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:

Is it required for women to wash their whole body including her hair while having ghusl after having sexual intercourse?

I am asking this question because i read the following somewhere, but got no reference for the same...

Umm Salamah said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who has closely plaited hair on my head. Do I have to undo them for ghusl after sexual intercourse?" He said, "No, it is enough for you to throw three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over yourself. After doing this, you shall be cleansed."

`Ubaid ibn `Umair reported that `Aishah discovered that `Abdullah ibn `Amr was ordering the women to undo their plaits of hair (for ghusl). She observed, "It is amazing that Ibn `Amr orders the woment to undo the plaits of hair for ghusl. Why doesn`t he just order them to shave their heads? I and the Messenger of Allah used to bathe from one vessel, and all I did was pour three handfuls of water over my head."

Also if this is true, does this mean than only if the hair were plaited up while having sex, that we need not undo them, or is it that the same applies to even if they were open or tied in some other form??

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Answer:

Plaited tied hiar 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.

Your Question: Is it required for women to wash their whole body including her hair while having ghusl after having sexual intercourse?

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 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 who believes is in a state of ceremonial or major impurity and wishes to purify themselves, it is absolutely obligatory that they conduct a ‘ghusl’ or the full bath of purification, whereby no part of their body remains dry, including their hair.

Your Question: ….I am asking this question because i read the following somewhere, but got no reference for the same...

Both the narrations quoted by you are considered absolutely authentic and are found in the ‘Book of Purification’ recorded in Sahih Muslim.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 643 Narrated by Umm Salamah

I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), I am a woman who has closely plaited hair on my head; should I undo it for taking a bath, because of sexual intercourse?’ He (the Prophet (saws)) said: ‘No, it is enough for you to throw three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over yourself, and you shall be purified.’

Sahih Muslim Hadith 646 Narrated by Aisha

It was conveyed to Aisha that Abdullah ibn Amr ordered the women to undo the (plaits) of hair on their heads. She said: ‘How strange it is for Ibn Amr that he orders the women to undo the plaits of their head while taking a bath; why does he not order them to shave their heads? I and the Messenger of Allah (saws) took bath from one vessel. I did no more than this that I poured three handfuls of water over my head.’

Your Question: Also if this is true, does this mean than only if the hair were plaited up while having sex, that we need not undo them, or is it that the same applies to even if they were open or tied in some other form??

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.248 Narrated by Aisha

Whenever the Prophet (saws) took a bath after Janaba (sexual intercourse) he started by washing his hands and then performed ablution like that for the prayer. After that he would put his fingers in water and move the roots of his hair with them, and then pour three handfuls of water over his head and then pour water all over his body.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 359 (part) Narrated byUmm Salamah

….. As regards the (ghusl of the) woman who had plaited hair - sometimes each of us had plaited hair - when she washed, she would not undo the hair. She would instead pour three handfuls of water upon her head. When she felt moisture in the roots of her hair, she would rub them. Then she would pour water upon her whole body.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 255 Narrated by Thawban

Shurayh ibn Ubayd said: ‘Jubayr ibn Nufayr gave me a verdict about the bath because of sexual defilement that Thawban reported to them that they asked the Prophet (saws) about it. He (the Prophet (saws)) replied: ‘As regards man, he should undo the hair of his head and wash it until the water should reach the roots of the hair. But there is no harm if the woman does not undo it (her hair) and pour three handfuls of water over her head.’

While performing the ‘ghusl’ for puficiation, if the believing woman has plaited her hair, or tied her hair in such a style or way which is difficult to untie, she need not untie or undo her hair but rather pour at least three handfuls of water over her hair, and when she feels the moisture in the roots of her hair, she should rub them with her fingers; and then bathe her full body….it would suffice for her 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