the left, washing under the armpits, inside the ears, inside the navel, inside the toes and whatever part of the body can be easily rubbed. This account is based on the following report from 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (saws): "When the Prophet (saws) took his bath after sexual intercourse, he would begin by washing his hands. Then he would pour water from his right hand to his left and wash his sexual organs, make the ablution for prayer, take some water and put his fingers to the roots of his hair to the extent that he sees that the skin is wet, then pour water over his head three times and then over the rest of his body." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.) In one narration it states, "He (saws) used to rub his head with his hands until he was certain the water reached his skin, and then he poured water over it three times." It is also related that she said, "When the Prophet (saws) would perform ghusl after having had sexual intercourse, he would call for some water, which he would pour on his right hand to wash the right side of his head and then the left. He would then take water with both hands and pour it over his head." Said Maimunah, the wife of the Prophet (saws) "I put water out for the Messenger of Allah (saws) to perform ghusl. He washed his hands two or three times, and then he poured water from his right hand to his left and washed his private parts, wiped his hands on the earth, rinsed his mouth and nose, washed his face and hands, washed his head three times, poured water over his body, and finally moved from his place and washed his feet. I brought him a towel, but he did not take it, for he shook the water off with his hands." (Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood.)

Your Question: Kindly elaborate clearly if :-one should take shower immediately,

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4140 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘The Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house which contains a picture, a dog, or one who is impure by sexual defilement.’

Although it is highly recommended that one purify oneself immediately after sexual intercourse, there is evidence and allowance in the Sunnah if one wishes to sleep, eat, or drink before purifying oneself for any reason, one must at least do the ‘wudu’ or ablution.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 603 Narrated by Aisha

Abdullah ibn AbdulQays said, "I asked Aisha about the Witr (prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and made mention of a hadith, then I said: ‘What did he (saws) do after having sexual intercourse? Did he take a bath before going to sleep or did he sleep before taking a bath?’ She said: ‘He (saws) did all these. Sometimes he (saws) took a bath and then slept, and sometimes he (saws) performed ablution only and went to sleep.’ I (the narrator) said: ‘Praise be to Allah Who has made things easy (for the believers in the deen).’

Said 'Aishah, "When the Prophet (saws) was in a state of impurity because of intercourse and wanted to eat or sleep, he would perform ablution." 'Ammar ibn Yasar reported that the Prophet permitted a person in post-sex impurity to eat, drink or sleep if he performed ablution first.

(Related by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi.)

Your Question: and how, is she supposed to take shower all her body from her hair to her toe ? Or can she only take shower without washing her her ?? Or can she just put litttle water in her hair ??
When taking a ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification after a major impurity, it is absolutely obligatory for the man and the women to allow the water to touch each and every part of their body, making sure no part of the body remains dry.

Regarding the washing of the hair during the ‘ghusl’, one should wash the hair completely to fulfill the requirements of full purification. Washing one’s body without washing the hair, or pouring just a little water in the hair would not be enough to fulfill the obligatory requirements of ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan