I went to Quba' with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on Monday till we reached (the habitation) of Banu Salim. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood at the door of 'Itban and called him loudly. So he came out dragging his lower garnment. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: We have made this man to make haste 'Itban said: Messenger of Allah, if a man parts with his wife suddenly without seminal emission, what is he required to do (with regard to bath)? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: It is with the seminal emission that bath becomes obligatory.
The Book of Menstruation - Sahih Muslim 343a
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and companions.
Context of the Narration
This noble hadith from Sahih Muslim recounts an incident where the Prophet (ﷺ) visited the dwelling of Banu Salim and called upon 'Itban ibn Malik, who emerged hastily, dragging his garment in his urgency to respond to the Prophet's call.
The Legal Inquiry
'Itban posed a significant jurisprudential question regarding marital relations: if a man engages in intimacy with his wife but withdraws before emission, is the ritual bath (ghusl) obligatory? The Prophet's response establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic purity laws.
Scholarly Commentary
The Prophet's definitive statement "It is with the seminal emission that bath becomes obligatory" establishes that ghusl is required only upon the discharge of semen, whether during sleep (wet dream) or wakefulness. This ruling is based on the Quranic verse: "And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves" (5:6), where janabah refers specifically to the state after seminal emission.
The scholars of the four schools agree that mere contact without emission does not necessitate ghusl, though wudu' is recommended as a precaution. This demonstrates the wisdom of Islamic law in not imposing unnecessary burdens upon believers while maintaining spiritual purity.
Practical Implications
This ruling clarifies that withdrawal ('azl) before emission does not invalidate one's state of purity for prayer. However, scholars note that wudu' is broken by mere genital contact, requiring renewal before prayer. The distinction between what breaks wudu' and what requires ghusl is crucial for proper observance of worship.