Chirag-e-Deen-e-Nabavi -- Bath

Rules Relating to Bath (Gusl)
Farz | Wajib | Sunnah | Mustahab (Desirable) | Niyat-e-Gusl Ehtlam

Allah says :-

(P6-R6) If you are in a state of impurity, purify yourself.

Hadith Shareef :-

Hzt, Nabi Kareem Sal'am said that cleanliness is half the faith.

Hzt. Abu Huraira Raz. narrated that Hzt. Nabi Kareem Sal'am said God has a right on every muslim, and it is that every muslim take bath at least once a week and washes his head and the whole body. (Saheeh Muslim)

Gusl (Bath) means to take bath i.e. to wash all the parts of the body. It also means to remove impurity from the body. (Ghayatul Autar)

There are four kinds of Gusl (baths).
1. Farz (Obligatory)
2. Wajib (Essential)
3. Sunnah (Act of Prophet Sal'am)
4. Mustahab (Desirable)

Taking Gusl (Bath) is Farz (Obligatory)
in the following conditions

1. Discharge of semen with force and with pleasure.
2. Wet dream occurs, i.e. Semen coming out in the dream and the spots of semen either wet
    or dry are found on clothes or bed sheet. In case of copulation in the dream, getting sexual
    pleasure and also remembering it, but after waking up if no signs of semen are found on the
    body, the clothes or the bed sheet, then taking bath is not Farz (obligatory). The same rule
    applies to a woman also. (Alamgiri & Ghayatul Autar)
3. If the front part of the penis enters and disappears in vagina or anus, taking bath is Farz
    (Obligatory) on both the partners, although there may be no discharge of semen.
4. After menses or post delivery bleeding. (Noorul Hadaya)
5. If semen is discharged with errection while passing urine otherwise not. (Alamgiri)

The Obligations (FARZ) In Gusl (Taking Bath)

The obligatory acts in Gusl are three in number without performing any one of which the Gusl is unaccomplished. They are:

I. To wash the mouth throughly by Gargling.
2. To clean the nostrils thoroughly. (Till the dry parts inside the nostrils get wet).
3. To wash all the parts of body once by pouring water from top to bottom. (Noorul Hadaya,
Ghayatul Autar)
4. For women cleaning of the vagina is also obligatory.

Taking Gusal (Bath) Is Essential (Wajib)
in the following conditions

1. When there is dirt or pollution all over the body or on a part of the body and the polluted place is not known.

2. When an infidel accepts Islam in polluted condition i.e. after copulation, menses period or puerperal haemorrhage (post delivery bleeding) although they do so after the bleeding is stopped.

3. Giving bath to a dead body is also essential. (Wajib)

4. Some one feels nocturnal pollution (Pollution due to wet dream) but finds no signs of semen any where and made ablution and offered Namaz (Prayer), and afterwards notices semen (on clothes or body), then taking bath is Essential (Wajib) but no repetition of Namaz (prayers) is required. (Alamgiri)

5. A woman took bath after copulation and offered her Namaz (prayer). After this semen of her husband comes out from her secret part, then she requires neither bath nor repetition of Namaz (prayer). (Durra Mukhtar)

Taking Bath (Gusl) Is Sunnah (Traditional)
in the following conditions

For Friday Namaz (prayer), for Eid Namaz, for wearing AHRAM (The cloth to be used for HAJ) and for the stay at ARAFAT (a place where stay is a must during HAJ) taking bath is SUNNAH. (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: If Eid (Festival) falls on a Friday and somebody has to perform copulation bath too, taking bath once will be sufficient for both obligatory and sunnah (traditional) bath. In the same way, one bath will be enough after menses period is over and the copulation takes place or wet dream occurs (G.A.)

The Traditional (Sunnah) acts of Gusl
The following Five Traditional acts are to be performed in Gusl.
1. To wash both hands.
2. To remove (wash) dirt from the body.
3. Performance of wudhu before Gusl.
4. To pour water on the whole body from head to foot three times.
5. To recite the intent (Niyat). (Mala Budh)

Taking Bath (Gusl) Is Desirable (Mustahab)
in the following conditions

A mad man after recovery, an unconcious person or ecstatic after he comes back to senses, after scarification (Removing the blood from the body by opening the veins). In Shab-e-Barat (i.e. on 15th night of Shaban), in the night of Arafat, (i.e. on 9th of Zilhajjah), in the Shabe-e-Qader (i.e. 27th of Ramadhan) at the time of entering Makkah, for circumambulation of the Holy Ka'ba every time, while entering the Sacred house, at the time of entering Madina Munavara, for offering Namaz (prayer) during Lunar or Solar eclipse, for Namaz-e-Istisqa (prayer for rains) for going among big crowd of people, for wearing new clothes, for giving bath to a dead body, for repenting from sins and after returning from journey, it is desirable (Mustahab) to take bath. (Ghayatul Autar)

Intent for Bath (Gusl) of wet dream (Niyat-e-Gusl Ehtlam)

Niyat-e-Gusl Ehtlam
I resolve to take bath to remove pollution caused by nocturnal pollution (wet dream) in
obedience to orders of Allah for purification of body, to enjoy the benefits of Namaz (Prayer).
(Zaoq Shaoq Namaz)

It is to clarify that besides nocturnal pollution (wet dream) if bath is needed after sexual intercourse, menses or puerperal haemorrhage (post delivery bleeding) the word of ‘Ehtlam’ is to be replaced by ‘Al Jinabat’ (Intercourse), ‘Al Haizi’ (Menses), or ‘Al Nifasi’ (post delivery bleeding) and the rest of the words would remain the same. (Zaoq Shaoq Namaz)

If the person taking bath is wearing a tight ring, it is necessary to remove the ring or move it round so as to ensure that the water passes through it. (G.A.)

The sunnah acts (Traditional actions) of Gusl (bath) are similar to that of ablution i.e. to begin with the name of Allah after recitation of intent (niyat). But there is difference in order of performance of bath and ablution (Wudu). The desirable acts (mustahebat) of taking bath and ablution (wudu) are also similar except facing towards Qibla since bath can be taken in naked condition also. (Hence it is not desirable to face towards Qibla i.e. Ka'ba). Among desirables (Mustahebat) of Gusl (bath) it is also necessary to resolve verbally. Rubbing the parts of the body is also necessary for bath. It is also desirable to take bath on a raised platform to avoid falling of used water drops on the body. (Ghayatul Autar)

The undesirable acts (Makroohat) in the bath are similar as in respect of ablution i.e. splashing of water on the face force-fully and spending more water or using less water than desired (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: In islamic law (Shariah) one 'Saa' of water is fixed for Gusl, (Bath) one saa is equal to four ‘Mad’ and aproximately it is 2½ quarters of a ser. Thus one saa’ would be 2½ sers of water for taking bath. (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: Flowing water has no limit and it does not come under the wastage. (Ghayatul Autar)

In Gusl (bath) it is Sunnah (Traditional) to begin with washing hands and private parts of the body although there is no pollution there. If there is any dirt on any part of the body it is necessary to begin washing from that part, to avoid spreading of dirt to other parts of the body. After performing ablution water is to be poured on all over the body three times in the manner that first three times over head, then three times on the right shoulder then three times on the left shoulder. (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: In sahasitha (Six Famous Collection of Hadith) it is narrated through Hzt, Aisha Siddiqua Raz, that when Nabi Kareem Sal'am used to take bath (Gusl) after copulation, first he used to wash both the hands and then make ablution like it is done for Namaz (prayer) and then dip his fingers in the water and pass them in the roots of hair, until convinced of the whole of the skin of the head is wet, then used to pour water three times over it and after wards wash the rest of the body three times and then washed both the feet. (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: In sahasitha (Six books of traditions, Hadith) it is narrated through Hzt, Ummul Momeneen Bibi Maimoona Raz, that she brought water for Hzt, Nabi Kareem Sal'am to take bath of copulation. He washed both the hands two or three times. Then put both hands in the pot of the water and poured water on private part of the body and washed with the left hand. Then rubbed his hand on the earth. Then made ablution as done for Namaz (prayer). Then poured water over the head three times and then washed the remaining parts of the body and then washed both the feet at a little distance (a another place). (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: At the time of making ablution or taking bath if a few drops of used water fell in the clean water, it remains clean until the used water becomes dominant. (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: In polluted condition sexual intercourse before bath is not undesirable. (Makroh).
In this condition eating, drinking, after washing hands and mouth is also not undesirable. (Ghayatul Autar)

Important: In polluted condition such as after copulation, menses, post delivery bleeding (puerperal haemorrhage) reciting the Holy Quran, touching it, and entering into the mosque and taking rounds of the Holy K'aba is not permissible. (Mala Budh).