Jamiatul Ulama KZN Council of Muslim Theologians
A:
1. If semen is discharged out of passion while one is awake or asleep, ghusl becomes wajib irrespective of whether it is discharged by touching a person of the opposite sex, or by having any such thoughts or fantasies, or by any other way -in all cases, ghusl will be wajib.
2. If one awakens and sees semen on his clothing or body, ghusl will be wajib irrespective of whether one sees a dream or not.
Note: At the time of excitement, in the beginning a particular fluid which increases the excitement, comes out. This fluid is called mazi (pre-coital fluid). When climax is reached and one is satiated, the liquid which comes out at that time is called mani (semen). That which distinguishes the two is that when semen comes out, one becomes satisfied and his passion is cooled, while the coming out of mazi does not decrease the excitement but increases it. Furthermore, mazi is thin while semen is thick. The discharge of mazi does not make ghusl obligatory; however, wudu breaks.
3. When the glans of the penis enters the vagina and is not visible, ghusl becomes wajib irrespective of whether semen was discharged or not. The insertion of the penis in the front makes ghusl obligatory irrespective of whether semen is discharged or not. If it is inserted in the anus, then too ghusl will be obligatory. However, it is a major sin to insert or ask someone to insert the penis into the anus.
4. That blood which is discharged monthly is called haid (menstruation, or monthly period). When this blood stops flowing, ghusl becomes obligatory. That blood which is discharged after child-birth is called nifaas. Ghusl also becomes obligatory when this blood stops flowing. In short, ghusl becomes obligatory in four conditions:
(1) Discharge of semen out of excitement.
(2) Entry of the glans of the penis into the vagina (or anus).
(3) At the end of menstruation.
(4) At the end of nifaas.
6. While sleeping, one has a wet dream and even experiences some excitement. However on awakening, one notices that no semen was discharged. Ghusl will therefore not be obligatory. However, if semen was discharged, ghusl will be obligatory. If there is any wetness on the clothing or body, but one is in doubt as to whether it is mazi or semen, then too it will be obligatory to make ghusl.
7. A little semen comes out and one therefore had a bath. After bathing, more semen comes out. It will be obligatory to bath again. If after bathing, the husband’s semen comes out of the wife’s vagina, the ghusl will be complete and it will not be necessary to repeat it.
8. If, due to some sickness, or some other reason, semen comes out of its own accord, and there was no excitement or desire, then ghusl will not be obligatory, but wudu will break.
9. The husband and wife were sleeping on one bed. When they awoke, they saw stains of semen on the bed-sheet. However, neither the husband nor the wife remember seeing any dream. As a precaution, both of them should have a bath because it is not known as to whose semen it is.
10. If any non-Muslim accepts Islam, it is mustahab for him to have a bath.
11. If someone gives ghusl to a dead person, it is mustahab for that person to have a bath.
12. If one upon whom ghusl is obligatory, wishes to eat or drink something before going for a bath, he should first wash his hands, face and gargle his mouth. Thereafter he should eat and drink. But if he eats or drinks without washing his hands and face, there is no sin in this.
13. It is not permissible for the one on whom ghusl is obligatory, to touch the Quran, read it or to enter a musjid. However, it is permissible to take the name of Allah, to read the kalimah or to read durood shareef (salutations upon Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Rules similar to these will Insha Allah be explained in detail in the chapter on menstruation.
14. To touch the books of tafsir (commentaries of the Quran) without bathing or without wudu, is makruh. To touch a Quran with its translation is haraam.(Note: this prohibition is in regard to the one upon whom ghusl is obligatory).
Bahishti Zewar
Semen Discharge after Bath
Q: After doing Ghusl (bath) from intercourse, the husband’s sperm still emerges from the wife’s vagina and continues to come out for days. Can the wife say her prayers? What should the wife do, should she wait and perform Ghusl after 5 days? Is she still impure during those 3 to 5 days?
A: She will make Ghusl after intercourse and say her prayers. If anything emerges thereafter, she will wash the area and remove the soiled clothing, make Wudhu and perform Salaah. She will not repeat the Ghusl.
If semen leaks out from the wife’s vagina after she had sexual relations with the husband and had made Ghusl, and she is certain that it is the husband’s semen then she does not need to make Ghusl again. If after sexual intercourse the wife had slept or passed urine or walked for about 40 paces, and upon finishing her bath she noticed her own semen leaking out, then too, she does not need to make Ghusl over again. In both cases she must simply wash her private part and make a fresh Wudhu.
Question:
Are you allowed to perform Ghusl straight away after having sexual intercourse with ones wife? I have read that if after having performed a farz Ghusl (As a result of intercourse) Semen happens to come out Ghusl will have to be repeated.
Do you have to wait for some time to allow any remaining semen to come out before you perform Ghusal? I myself always urinate before going for a Ghusal. How would one know that semen has come out anyway?
ANSWER
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
It is permissible to take a ritual purity bath (ghusl) straight after having sexual intercourse; rather one should not delay taking it. To delay taking a bath to the extent that one misses his/her prayer will be sinful.
As for the exiting of semen (mani) after completing the bath is concerned, one should first remember that, exiting of semen only necessitates a ritual purity bath (ghusl) if it is accompanied by sexual gratification and enjoyment (shahwa).
It is stated in the famous Hanafi Fiqh book, al-Hidaya:
“From among the things that necessitate a ritual purity bath (ghusl) is the exiting of semen with force (dafq) and sexual enjoyment (shahwa), from a man or a woman, whilst awake or sleeping…..Then, according to Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Muhammad (Allah have mercy on them both), sexual gratification and enjoyment is considered at the time of the semen leaving its original place of storage, whilst according to Imam Abu Yusuf (Allah have mercy on him), its exiting from the private parts with gratification is also necessary.”(al-Hidaya, 1/31)
The meaning of the above text is that, according to Imam Abu Hanifa and his student Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani (Allah have mercy on them both), if semen exits from its original place (which is the spinal column) with sexual gratification and desire (shahwa), then a ritual purity bath becomes necessary. Shahwa is not a condition or a requirement at the time of the semen exiting the private parts (penis) in order for a bath to become necessary.
However, according to the other student of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Abu Yusuf (Allah have mercy on him), If semen exits from the private parts without sexual gratification (shahwa), then Ghusl will not be necessary.
For example, when close to ejaculation, one blocked the tip of the penis, or held on to his penis, thus prevented the semen exiting, and then after the disappearing of his sexual passion and desire (shahwa), he released the semen. In this case, According to Imam Abu Yusuf, a bath will not be necessary, for at the time of the semen exiting his penis, he had no Shahwa. However, according to Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Muhammad, a bath will be necessary, for Shahwa was found when the semen left its original place of storage.
The preferred opinion and the Fatwa position is that of Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Muhammad (Allah have mercy on them both). Therefore, Shahwa at the time of the semen exiting the private parts is not a condition for a ritual purity bath becoming necessary.
Having understood the above, it becomes clear that any left over semen that exits after taking the bath will oblige one to repeat the bath, for Shahwa is not required at the time of the semen exiting the penis.
However, if semen exited after urinating or sleeping, then it will not be necessary to repeat the bath, for sleeping and urinating clears the passageway. Thus, any semen to exit thereafter will not be attributed to the initial gratification and desire (shahwa), and the current drops of semen will be considered to have exited (from its original place of storage) without sexual desire and passion. (See: al-Lubab fi sharh al-Kitab, 1/40 & Radd al-Muhtar)
In conclusion, if the drops of semen exited before urinating or sleeping, then one will have to repeat the ritual purity bath (ghusl). However, if they exit after urinating or sleeping, then one will not have to repeat the bath. Thus, it is always advisable that one urinates before taking the bath, for urinating cleans the passageway. Thereafter, if something was to exit, only a ritual ablution (wudu) will be needed.
And Allah Knows Best
[Mufti] Muhammad ibn AdamDarul Iftaa
Leicester , UK
Q: I ask maaf for the nature of the question but I would like to know on behalf of myself and a few sisters:
Will the following activities make ghusl (bath) farz (compulsory):
1) Climaxing or achieving orgasm with no sexual penetration i.e. simply by fondling of the sexual organs?
2) No orgasm or climax attained but wetness of the private parts occurs due to sexual stimulation of the private parts?
3) Thoughts which result in wetness of the private parts
4) In a male it is quite clear what ejaculation means. In a female how does one know if ejaculation has occurred as I believe female ejaculation also renders ghusl farz.
A:
1. Climaxing or orgasm will render Ghusl Fardh, even without penetration.
2. Wetness will not render Ghusl fardh.
3. Thoughts will not render Ghusl fardh although wetness has occurred.
4. Orgasm will be a sign and Ghusl will be Fardh. Sometimes orgasm takes place but there is no emergence of any fluid. In this case too, precaution demands that Ghusl be made.
Allah Ta’aala knows best.
Moulana Yusuf Laher
