Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "If one lies on his wife and compresses her, washing is necessary, even if he does not insert his penis.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
Purification - Mishkat al-Masabih 430
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This narration from Abu Huraira, preserved in the authentic collections of Bukhari and Muslim, addresses a matter of ritual purity concerning intimate contact between spouses.
Textual Analysis
The phrase "if one lies on his wife and compresses her" (idhā awqa‘a ‘alā imra’atihī wa ghashāhā) indicates complete bodily contact in the manner of sexual intercourse, even without full penetration. The term "ghashā" conveys the meaning of covering or enveloping completely.
The ruling of "washing is necessary" (wajaba al-ghusl) refers to the major ritual bath (ghusl) becoming obligatory, equivalent to the purification required after complete sexual intercourse.
Legal Implications
This hadith establishes that mere genital contact without penetration can necessitate ghusl according to the majority of scholars. The wisdom behind this ruling preserves the sanctity of marital relations and maintains spiritual purity.
Scholars differ regarding whether mere touching without full compression requires ghusl, but the clear wording here indicates that when spouses lie together in the manner of intercourse with full bodily contact, the major impurity occurs regardless of penetration.
Spiritual Dimensions
This teaching reminds believers that intimacy carries spiritual consequences beyond the physical act. The requirement for purification serves as a means of maintaining consciousness of Allah during marital relations and returning to a state of ritual purity for acts of worship.
The ruling emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Islamic purity laws, which govern both physical and spiritual states, ensuring the believer remains in a condition suitable for prayer and remembrance of Allah.