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:

I just want to ask if a man has an intercourse with his wife then is ghusal (bathing) a must or not....if it is a must then how do we take a ghusul for both the man and his wife...please reply

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Answer:

Sunnah way of ghusl

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.

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 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.)

If one is in a state of post-sex impurity, and if for any reason one wishes to postpone or delay the performing 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.

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.

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