Ghusl After Intercourse in Islam | With Free PDF
I will make this article simple and easy to understand for any Muslim seeking help on how to perform a complete ghusl following the sunnah and sharia of Islam. Firstly, when does Ghusl become compulsory for a Muslim? A Muslim must perform ghusl after any of the following four experiences:
1. After having any form of ejaculation or intercourse, whether with a lawful person like the wife or an unlawful person (Zina),
2. After a woman gives birth,
3. After a woman completes her menstrual cycle,
4. After the death of a Muslim
How can a Muslim perform this ghusl?
Step One. Intention and Bismillah
The first step towards ghusl is to enter the bathroom with an intention or niyyah that you want to make purification for Allah. You need to understand that ghusl is different from an ordinary bath. This is why even if you bathe after any of those four things listed above, you haven’t performed Ghusl. Ghusl is an act of worship and rewards are attached to it.
Saying Bismillah during ghusl.
There have been different debates on whether it’s right for a Muslim to mention the name of Allah in an unclean place like the bathroom or toilet. I have a simple solution to that, and here it is.
To begin your ghusl, it’s best to say Bismillah in your mind. This way you have not mentioned Allah’s name loudly in the bathroom and neither have you started your ghusl without Bismillah. This way is similar to a Muslim performing solat zuhr or Asri, which doesn’t require reading the verses of the holy Quran aloud for others to hear.
Step two. Wash your hands and clean your private parts.
Ensure your hands are washed to avoid washing the private part with an unclean hand. Wash the private area to remove any dirt or impurities.
Step three: Perform Wudu (Ablution).
Perform a normal wudu just like you would do for a normal solat. This includes washing your hands to the wrist three times, rinsing your mouth with water, sniffing water in your nose, washing the face three times, washing the arms up to the elbows, washing the hair, ensuring water touches the root of the hair, rinsing the two ears with water, and lastly washing the legs.
Note: You can always skip washing your legs after wudu and reserve it for last.
Step four: Wash the body and the head.
The next step is to wash the entire body with water, starting by pouring water from the right shoulder, following by pouring water to the left part of the body and using your hands to rub the body while doing this.
The next important step is to wash the head with water, ensuring that water reaches the root of the hair if you have long hair.
Finally, you can wash your legs if you haven’t done that yet during the previous wudu.
This is how you can perform a complete ghusl in Islam.
Download the PDF version of this guide here.
