Purification

ʿĀʾisha said that a woman from the Anṣār asked the Prophet how to bathe after menstruation. He instructed her: ‘Take a piece of cloth scented with musk and cleanse yourself with it.’ She asked how, and he said: ‘Cleanse yourself with it.’ She asked again, and he said: ‘Glory be to Allah! Cleanse yourself with it.’ ʿĀʾisha drew her aside and explained: ‘Wipe with it where the blood was.’

Umm Salama said: ‘I told the Messenger of Allah, “I keep my hair tightly braided. Must I undo it when performing the ritual bath after sexual impurity?” He replied: “No. It is enough for you to pour three handfuls of water over your head, then pour water over yourself, and you will be purified.”’ Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said: ‘The Prophet used about one mudd of water for ablution and one ṣāʿ for the ritual bath, up to five mudd.’

Muʿādha reported that ʿĀʾisha said: ‘The Messenger of Allah and I used to perform the ritual bath from one vessel placed between us. He would reach for the water before me, until I said, “Leave some for me, leave some for me.”’ She said that they were both in a state of sexual impurity.

ʿĀʾisha reported that the Messenger of Allah was asked about a man who found moisture but did not recall a wet dream. He replied: ‘He must perform the ritual bath.’ He was also asked about a man who thought he had had a wet dream but found no moisture. He replied: ‘He is not required to bathe.’ Umm Salama asked: ‘Must a woman who experiences this bathe?’ He replied: ‘Yes. Women are counterparts of men.’

Al-Tirmidhī and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it. Al-Dārimī and Ibn Mājah transmitted it only up to ‘He is not required to bathe.’

ʿĀʾisha reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘When the circumcised parts pass one another, ritual bathing becomes obligatory.’ She added: ‘The Messenger of Allah and I did that, and we bathed.’ Al-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

Abū Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Under every hair there is sexual impurity, so wash the hair and cleanse the skin thoroughly.’

Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, and Ibn Mājah transmitted it. Al-Tirmidhī called it gharīb and said that its transmitter, al-Ḥārith ibn Wajīh, was a shaykh whose reliability was not strong.

ʿAlī reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Whoever leaves even a hair’s breadth of sexual impurity unwashed will suffer such-and-such in the Fire.’ ʿAlī said: ‘For that reason I treated my head as an enemy’—and repeated this three times.

Abū Dāwūd, Aḥmad, and al-Dārimī transmitted it; Aḥmad and al-Dārimī did not repeat the phrase ‘For that reason I treated my head as an enemy.’

ʿĀʾisha said: ‘The Messenger of Allah did not perform ablution after the ritual bath.’ Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

ʿĀʾisha said: ‘When in a state of sexual impurity, the Prophet would wash his head with khitmi, contenting himself with that and not pouring water over it.’ Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

Yaʿlā reported that the Messenger of Allah saw a man bathing in an open place. He mounted the pulpit, praised Allah, and said: ‘Allah is modest and concealing, and loves modesty and concealment. When one of you bathes, let him cover himself.’

Abū Dāwūd and al-Nasāʾī transmitted it. In al-Nasāʾī’s version, he said: ‘Allah is concealing; when one of you intends to bathe, let him screen himself behind something.’

Ubayy ibn Kaʿb said: ‘The saying “Bathing is required only on account of emission” was a concession in the early days of Islam; then it was prohibited.’

ʿAlī reported that a man came to the Prophet and said: ‘I performed the ritual bath after sexual impurity and prayed the dawn prayer. In the morning I noticed a spot about the size of a fingernail that water had not reached.’ The Messenger of Allah replied: ‘Had you rubbed your hand over it, that would have sufficed.’ Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar said: ‘The prayers were initially fifty, ritual bathing after sexual impurity was required seven times, and washing urine from a garment was required seven times. The Messenger of Allah continued to ask until the prayers were set at five, ritual bathing after sexual impurity at once, and washing urine from a garment at once.’ Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

Abū Hurayra said: ‘The Messenger of Allah met me while I was in a state of sexual impurity. He took my hand, and I walked with him until he sat down. I slipped away, went to my lodging, performed the ritual bath, then returned and found him still seated. He asked: “Where had you gone, Abū Hurayra?” I told him, and he said: “Glory be to Allah! A believer does not become impure.”’

This is al-Bukhārī’s wording; Muslim transmits a similar version and adds after ‘I told him’: ‘You met me while I was in a state of sexual impurity, and I disliked sitting with you before I had bathed.’ Al-Bukhārī also has this addition in another version.

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar reported that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb told the Messenger of Allah that he became sexually impure during the night. The Messenger of Allah told him: ‘Perform ablution, wash your penis, then sleep.’

ʿĀʾisha said: ‘When the Prophet was in a state of sexual impurity and wished to eat or sleep, he performed the ablution for prayer.’

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘When one of you has intercourse with his wife and then wishes to do so again, let him perform ablution between the two occasions.’

Anas said: ‘The Prophet would visit his wives and perform one ritual bath.’ Muslim transmitted it.

ʿĀʾisha said: ‘The Prophet would remember Allah, Mighty and Majestic, at all times.’ Muslim transmitted it.

The report of Ibn ʿAbbās will be mentioned, God willing, in the Book of Foods.