Posts

Should I renew my ritual bath after removing scabs

/in , , /by
Question:  Assalamu alaikum!Yesterday, I did ghusl and prayed around as soon as possible, but I noticed a very minute wound (dried, hardened blood clot) on my face the following day in the morning. I thought it might have prevented the water from reaching my skin, removed it, and washed underneath. But I didn’t repeat my ghusl. Was my ghusl still valid even though I noticed that wound the day after? Or should I have repeated my ghusl?

Answer: In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Assalam’aleykum, I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Jazakum Allah khayr for your question!

No, you don’t have to renew the washing of the skin places from which you have removed scabs. [ Ibn Abidin; Radd al-Muhtar]

This is because when an obligatory action has been performed in the past (in your case, the ritual bath), this duty is not incumbent on you anymore and thus cannot come back. [ Tahtawi; Hashiya on Maraqi al-Falah]

And Allah knows best.

May  Allah Most High grant you the best of this world and the next. Please keep us in your du’as!

Wassalam

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Is it Permitted To Wash the Body Only Once in the Ritual Bath? 

/in , /by
Question:
Is it permitted to wash the body only once in the ritual bath?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate,
Assalamu  ‘alaykum dear brother or sister in faith,
What is required in the ritual bath (ghusl) is to wash the entire body as well as the mouth and nose, along with orifices that are easily accessed (i.e. the outer genitalia, ear piercing, and inner navel) This is required only once, but it is sunnah to wash thrice. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
In wudu,’ however, washing of the mouth and nose is an emphasized sunna, and washing thrice is another sunna.
Please note, that while washing the required limbs in ghusl once is valid, it should not be made habitual.  Omitting emphasized sunnas without excuse is blameworthy, and consistent omission without excuse may be sinful. This is true for both wudu’ and ghusl.
Allah, Most High, knows best.
[Ustadha] Iman Badawi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Does a Wet Dream Necessitate the Ritual Bath for a Woman? 

/in , , /by
Question:
Does a wet dream necessitate the ritual bath for a woman?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate,
Assalamu ‘alaykum dear sister in faith,
What you have described was experienced by the best of women, the female companions of the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon them), and they asked the very same question.
So long as you do not see signs of sexual emission (mani) on your clothes, the ritual bath is not necessitated. Release of pre-sexual emission (madhi) would also not make the ritual bath obligatory. The same rulings that apply to men in this regard also apply to women. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah 86,87]
Umm Salama, the mother of the believers, narrated that Umm Sulaym, the wife of Abu Talha, (Allah be pleased with them) came to the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon them) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger,  Verily Allah is not shy of speaking the truth. Is it necessary for a woman to take a ritual bath after having a wet dream?”  The Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his folk) replied, “Yes, if she notices an emission.” [Bukhari, Book of Ritual Bathing]
Sleep well. One who fears Allah in this world will be free of fear in the next.
Allah, Most High, knows best.
 [Ustadha] Iman
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Was My Ghusl Valid When I Used a Cup for Pouring the Water?

/in , , , /by

Question:

Do I have to redo my ghusl if I used a cup to pour water?

Answer:

Assalamu alaykum,

Thank you for your question. The situation that you describe is perfectly sufficient for a valid ghusl. Pouring from a cup ensures that you do not waste water, and that is one of the sunnas of the ghusl which is difficult to follow these days. You should use also rub the water all over, as this is sunnah and serves to spread the water to every area.

The two integrals of the ritual bath in the Shafi’i school are a) the intention) and b) that water reaches all of the skin, hair, and nails. Please consider taking a course on personally obligatory fiqh of worship.

Take every measure to ignore baseless misgivings (waswasa). Allah wants your worship to be easy and not cumbersome. Once you take a course on the subject, the Devil will not have his way with you, and you will have the confidence that you need to proceed with ease. May Allah reward you for your sincerity and give you the best in this world and the next.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.

What Parts Of a Woman’s Body Need To Be Washed During Ghusl?

/in , , , /by

Question:  I had taken a course on menses. It came up that it is good for a woman, in the ghusl, to pull back the clitoris to wash that area.

1) For years I did not know this, the right thing would be to assume my past Ghusls were valid, yes?
2) I was taught to clean the area for smegma, but if dead white skin ever remains in the clitoris, my ghusl is still valid yes?
3) When I learned and the first time I cleaned the clitoris for dead skin it was a little stuck together, should I worry about my past Ghusls?

Answer: In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Assalam’aleykum, I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Jazakum Allah khayr for your question!

1-Only the external part of the vagina needs to be washed because it is akin to the mouth. As for the internal part of the vagina, it does not need to be washed because it is akin to the throat. In addition to this, a woman should not and does not need to put her fingers in her vagina to perform a valid ritual bath. [Ibn Abidin; Radd Al-Muhtar]

The external part of the vagina is defined as what can be seen from it when a woman is standing or sitting. As for the internal part, it can only be seen when a woman is reclining on something. [Ibn Abidin; Radd Al-Muhtar]

2-Dead skin, like any other type of dirt on the body or under the nails, does not prevent the validity of your washing because the origin of the dead skin is from the body. [Tahtawi; Maraqi Al-Falah’s gloss] This would include smegma. Thus you do not have to worry about past ghusls during which you did not fully remove this substance.

And Allah knows best.

I hope that the above answers your question. If something is unclear please do not hesitate to ask again.

May Allah Most High grant you the best of this world and the next. Please keep us in your du’as!

Wassalam

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

How Is the Washing Achieved During the Ritual Bath?

/in , , , , , /by

Question: Assalamualikum,
1. In regards to Ghusl, does water have to flow directly from the showerhead onto each part of the body naturally, or can one spread the water with hands to ensure all the body parts are encompassed with water?

2. Does one have to wash in between the buttocks for ghusl to be valid?

3. When washing the full body three times in Ghusl, does one have to wash the inside of navel, insides of ears, etc, three separate times also?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Assalam’aleykum, I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Jazakum Allah khayr for your question!

1. To achieve the washing of the body it is enough to use one’s hands to spread the water on the body because what is needed is for pure water to flow on the skin. [Lubab]

2. Yes one has to wash the area of the body between the buttocks at least one time for the ritual bath to be valid because all of the body need to be washed during a ritual bath. [Nur al-Idah]

3. To wash the body fully three times is from the sunna of the ritual bath. [Nur al-Idah]

We can mention that, when one is under a shower or using a tap, several washings are happening successively on the washed limb for each moment spent under this flowing water. To clarify we could say that letting one’s hand under the tap water for three seconds would amount to having washed this hand three times. [This understanding is based on Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s lessons on Hanafi Fiqh]

And Allah knows best.

I hope that the above answers your question. If something is unclear please do not hesitate to ask again.

May Allah Most High grant you the best of this world and the next. Please keep us in your du’as!

Wassalam

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Washing of Whole Mouth During Ghusl

/in , , , , /by

Question: Must I move my detached gums in the ritual bath (ghusl) in order for the water to reach underneath?

Answer: 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

You are not obliged to move your detached gums in the ritual bath (ghusl) in order for the water to reach underneath [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah].

Water Reaches

Even though you may assume that water does not reach underneath your gums – the basis is that it does. Water is naturally thin and permeating. Since this is the basis of understanding one would need reasonable surety to assume otherwise [Ibid.].

Due to this, you should ignore any assumptions that the water does not reach. Merely swish the water around your mouth and consider that integral complete.

Hope this helps.

Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences

Rulings on Vaginal Discharge

/in , , , , /by
Acquisition of the Clear Light
Question: Is it necessary to do ghusl after vaginal discharge? What are the rulings on vaginal discharge in the Hanafi School? 
Answer:
Assalāmu ‘alaykum Dear Sister in Faith,
The release of Leukorrhea, more commonly know as vaginal discharge, is a normal, healthy aspect of a women’s physiology. In fact, women who suffer from vaginal dryness know just how great of a blessing it is.
Leukorrhea can be white, yellow, or green. Discolored discharge that is accompanied by an odor, irritation, itching, pain, or inflammation is abnormal and is usually a sign of infection.
However, the regular whitish or yellowish discharge that a woman experiences on a daily basis is pure in accordance with the sounder view in the Hanafi School [Tahtawi, Hashiya on Maraqi al Falah].
It is not necessary to remove it from one’s clothing before prayer. Its release would not necessitate ghusl nor wudu.
[Ustadha] Iman Badawi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Facing the Qibla During a Ritual Bath

/in , , , , , /by

Signal Hill Kramat Cape Town

Question: What is the ruling of facing the Qibla during a ritual bath? What does one do if their bath area faces the Qibla?

Answer: 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When you go to relieve yourselves, do not face the Qibla nor turn your backs to it; rather face the east or the west.” Abu Ayyub (the narrator) said, ‘We later came to Syria and found its washrooms built in the direction of the Qibla so we turn away slightly and sought Allah’s forgiveness” [Bukhari].

The Ruling

It is prohibitively disliked to face or turn one’s back to the Qibla while one’s nakedness (awra) is exposed. If, however, one is bathing and their nakedness is covered it is allowed to face the Qibla; although it is still best to turn away from the Qibla slightly [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar].

If one’s bath or toilet faces the direction of the Qibla or if their back is directly facing the Qibla, it is recommended to slightly turn away and this will absolve them from the prohibition [Ibid].

Hope this helps.

Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

 

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences

Purification in Islam: A Comprehensive Reader

/in , /by

Purification is Half of Faith

SeekersGuidance Readers provide the seeker with a purposely curated list of articles, answers and other content on a particular topic. Proper purification of oneself is essential in performing prayer and one of the fundamentals elements to practice Islam.  One should also strive for spiritual purification. Al-Ghazali explains the ḥadith “Purification is half of faith,” and reminds readers that, for the earliest Muslims, inner purification was much more important than outer purification.

Questions and Answers on Purification

  1. Is Ghusl (Purification Bath) Required Before Prayer if I Drink Alcohol or Eat Pork?
  2. Purification & Prayer During Labor
  3. Are One’s Prayer and Purification Valid If You Have Tooth Fillings?
  4. What are the Rewards of Sleeping in a State of Ritual Purity?
  5. Are Acts of Worship Valid If Not Performed in a State of Purity?
  6. Household Cats & Rulings Related to Purity and Filth
  7. Dog Saliva, Dog Hair, and How to Purify Impurities
  8. Is It Problematic to Use Soap During the Ritual Bath?
  9. How Do I Wash My Clothes Properly to Ensure That Filth Doesn’t Spread?
  10. Can I Pray in a State of Ritual Impurity if There Is not enough Time To Perform the Ritual Bath?
  11. Does a Wet Mop Used on a Bathroom Floor Spread Filth?

Articles on Purification

  1. Forget Others, Begin Purifying Yourself First
  2. Bringing Barakah Into Your Wealth and Life
  3. Accepting Wealth from a Person Whose Wealth is Predominantly Unlawful
  4. Income From a Business Started With Haram Wealth
  5. True Wealth
  6. Cheating the Government Out of Welfare Money
  7. Blessed Is The Wealth That’s Given, and That Which Remains
  8. The Story of Abdul Razzaq and Abdul Ghani
  9. Justice as Sadaqa (Charity)
  10. Advice for Sufferers of Extreme Waswasa or OCD in Issues of Purification
  11. How to Handle Constant Waswasa in Acts of Purification and Worship
  12. How Spiritual Transformation Is Achieved
  13. How Can I Purify My Heart? A Reader
  14. Reflections on Purification of the Heart – Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil
  15. Finding God Through The Chains Of Pornography Addiction
  16. The Accessible Conspectus: Purification & Water by Mufti Musa Furber
  17. Video: Purification of the Heart – Hamza Yusuf
  18. Purification Issues: Washing Limbs & Used Water

Courses Relating to Purification

Islamic Studies Curriculum

Trained Scholars. Always free.

 

Videos on Purification