Does Ghusl Remain Valid If Sunna Steps Are Missed?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
Regarding the sunna acts of ghusl, must one be fully clothed during wudu, do the sunna steps need to be followed in order, is it permissible to wash the feet after wudu instead of at the end of ghusl, must water be poured using the hand each time, and is ghusl still valid if a sunna act is omitted but the fard requirements are fulfilled?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
Washing Feet
Yes, there is leeway in the matter. If you prefer to wash your feet right after wudu, it won’t impact the validity of your Ghusl. [Maydani, al-Lubab]
Pouring Water
You don’t have to necessarily use your hands as a tool to pour water for the validity of your wudu or ghusl. Putting your limbs under the tap or even rain will be enough to perform a valid purification. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi Al-Falah]
Obligatory Components
Yes, the ritual bath (ghusl) will be valid as long as all of its obligatory components have been performed, even if all the sunna actions have been omitted. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
If someone falls into a river in a state of major ritual impurity (janaba), he will get out of it ritually pure.
Allah (Most High) says:
“Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you.” [Quran, 2:185]
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching for ways to learn Islam reliably and was disappointed at the answers he found locally.
Then, he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.
He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.
He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
