Fatwa ID: 05382

Answered by: Mufti Maruf Ahmed

Question

Asalamualaikum. Hazrat, when doing ghusl, is it necessary to sniff water up to the bone in order for it to be valid? I don’t deal with the feeling all too well, and I sniff gently so a tiny bit of water just enters the nose, and then use my left finger to thoroughly the inside of the nostril, as I do when performing wudhu. Is this sufficient?

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

Answer

There are three Fard acts of ghusl; (1) Rinsing the mouth (madmadmah) (2) Passing water through nostrils (istinshaq) (3) Washing the entire body

The definition of istinshaq is, as explained by Ibn Abideen (rahimahullah) is for water to reach the soft bone of the nose. [1]

Therefore, it is sufficient to pass water to the soft bone. You may use wet fingers to clean the nostrils, as you would with wudu. [2]

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Mufti Maruf Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtar: vol. 1, pg. 116, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut

[2] Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah: vol. 1, pg, 12, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut