In continuation about Ghusl, the obligatory bath, it is required that Muslim women take a bath after the following occurrences:
3. Menstruation or Nifas (Childbed)
A Muslim woman should bathe after menstruation or childbed. As mentioned in the following hadith,
‘A’isha (RA) reported: A woman asked the Apostle of Allah (SAW) how she should wash herself after the menstrual period. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Take a cotton with musk and purity yourself, and the rest of the hadith was narrated like that of Sufyan. (Hadith narrated by Muslim :: Book 3 : Hadith 648).
And additional situations when Muslims, male or female, must perform ghusl are:
4. Death
When a Muslim dies, then the other is obliged to bathe him/her. Muslims and Muslimahs who have finished bathing the corpse, as exemplified by the Prophet (SAW), should shower as well.
5. Converting to Islam
When someone converts to Islam, then he/she shall take a bath and pray two rak’ah.
How to bathe according to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
According to the following hadits, Rasulullah (SAW) performed ghusl by the subsequent ways:
Narrated from Aisha (RA) said, “the Prophet (SAW) started his junub bath with washed his hands and then he poured water on his right hand to left hand to wash the genital and then he made ablution, then he took some water and rubbed base of the hair using his fingers, then he poured water on the head three times and then watered the entire body then washed his feet. (Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and lafazh stated in Sahih Muslim).
Al-Bukhari and Muslim also narrated the hadith of Maimunah which read:
“Then he poured the pubic and washed it with his left hand, then rubbed the hands on the ground.”
In another narration:
“Then he rubbed his hand on the ground.” By the end of this hadith stated: “Then I handed a towel to him but he refused.”
In the history it is also said:
“Then he dried up water that was on the body by using his hands.”
As for women, the ghusl bath is exactly like it is for men i.e. by spraying water throughout the body, but when taking a bath after menstruation or postpartum (nifas), we should clean the blood and deodorize it, with the intention to purify ourselves. It is stated in the hadiths:
Umm Salama reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, 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 Holy Prophet) 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. (Hadith narrated by Muslim :: Book 3 : Hadith 643)
Ibn ‘Abbas reported it on the authority of Maimuna, his mother’s sister, that she said: I placed water near the Messenger of Allah (SAW) to take a bath because of sexual intercourse. He washed the palms of his bands twice or thrice and then put his hand in the basin and poured water over his private parts and washed them with his left hand. He then struck his hand against the earth and rubbed it with force and then performed ablution for the prayer and then poured three handfuls of water on his head and then washed his whole body after which he moved aside from that place and washed his feet, and then I brought a towel (so that he may wipe his body) but he returned it. (Hadith narrated by Muslim :: Book 3 : Hadith 620).
What Rasulullah (SAW) did after having sexual intercourse
‘Abdullah b. Abu’l-Qais reported: I asked ‘A’isha about the Witr (prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and made mention of a hadith, then I said: What did he do after having sexual intercourse? Did he take a bath before going to sleep or did he sleep before taking a bath? She said: He did all these. Some- times he took a bath and then slept, and sometimes he performed ablution only and went to sleep. I (the narrator) said: Praise be to Allah Who has made things easy (for human beings). (Hadith narrated by Muslim :: Book 3 : Hadith 603).
Wallahu A’lam
References:
Fiqhul Mar’ah Al-Muslimah by Ibrahim Muhammad Al-Jamal
Sharah Bulughul Maram by Imam Ibn Hajar al’Asqolaany
