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:

My question is: Can you pls give me the complete process / procedure of how to do ghusl. After i have sex with my wife, i often fall asleep at nite and usually am too tired to get up in the morning for fajr prayers and usually try to say them qaza after i have had a bath. I want to know if i could just do wudu and say my prayers in the morning or do I have to do ghusl. also i want to know the entire process of ghusl which has been prescribed by God in Quran or told to us via Hadees. For ghusl, all i do is clean myself thoroughly, say some ayats and that is it. when it is time to say my prayers i do wudu then. is that ok or is there another method. pls do let me know urgently. also pls do not publish my name. thanks and you guys are doing great work.m

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Answer:

Ghusl after sex

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Can you pls give me the complete process / procedure of how to do ghusl.

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

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 ceremonial impurity (post menstruation, post sexual intercourse, etc.) 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 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.

If one is in the state of major impurity like menstruation, post sexual intercourse, post wet-dream, post full sexual discharge, post child-birth, etc., and wishes to purify oneself and make themselves available for prayer….it is absolutely obligatory that one to perform the ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification before one makes themselves available for prayer.

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 and saying ‘Bismillah’ 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: After i have sex with my wife, i often fall asleep at nite

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.41a

If a person in a state of post-sex impurity wants to eat, drink or have intercourse again, he should perform ablution.

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.

If one is in a state of post-sex impurity, and if for any reason one wishes to postpone the taking of the ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification, and wishes to eat or drink or sleep, it is recommended and is Sunnah that he should perform the wudu first before he eats or drinks or sleeps.

Your Statement:…….and usually am too tired to get up in the morning for fajr prayers and usually try to say them qaza after i have had a bath.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 103:

Indeed the Salaat is a prescribed duty that should be performed by the believers at (their) appointed times.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 45-46:

45 Nay seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and ‘salaah’: it is indeed hard except to those who bring a lowly spirit.

46 Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord and that they are to return to Him.

A man came to the Prophet (saws) and said “ O Prophet of Allah (saws), what is the act or deed most loved by Allah?”

The Prophet (saws) replied: “To pray ones prayers on time.”

The man asked further: “What (deed or act most loved by Allah) next?”

The Prophet (saws) replied: “Obedience to ones parents.”

The man asked further: “What (deed or act most loved by Allah) next?”

The Prophet (saws) replied: “Jihaad in the Way of Allah.”

Related by Bukhari.

Intentionally missing an obligatory prayer at its appointed time is not even given as an option in the deen of Islam! If one accidentally or unintentionally misses one’s prayer through sleep or forgetfulness, one should pray it as soon as one wakes up or remembers it.

One should strive as hard as one can to make intention to offer one’s obligatory prayers on their appointed times, and if Allah forbid, one misses a prayer, then the absolute least one can do is expiate and atone for that lapse by praying it ‘qada’ in the sincere fear and hope that the Lord Most High will accept it.

Whoever sleeps through or has forgotten to pray a certain prayer should pray it when he wakes up or remembers the prayer. Abu Qatadah related that sleeping through the prayer time was mentioned to the Prophet (saws) and he said, "There is no negligence in sleep, but negligence occurs while one is awake. If one of you forgets a prayer, or sleeps through its time, then he should pray it when he remembers it."

Related by an-Nasa'i and at-Tirmidhi.

Anas related that the Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it save that."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

To intentionally delay one’s obligatory prayer beyond its appointed time only because one is tired, or lethargic, or lazy, etc.; is not even an option in Shairah!

Your Question: I want to know if i could just do wudu and say my prayers in the morning or do I have to do ghusl.

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

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 ceremonial impurity (sexual intercourse), bathe your whole body.

If one is in a state of post-sex impurity, the only act that will purify him is a ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification. If one is in the state of ceremonial impurity, and offers one’s prayers without first purifying themselves completely through a ‘ghusl’ or full bath, their prayer will be invalid, and they would have to first purify themselves through ‘ghusl’, and then offer the prayer again.

The doing of the ‘wudu’ or ablution after sexual intercourse would enable the person to eat, drink, or sleep, etc.; but if one wishes to offer one’s prayers after sexual intercourse, it is absolutely obligatory that one must first perform the ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification before one makes oneself available for prayer.

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