Ghusl
OCCASIONS FOR WHICH GHUSL IS PREFERRED
Ghusl is recommended in the following cases:
1. Before going to Juma'h (Friday congregational Prayer)
2. Before going to Eid Prayers (Muslim annual feast prayers).
3. Before undertaking Umrah or Hajj (Prilgrimage to Makkah).
4. Upon washing a corpse (According to many scholars, the performance of Ghusl is preferred for a person who washes a corpse)
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT OF GHUSL
Thee are two essential requirements which need to be fulfilled for Ghusl to be valid. These are as follows:
1. Intention to perform Ghusl is necessary because it is the dividing line between acts performed as a mere custom and deeds which are rewardable acts of worship. However, the intention is only by heart and need not be uttered.
2. The entire body should be washed. Water should reach and flow freely over every part of the body.
HOW GHUSL IS PERFORMED
Besides the above two essential requirements, there are also other voluntary acts recommended for ghusl. Both the essential and the voluntary acts are not integrated here below to demonstrate how the Prophet (PBUH) used to perform the Ghusl.
(a) Intend by heart to perform Ghusl.
(b) Wash both hands up to the writs for three times.
(c) Wash the sex organs properly.
(d) Perform Wudhu as usual (in the manner already discussed) except, that the washing of the feet would be delayed until later when all the rest of the body is bathed.
(e) Pour water over the head three times, massaging the hair to allow water to reach its roots.
(f) Pour water liberally over the entire body, beginning with the right side and then the left side ensuring that no part of the body is untouched by water such as the armpits, inside the earlobes, inside the navel, between the fingers and toes, etc.
(g) Finally, move a little further from where you were and wash your feet, beginning with your right foot and then, the left.
Notes:
1. A woman will perform Ghusl just as a man does, except, that if she has plaited hair, she need not undo it. She only needs to throw three handfuls of water over her head.
2. The person may after completing the Ghusl recite the supplication for concluding Ghusl which should be recited outside the toilet/bathroom and which is the same as the one recited after completing Wudhu.
ACTS FORBIDDEN TO PERSONS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM GHUSL
Persons requiring to perform Ghusl are forbidden to undertake certain acts. These are as follows:
1. Any type of prayer whether obligatory or voluntary.
2. Circumambulating the ka'abah (Tawaf)
3. Touching or carrying the Holy Qur'an. However, the prohiibition does not apply to other books which contain Qur'anic passages such as commentaries of the Holy Qur'an or works of Islamic jurisprudence.
4. Reciting the Holy Qur'an.
5. Staying inside the Mosque.
MENSTRUATION (HAIDH)
This refers to the periodical discharge of blood by women in the state of health and is easily distinguishable to women from post-childbirth bleeding.
POST CHILDBIRTH BLEEDING (NIFAS)
Such bleeding usually occurs to women after childbirth and may continue without fixed duration, although in some cases, there may not occur bleeding at all. However, on the strength of the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH), a woman experiencing post-childbirth bleeding has a maximum confinement period of about forty days (40 days) after which, she is required to make Ghusl and commence her Islamic duties. If, however, the blood does not cease after 40 days, most scholars are of the opinion that the woman should continue with her regular Islamic duties.
ACTS FORBIDDEN TO WOMEN EXPERIENCING MENSTRUATION AND POST CHILDBIRTH BLEEDING
1. All acts mentioned hereinbefore, as forbidden to persons requiring Ghusl are prohibited to women experiencing menstruation and post childbirth bleeding.
2. A woman cannot engage in a sexual intercourse.
The companions of the Prophet (PHBU), asked him about this and "Allah(SWT)" revealed the following Qur'anic verse:
"THEY ASK THEE CONCERNING WOMEN'S COURSES. SAY: THEY ARE A HURT AND A POLLUTION: SO KEEP AWAY FROM WOMEN AN THEIR COURSES, AND DO NOT APPROACH THEM UNTIL THEY ARE CLEAN.....
(Qur'an2:22)
However, all scholars are the opinion that a husband may touch any part of his wife's body above the navel and/or below the knees. This fact, is based on the confirmations of the Prophet's wives, that when the Prophet(PHBU) wished to be with them during their periods, they would put something over their private parts.
