Fatwa ID: 05910

 

Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

 

Question:

 

If I completely forget that I even needed to do a compulsory ghusl for impurity and then another time I do another compulsory ghusl for another impurity, with the intention of cleansing myself of that impurity, will it not be valid because I forgot about the other impurity, and only had the intention for the impurity I remember. Will I always remain in a state of impurity because of impurities I might have forgotten about in the past?

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

Ghusl is compulsory in the following situations:

الغسل المفروض فثلاثة : الغسل من الجنابة ، و الحيض ، و النّفاس

“The obligatory Ghusl is three: Ghusl from Janaabah (sexual impurity), menstruation, and postpartum bleeding” (Badai Al Sanai, Vol 1, Pg 141)

 

 

The Faraaidh (obligatory acts) of Ghusl must be done in these situations for the Ghusl to be valid.

و هي ثلاثة المضمضة و الاستنشاق و غسل جميع البدن

“And they are 3: gargling, passing water in the nose, and washing the whole body” (Fatawa Hindiya, Vol 1, Pg 16)

 

Making an intention is not a Fardh of Ghusl. Therefore, an intention is not required for the Ghusl to be valid. As such, if you do not do the compulsory actions in your first Ghusl but you do them for the second Ghusl, then it will be valid for both situations.

 

It is written in the text of Durrul Mukhtar that

نسي المضمضة أو جزء من بدنه فصلي ثم تذكر فلو نفلا لم يعد لعدم صحة شروعه

“If a person forgets to gargle or wash a part of their body and they pray then remember if they had prayed a Nafl Salaah, they do not need to repeat it as beginning the Salaah was invalid.” (Raddul Mukhtar, Vol 1, Pg 289)

 

Ibn Abidin expands that Fardh prayers will need to be repeated.

و سكت عن الفرض لظهور أنه يلزمه الإتيان به مطلقا

“And he (Imam Haskafi) remained silent about the Fardh because it is apparent that he must do it.” (Raddul Mukhtar, Vol 1, Pg 289)

 

If any (compulsory) prayer or fast was performed after the first Ghusl (if it was a Fardh Ghusl and a Fardh action was missed), then the prayer or fast will need to be repeated as it was invalid.

 

 

Regarding your question:

 

No, you will not always remain in a state of impurity because of impurities you might have forgotten about in the past. As soon as that area is washed, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the impurity will be removed.

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham