Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
What are the sunnas for ghusl? What is the bare minimum? Does one have wudu automatically after ghusl, or does one need to perform one? What if one only does the bare minimum?
Answer:
The sunnas of the ghusl are the following (Reliance, e11.1)
- One begins by saying “In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate”
- One removes any unclean matter on the body (O: pure or impure)
- One performs ablution as one does before the prayer
- One pours water over the head three times, intending to lift a state of major ritual impurity or menstruation, or to be permitted to perform the prayer, and running the fingers through one’s hair to saturate it;
- And then pours water over the body’s right side, three times, then over the left side three times, ensuring that water reaches all joints and folds, and rubbing oneself.
- If bathing after menstruation, a woman uses some musk to eliminate the afterscent of blood ( ).
The bare minimum is performing the two obligatory integrals which are: (Reliance, e11.0)
- having the intention when water is first applied to the parts that must be washed ((4) above),
- and that water reaches all of the hair and skin (N: to the roots of the hair, under nails, and the outwardly visible portion of the ear canals, though unlike ablution the sequence of washing the parts is not obligatory), even under the foreskin of the uncircumcised man, and the private parts of the non-virgin woman which are normally disclosed when she squats to relieve herself.
As for your question about whether your ablution is accomplished with the ghusl, it was previously answered and can be read at the following link:
Does ghusl include wudu?
And Allah knows best.
Shazia Ahmad