Answered by Shaykh Hamza Karamali, SunniPath Academy Teacher
I am confused about the intention for ghusl . It is sunnah to make a full wudu before ghusl right? so should one intend first to remove minor ritual impurity then intend to remove major ritual impurity before they start the actual ghusl? Or can one simply intend both before making the sunnah wudu before ghusl? Please explain. And would some one have to repeat all of their salats that they performed when making ghusl with various intentions?
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
The Simple Way
The rulings related to your question may be difficult to understand for someone untrained in fiqh. The simple way to ensure that you validly remove ritual impurity from yourself is to perform ghusl with the intention of lifting major ritual impurity and to always perform a wudu afterwards (whether or not you performed the sunna wudu before the ghusl), intending thereby to lift minor ritual impurity. If you choose to perform the sunna wudu before ghusl, you should intend to lift minor ritual impurity.
The Complex Way
1. It is sunna to wash one’s private parts and to perform a complete wudu before performing a ghusl. The optimal way to fulfil these sunnas is to first wash one’s private parts, removing any filth on them, and then intending to remove major ritual impurity from the private parts. One then performs a complete wudu and intends to lift minor ritual impurity. One then performs the ghusl by washing the entire body except the private parts (since major ritual impurity has already been lifted from them) and intending at the beginning of the ghusl to remove major ritual impurity. If one performs one’s ghusl in this manner, one may immediately pray without performing an additional wudu. If, however, one washed one’s private parts during the ghusl after the sunna wudu, touching the private parts would cause one to re-enter into a state of minor ritual impurity. In this case, after completing the ghusl, one would have to remake one’s wudu before praying.
2. Before praying, one would have to ensure that one lifted one’s major ritual impurity (through a valid ghusl) as well as one’s minor ritual impurity (through a valid wudu). If one remains in either minor or major ritual impurity before praying, that prayer would not be valid and would have to be repeated. Otherwise, one does not have to repeat the prayer.
Please inquire further if you are still confused.
And Allah knows best.
Hamza.