''' ( ', ) is an Arabic term that means the full-body ritual purification which is mandatory before the performance of various Islamic activities and prayers. For any Muslim, it is performed after sexual intercourse (i.e. it is fardh), before Friday prayer and prayers for Islamic holidays, before entering the ihram in preparation for Hajj, after having lost consciousness, and after formally converting to Islam. Sunni Muslims also perform the ablution before Salat al-Tawba "Prayer of Repentance". Ghusl is often translated as "full ablution", as opposed to the "partial ablution" or wudu وضوء that Muslims perform after lesser impurities such as urination, defecation, flatulence, deep sleep, and light bleeding (depending on the madhhab). Ghusl is a ritual bath.

Types by purpose

Ghusl becomes obligatory for seven causes, and the ghusl for each of these different causes has different names: In some denominations, two further categories obligate ghusl: Ghusl also becomes obligatory following a vow or oath to perform it.

Water requirements

Similar to wudu, some water sources are permissible for use for ghusl whereas some water sources are not. Ghusl requires clean, odourless water that has not been used for a previous ritual and begins with the declaration of the intention of purity and worship. Permissible water sources include: Ghusl is not allowed with unclean or impure water or water extracted from fruit and trees.

The acts of ghusl

The Quranic mandate for ghusl comes in surah an-Nisa: "O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are in a state of drowsiness until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And 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 find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving." The phrase translated as 'intercourse' in this verse has been interpreted by Hanafi scholars to mean sexual contact, while Shafi'i scholars interpret it to mean both physical and sexual contact. Hence, the Hanafi school of thought does not require one to take wudu if there is non-sexual contact with a member of the opposite sex, while the Shafi'i school of thought does require wudu before salah and so on.

Farā'id of Ghusl (Hanafi Guidelines)

There are three farḍ (obligatory) acts. If one of these acts is omitted, it must be returned to and completed before the remaining acts.

Sunnah of Ghusl

An optional alternate method as demonstrated by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad: In Islam, ghusl requires the washing of the entire body. There are some differences in details between the Sunni and the Shia schools of thought.

Sunni school of thought

If, after ghusl, one recalls that a certain portion of the body is left dry, it is not necessary to repeat the ghusl, but merely wash the dry portion. It is not sufficient to pass a wet hand over the dry place. If one has forgotten to rinse the mouth or the nostrils, these too could be rinsed when recalled after Ghusl has been performed. Ghusl should be made in a place of total privacy. In another hadith, ibn Abbas stated that Maymunah bint al-Harith said that Muhammad was given a towel after ghusl, but he shook off the water instead of rubbing his body with it. In addition, ibn Abbas recorded the following hadith on the authority of his mother's sister:

Makruh things in the act of Ghusl

Things that are makruh in ghusl.

Shia school of thought

There are two methods of performing ghusl. One is known as ghusl tartibi, and the other is known as ghusl irtimasi.

Ghusl tartibih

"Ghusl tartibi" means an ordinal bath, performed in three stages. After washing away the najasat (e.g., semen or blood) from the body and after niyyat, the body has to be washed in three stages: head down to the neck; then the right side of the body from the shoulder down to the foot; then the left side of the body. Each part should be washed thoroughly in such a way that the water reaches the skin. Special care should be taken while washing the head; the hair should be combed (e.g., with your fingers) so that water reaches the hair-roots. While washing the right side of the body, some part of the left side must be washed too, and vice versa.

Ghusl irtimasi

"Ghusl irtimasi" means a bath involving immersion of the whole body in the water. It can only be done in a body of water, e.g., a pool, river, lake or sea. After washing away the semen or blood from the body and after niyyat, the whole body should be completely immersed in the water all at once, not gradually. One has to make sure that the water reaches all parts of the body, including hair and the skin under it. Ghusl tartibi is preferred over ghusl irtimasi.

Recommendable acts of ghusl

What has been mentioned above are the wajib acts of ghusl; there are things which are recommendable (mustahabb, sunnat) during the ghusl. These recommendable acts are five: