Saed News:A complete and comprehensive guide to obligatory baths (Ghusl) for women. In this article, get familiar with the different types of Ghusl (menstruation, postnatal bleeding, irregular bleeding, major impurity, and touching a dead body), how to perform them correctly in both sequential and contact .
According to the Religion and Faith Section of Saed News, in the noble religion of Islam, purity and cleanliness are essential prerequisites for performing many key acts of worship such as prayer (salat), fasting, and circumambulating the Kaaba (tawaf). Ghusl (ritual bathing) is one of the most important means of attaining both spiritual and physical purification, and it becomes obligatory upon Muslims in specific situations. For women, in addition to the types of ghusl shared with men, there are specific obligatory ghusls related to biological conditions and religious duties.
Linguistically, ghusl means “washing,” and in Islamic jurisprudence, it refers to the complete washing of the body in a specific manner and order, with the intention of seeking nearness to God (niyyah). All obligatory ghusls (except ghusl for a deceased person) can be performed in two main ways:
Sequential (Tartibi) Ghusl: After making the intention, first the head and neck are washed, then the right side of the body, followed by the left side. Care must be taken to ensure that no part remains dry.
Immersion (Irtimasi) Ghusl: After making the intention, the entire body is immersed in water at once so that water reaches every part (e.g., jumping into a pool).
The niyyah (intention) — i.e., the purpose of performing the ghusl in obedience to God's command — is the core pillar of the ritual and a condition for its validity. It does not need to be spoken out loud.
Obligatory ghusls for women fall into two categories: those shared with men, and those specific to women. This section explains in detail the specific ghusls, along with ghusl janabah which, although shared, has some particular rulings for women.
Hayd refers to the blood that a woman typically sees each month for a few days. After the period ends and complete cleanliness is achieved, ghusl becomes obligatory for performing acts of worship.
Time of Obligation: After the bleeding has fully stopped. The woman should check to confirm this (a process known as istibra’).
How to Perform: Like other ghusls, it is done sequentially or via immersion with the intention: “I perform ghusl hayd seeking closeness to Allah.”
Key Rulings:
During menstruation, acts such as prayer, fasting, staying in a mosque, and touching the Qur’an or God’s name are forbidden.
Many scholars believe that ghusl hayd does not suffice for wudu (ablution), so one must also perform wudu before prayer. (Refer to your own Marja’s rulings.)
Nifas refers to the blood discharged after childbirth (or miscarriage of a fetus that had developed a soul). This bleeding may last up to ten days.
Time of Obligation: After the bleeding stops, whether before or at the end of ten days.
How to Perform: Sequentially or via immersion with the intention: “I perform ghusl nifas seeking closeness to Allah.”
Key Rulings:
A woman experiencing nifas is subject to the same restrictions as one who is menstruating.
If bleeding continues past ten days, the number of days equivalent to the woman’s usual menstruation is considered nifas; the rest is istihaza (irregular bleeding).
Like ghusl hayd, there are differing opinions among scholars about whether wudu is also required.
Any blood that is not hayd, nifas, or from a wound/ulcer, which exits from the uterus, is considered istihaza. It is usually yellowish, cold, and not forcefully discharged. Istihaza has three categories, each with specific rulings:
Light (Qalilah): Blood only stains the cotton placed in the vaginal passage without soaking through.
Ruling: Wudu is required before each prayer, and the cotton should be changed or purified (as a precaution). Ghusl is not obligatory.
Medium (Mutawassitah): Blood penetrates the cotton but doesn’t reach the pad or clothing.
Ruling: One ghusl per day is required (as a precaution, before Fajr prayer). Wudu must be performed before other prayers.
Heavy (Kathirah): Blood penetrates the cotton and reaches the pad or clothing.
Ruling: One separate ghusl is obligatory for each prayer set (Dhuhr–Asr together, Maghrib–Isha together, and Fajr alone), totaling three per day. Some scholars allow combining two prayers with a single ghusl.
How to Perform: With the intention: “I perform ghusl istihaza seeking closeness to Allah,” using either method.
Janabah occurs after sexual intercourse or ejaculation (whether awake or asleep) for both men and women.
Time of Obligation: Immediately after janabah to perform obligatory acts of worship.
How to Perform: With the intention: “I perform ghusl janabah seeking closeness to Allah,” either sequentially or via immersion.
Key Rulings for Women:
If a woman performs ghusl right after intercourse, and later discharges a fluid that she cannot identify as semen or not — and she had not urinated beforehand — that discharge is treated as semen and another ghusl is required.
According to all scholars, ghusl janabah suffices for wudu; performing wudu afterward is unnecessary.
If someone touches the dead body of a human (which has gone cold and hasn’t been ritually washed), ghusl mass-e mayyit becomes obligatory.
Time of Obligation: After such contact.
How to Perform: With the intention: “I perform ghusl mass-e mayyit seeking closeness to Allah,” using either method.
Key Rulings:
This ghusl is required for acts of worship, but it does not prohibit entering a mosque or marital intimacy.
There is a scholarly difference regarding whether this ghusl suffices for wudu. (For instance, Ayatollah Sistani considers it sufficient, but many others do not.)
Understanding the rulings of purification, especially obligatory ghusls, is essential for every Muslim woman to confidently fulfill her religious duties. This article aimed to provide a clear and accessible guide based on Islamic jurisprudential sources. Nevertheless, it is always recommended to consult the Risalah (practical treatise) of your own religious authority (Marja) for more specific and detailed rulings.
