Fatwa ID: 09389
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Do you need to restart ghusl if vaginal discharge is released during it, specifically the normal daily discharge that women commonly experience? This discharge is not menstrual blood, sexual fluid, or post-partum bleeding.
For example, if a woman has already washed her hair and the right side of her body, and then this regular discharge occurs, does she need to restart the ghusl, or can she continue and complete it by washing the remaining parts, such as the left side of the body?
Does the same ruling apply if, during ghusl, a woman experiences slight bleeding (for example, from a small cut on the hand) or passes wind?
Is ghusl considered invalid if a small amount of dirt remains in the belly button and is difficult to remove?
What should a woman do if it is difficult to remove smegma – which is a white substance made up from dead skin cells, sweat and naturally occuring oil from body, from underneath the clitoral hood, particularly from the crevices around the clitoris, even after making a reasonable effort and using an object to clean the area? In such a case, is the ghusl still valid?
Should a foreign object be used to remove dirt that is difficult to reach, whether the substance is natural or otherwise? How much effort is a person required to make in removing such dirt for the ghusl to be considered valid?
What should a person do if, after making a reasonable effort to clean an area, some dirt still remains and cannot be removed? Does this affect the validity of the ghusl?
What constitutes effort? Is simply rubbing water on your body with your hand sufficient or is more required?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
I believe you are confusing the invalidators of wudhu with the invalidators of ghusl. Ghusl is only fardh when an individual enters a state of major ritual impurity, such as after intercourse, haidh (menstruation) or nifās (postpartum bleeding). Rinsing the inside of the nose, gargling the mouth and washing the entire body once are the fardh acts of ghusl. Once these areas have been cleansed, you would not be required to perform the entire ghusl again. One should keep in mind that passing wind, flowing blood or discharge during ghusl would only break the wudhu made during ghusl, not the ghusl itself.[1]
“And We burden no soul except [within] its capacity, and with Us is a record which speaks with truth; and they will not be wronged.” Surah al-Mu’minoon (23:62) [2]
A person is not required to use anything other than water when cleaning oneself, and neither are they expected to exert themselves to the degree of causing themself a lot of difficulty or to the point where they cause themselves any harm when cleaning themselves. Washing the navel can be done by simply rubbing it a few times with wet fingers, and when it comes to cleaning the female private parts, one is only required to clean the external part (farj al-kharij) with the flat surface/palm of the finger gently, without inserting the finger or any other object. In Hanafi fiqh, istinjāʾ is only required for what exits and is visible; it is not required to insert a finger inside the body or the private parts. So long as the discharge or impurities do not exit past the farj al-kharij it would not break your wudhu nor require cleaning. If a person is suffering from excessive doubts when cleaning themselves, they should restrict themselves to wiping the part three times.[3]
“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janābah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allāh does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.” Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:6) [4]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْهَا فَرِيضَةٌ وَهِيَ الْغُسْلُ مِنْ الْجَنَابَةِ وَالْحَيْضِ وَالنِّفَاسِ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.16, Dār Al-Fiqr)
الْبَابُ الثَّانِي فِي الْغُسْلِ) (وَفِيهِ ثَلَاثَةُ فُصُولٍ) (الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي فَرَائِضِهِ) وَهِيَ ثَلَاثَةٌ: الْمَضْمَضَةُ، وَالِاسْتِنْشَاقُ، وَغَسْلُ جَمِيعِ الْبَدَنِ عَلَى مَا فِي الْمُتُونِ. وَحَدُّ الْمَضْمَضَةِ وَالِاسْتِنْشَاقِ كَمَا مَرَّ فِي الْوُضُوءِ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.13, Dār Al-Fiqr)
قَوْلُهُ: فَلَا يُسَنُّ مِنْ رِيحٍ) لِأَنَّ عَيْنَهَا طَاهِرَةٌ، وَإِنَّمَا نَقَضَتْ لِانْبِعَاثِهَا عَنْ مَوْضِعِ النَّجَاسَةِ اهـ ح؛ وَلِأَنَّ بِخُرُوجِ الرِّيحِ لَا يَكُونُ عَلَى السَّبِيلِ شَيْءٌ فَلَا يُسَنُّ مِنْهُ بَلْ هُوَ بِدْعَةٌ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.335, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَمِنْهَا) مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ غَيْرِ السَّبِيلَيْنِ وَيَسِيلُ إلَى مَا يَظْهَرُ مِنْ الدَّمِ وَالْقَيْحِ وَالصَّدِيدِ وَالْمَاءِ لِعِلَّةٍ وَحَدُّ السَّيَلَانِ أَنْ يَعْلُوَ فَيَنْحَدِرَ عَنْ رَأْسِ الْجُرْحِ. كَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ وَهُوَ الْأَصَحُّ. كَذَا فِي النَّهْرِ الْفَائِقِ. الدَّمُ إذَا عَلَا عَلَى رَأْسِ الْجُرْحِ لَا يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ وَإِنْ أَخَذَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ رَأْسِ الْجُرْحِ. كَذَا فِي الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ وَالْفَتْوَى عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يُنْقَضُ وُضُوءُهُ فِي جِنْسِ هَذِهِ الْمَسَائِلِ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.10, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[2]
وَلَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۖ وَلَدَيْنَا كِتَابٌ يَنطِقُ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
Qur’an (23:62)
[3]
… وَيَجِبُ تَحْرِيكُ الْقُرْطِ وَالْخَاتَمِ الضَّيِّقَيْنِ، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قُرْطٌ فَدَخَلَ الْمَاءُ الثُّقْبَ عِنْدَ مُرُورِهِ أَجْزَأَهُ كَالسُّرَّةِ، وَإِلَّا أَدْخَلَهُ كَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ وَلَا يَتَكَلَّفُ فِي إدْخَالِ شَيْءٍ سِوَى الْمَاءِ مِنْ خَشَبٍ وَنَحْوِهِ كَذَا فِي شَرْحِ الْوِقَايَةِ…
Al-Bahr Al-Rāiq (Vol.1, pg.49, Dār Al-Kitab Al-Islami)
قَوْلُهُ: وَثَقْبٍ انْضَمَّ) قَالَ فِي شَرْحِ الْمُنْيَةِ: وَإِنْ انْضَمَّ الثُّقْبُ بَعْدَ نَزْعِ الْقُرْطِ وَصَارَ بِحَالٍ إنْ مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءُ يَدْخُلُهُ وَإِنْ غَفَلَ لَا فَلَا بُدَّ مِنْ إمْرَارِهِ وَلَا يَتَكَلَّفُ لِغَيْرِ الْإِمْرَارِ مِنْ إدْخَالِ عُودٍ وَنَحْوِهِ فَإِنَّ الْحَرَجَ مَدْفُوعٌ. اهـ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.152, Dār Al-Fiqr)
(الِاسْتِنْجَاءُ عَلَى خَمْسَةِ أَوْجُهٍ)…
وَالثَّانِي إذَا تَجَاوَزَتْ مَخْرَجَهَا يَجِبُ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – قَلَّ أَوْ كَثُرَ وَهُوَ الْأَحْوَطُ وَعِنْدَهُمَا يَجِبُ إذَا تَجَاوَزَ قَدْرَ الدِّرْهَمِ؛ لِأَنَّ مَا عَلَى الْمَخْرَجِ سَقَطَ اعْتِبَارُهُ لِجَوَازِ الِاسْتِجْمَارِ فِيهِ فَيَبْقَى الْمُعْتَبَرُ مَا وَرَاءَهُ
وَالثَّالِثُ سُنَّةٌ وَهُوَ إذَا لَمْ تَتَجَاوَزْ النَّجَاسَةُ مَخْرَجَهَا…
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.50, Dār Al-Fiqr)
مُقْتَضَى اقْتِصَارِهِمْ عَلَى الْمَخْرَجِ أَيْ: وَمَا حَوْلَهُ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ الشَّرْجِ كَمَا قَدَّمْنَاهُ آنِفًا عَنْ الْمُجْتَبَى أَنَّهُ يَجِبُ غَسْلُ الْمُجَاوِزِ لِذَلِكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُجَاوِزْ الْغَائِطُ الصَّفْحَةَ وَهِيَ مَا يَنْضَمُّ مِنْ الْأَلْيَتَيْنِ عِنْدَ الْقِيَامِ وَالْبَوْلُ الْحَشَفَةَ خِلَافًا لِلشَّافِعِيَّةِ حَيْثُ اكْتَفَوْا بِالْحَجَرِ إنْ لَمْ يُجَاوِزْ ذَلِكَ. (قَوْلُهُ: وَيُعْتَبَرُ إلَخْ) أَيْ: خِلَافًا لِمُحَمَّدٍ
وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ مَا جَاوَزَ الْمَخْرَجَ إنْ زَادَ عَلَى الدِّرْهَمِ فِي نَفْسِهِ يُفْتَرَضُ غَسْلُهُ اتِّفَاقًا، وَإِنْ زَادَ بِضَمِّ مَا عَلَى الْمَخْرَجِ إلَيْهِ لَا يُفْرَضُ عِنْدَهُمَا بِنَاءً عَلَى أَنَّ مَا عَلَى الْمَخْرَجِ فِي حُكْمِ الْبَاطِنِ عِنْدَهُمَا فَيَسْقُطُ اعْتِبَارُهُ مُطْلَقًا حَتَّى لَا يُضَمَّ إلَى مَا عَلَى بَدَنِهِ مِنْ النَّجَسِ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.339, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَيَجِبُ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ غَسْلُ فَرْجِهَا الْخَارِجِ فِي الْجَنَابَةِ وَالْحَيْضِ وَالنِّفَاسِ وَيُسَنُّ فِي الْوُضُوءِ. كَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ وَفِي الْفَتَاوَى الْغِيَاثِيَّةِ وَلَا تُدْخِلُ الْمَرْأَةُ أُصْبُعَهَا فِي فَرْجِهَا عِنْدَ الْغُسْلِ وَهُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ كَذَا فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.14, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَلَا يُسْتَعْمَلُ فِي الِاسْتِنْجَاءِ إلَّا أَكْثَرُ مِنْ ثَلَاثِ أَصَابِعَ وَيَسْتَنْجِي بِعَرْضِ الْأَصَابِعِ لَا بِرُءُوسِهَا. كَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ وَيَصُبُّ الْمَاءَ بِالرِّفْقِ وَلَا يَضْرِبُ بِالْعُنْفِ. كَذَا فِي الْمُضْمَرَاتِ وَيُدَلِّكُ بِرِفْقٍ وَقَالَ عَامَّةُ الْمَشَايِخِ يَكْفِيهِ الْغُسْلُ بِكَفِّهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ أُصْبُعَهُ وَقَالَ عَامَّتُهُمْ: تَجْلِسُ الْمَرْأَةُ مُنْفَرِجَةً وَتَغْسِلُ مَا ظَهَرَ بِكَفِّهَا وَلَا تُدْخِلُ أُصْبُعَهَا…
…فَيَغْسِلُ حَتَّى يَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبُهُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ طَهُرَ بِيَقِينٍ أَوْ غَلَبَهُ ظَنٌّ وَيُبَالِغُ فِيهِ إلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ صَائِمًا وَلَا يُقَدَّرُ بِالْعَدَدِ إلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مُوَسْوِسًا فَيُقَدَّرُ فِي حَقِّهِ بِالثَّلَاثِ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.49, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[4]
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Qur’an (5:6)