General Method

1.

1. The person taking a bath should first of all wash both hands upto the wrists.
2. Then wash the private parts.
3. The hands and private parts should be washed irrespective of whether there is any impurity on them or not. Both these have to be washed under all conditions.
4. Thereafter, any impurity found on the rest of the body should be washed.
5. Then make wudu.
6. If one is sitting on a stool or stone while bathing, then the feet should also be washed when making wudu. But if one is sitting in a place where the water accumulates and he will have to wash the feet again after completing the ghusl, then the entire wudu should be made but the feet should not be washed.
7. After performing wudu, pour water on the head three times.
8. Thereafter pour water over the right and left shoulders three times each in such a way that water reaches the entire body.
9. Thereafter move from this place and go to a clean spot and wash the feet.
10. If the feet were washed when making wudu there will be no need to wash them again.

2. Whilst pouring water over the body the first time, rub the body well so that water reaches everywhere properly and no place remains dry.

3. The above method of ghusl is according to the sunnah. Some of the items explained above are fard without which ghusl will not be complete and the person will remain impure. Some other items aresunnah. Observing them entails reward, and by not carrying them out, ghusl will still be complete. The fard acts are only three:

1. To gargle the mouth in such a way that water reaches everywhere.
2. To wash the nose upto the soft bone.
3. To pour water over the entire body.

4. While bathing, one should not face the qiblah. Too much of water should not be used, nor should so little be used, that one is unable to wash thoroughly. The bath should be taken at such a place that no one can see the bather. One should not talk while bathing. After bathing, the body should be wiped with a cloth or towel. The person should hasten to cover his body to the extent that if the feet were not washed when making wudu, then when he moves from the place of ghusl, he should cover himself up first and then wash the feet.

5. If the bathing place is secluded where no one can see, then it is permissible to bath naked, irrespective of whether one is standing or sitting and irrespective of whether the roof is covered or not. However, it is better to sit and bath because there is more modesty in this. To expose the body from the navel to below the knees before anyone is a sin. Many women bath completely naked in the presence of other women. This is a very evil and shameful act.

6. Once water reaches the entire body, and the mouth and nose are washed; ghusl will be complete irrespective of whether one made intention for ghusl or not. Based on this, if someone stands in the rain in order to cool himself, or falls in a pool, etc. and in doing so the entire body gets wet and the mouth and nose are also washed – then ghusl will be complete. Similarly, it is not necessary to read the kalimah or to read it and blow on the water at the time of making ghusl. Whether one reads the kalimah or not, one will still get purified. In fact, it is better not to read the kalimah or any other duawhile bathing.

7. Even if an area equal to a hair’s breadth is left dry, ghusl will not be complete. In the same way, if one forgets to gargle the mouth or wash the nose, ghusl will not be complete.

8. If after having a bath, one remembers that a particular area was left dry, then it is not necessary to repeat the entire ghusl. Instead, only that dry area should be washed. However, it is not sufficient to merely pass the wet hand over that area. Some water should be taken and poured over that area. If a person forgets to gargle the mouth, he should gargle it. And if a person forgets to wash the nose, he should wash it. In other words, whichever part has been left out, should be washed. It is not necessary to repeat the entire ghusl.

9. If, due to some illness, it would be harmful to pour water on the head, and he left out the head and washed the rest of the body, even then ghusl will be complete. But once the head has healed, it should be washed and it will not be necessary to repeat the entire ghusl.

10. In ghusl it is fard to wash the foreskin of the front organ. If water does not reach there, ghusl will not be complete.

11. If the hair of the head is not plaited, then it is fard to wet all the hair and the roots of the hair. If even one hair is left dry, or water did not reach even one root, ghusl will not be complete. However, if the hair is plaited, it is not necessary to wash it. But it is fard to wet all the roots of the hair. Even one root should not be left dry.

12. Nose, ear and finger rings should be moved so that water reaches the holes. Even if ear-rings are not worn, one should try and put water into the holes. It should not happen that water does not reach and ghusl remains incomplete. If rings are so loose that without moving them water will reach below them, then it won’t be necessary to move them. Instead, it will be mustahab to move them.

13. If dough gets stuck under the nails and gets dry and water does not go there, then ghusl will not be complete. When one remembers and sees the dough, it should be removed and water poured there. If any salaat was offered prior to pouring water, that salaat will have to be repeated.

14. If the hands or feet get cracked and some wax, ointment, or some other medication is applied; then it is permissible to suffice with pouring water over the area.

15. Care should be taken that water reaches the nose and the navel. If water does not reach, ghusl will not be complete.

16. If the mouth was not gargled at the time of bathing, but instead a mouthful of water was drunk in such a way that the water reached the entire mouth, ghusl will be complete because the object is that water should reach the entire mouth, irrespective of whether one gargles or not. However, if one drinks water in such a way that water does not reach all parts of the mouth, then this drinking will not be sufficient. One will also have to gargle the mouth.

17. If oil has been applied on the head, hands or feet in such a way that when water is poured, it passes off without wetting those parts, then there is no harm in this. Once water has been poured on the entire head and body, the ghusl will be complete.

18. If betel nut (or other such food particle) gets stuck between the teeth, it should be removed with a toothpick. If, for some reason, water does not reach between the teeth, ghusl will not be complete.

19. If there is tinsel or decorative paint on the forehead, or some sort of gum has been applied in such a way that the hair will not get wet properly, then the gum should be removed and the tinsel washed. If water does not reach under the gum but just flows over it, ghusl will not be complete.

20. If someone has applied a lot of lipstick, etc. it should be removed first and then the mouth should be gargled. If not, ghusl will not be complete.

21. Someone has a very sore eye and because of this a lot of pus came out and became dry in such a way that if it is not removed, water will not reach below it. It will therefore be wajib to remove it. Without removing it neither wudu nor ghusl will be complete.