Doubts about the relationship between ghusl and wudu   

In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

First of All, performing ritual ablution (wudu) at the beginning of the purificatory bath (ghusl) is a confirmed sunna. Imam al-Shurunbulali says: “then one makes ablution like the ablution for prayer, by washing the limbs three times and wiping the head.” Then he says, alluding to a hadith in Bukhari and Musim: “this is because he (Allah bless him and give him peace) made ablution, the like of the ablution before prayer, prior to bathing.”

Second, the ritual bath is not annulled by that which nullifies ritual ablution. It is mentioned in al-Fiqh al-Hanafi fi thawbihi al-Jadeed: “The purificatory bath is obligatory upon one (only) in two situations:

The first situation: when one is in a state of (janaba).

The second situation: after the cessation of menstruation and post-natal bleeding for women.

One becomes in a state of (janaba) for two reasons:

The first reason: Semen exiting the man’s penis or female ejaculate exiting the woman’s vagina, from its place of origin with desire. Abu Dawud and others have related from Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “The Messenger of Allah was asked about a man who finds wetness (f: of semen from ejaculation), but does not remember having a wet dream. So he said (Allah bless him and give him peace), ‘he must perform ghusl.’ And he was asked about a man who thinks he had a wet dream, but finds no wetness. So he said (Allah bless him and give him peace), ‘he does not have to perform ghusl.’ So Umm Sulaim said, ‘if a woman finds wetness, does she have to perform ghusl?’ He said: Yes, women are the partners of men.'”

The second reason: sexual intercourse, with or without seminal discharge. It is obligatory for both partners to perform ghusl (f: if the head of the male penis enters the woman’s private part, even without discharge). Muslim has related from Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “If a man sits between her thighs and legs then engages in sexual intercourse with her, he must perform ghusl, even if he did not ejaculate.”

The purificatory bath is obligatory from what we have mentioned. Anything the necessitates ritual ablution does not affect one’s ghusl. One can pass wind, bleed, urinate, and do all things that nullify ritual ablution while taking a bath and one’s bath will be correct, and one will not need to repeat it.

Third, one will not need to perform ritual ablution after the purificatory bath unless one has to pray. Otherwise, one can suffice with the purificatory bath, even if one’s ritual ablution was nullified in its process.

May Allah bestow upon us the light of knowledge, and may He relieve us from our baseless misgivings (waswasa) and doubts, and make Himself our sole concern.

Fadi Qutub