Is Ghusl Mandatory After Menstruation (Periods)? What the Quran & Hadith Say?
Query:
Does the rule of Ghusl also apply to a female after her Haidh (menses) etc.? Is there any mention about this in the Qur’an or the Hadith?
Answer:
Yes it does apply to the females as well. Almighty Allah says,
حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ
‘Until they (menstruating females) become properly pure’
[Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Verse 222]
It is mentioned in the Hadith Shareef,
Hazrat A’isha Siddiqa رضى الله تعالى عنها Says, that a woman from amongst the Ansaar, enquired from Rasoolullah ﷺ in regards to taking a bath (Ghusl) after menstruation. He ﷺ explained to her how she should take the ritual bath. He then said that she should use a piece of fabric which is scented with musk to cleanse herself. She asked in regards to how she could purify herself with it. He ﷺ said, ‘Purify yourself with it.’ Again she asked as to how she could purify herself with it. He ﷺ said, ‘Subhaan’Allah! Purify yourself with it.’ Hazrat Sayyidah A’isha رضى الله تعالى عنها says I pulled her towards me and said, ‘Remove any traces of blood with it.’
[Bukhari, Muslim]
Note: Out of modesty, The Beloved Rasool ﷺ said, Subhaan’Allah! Purify yourself with it’ and Sayyidatuna A’isha رضى الله تعالى عنها, immediately understood Why Nabi ﷺ said this, and then explained to the Ansaar woman what she should do.
There is another Hadith Shareef on this discussion from Umm ul Mo’mineen Sayyidatuna Umm e Salma رضى الله تعالى عنها that,
Umm ul Mo’mineen Sayyidatuna Umm e Salma رضى الله تعالى عنها Said, Ya Rasoolullah ﷺ! Allah is not shy of the truth. Does a woman have to perform Ghusl when she has ‘Ihtilaam’ (nocturnal emission, i.e. wet-dream)?’ He ﷺ said, ‘Yes, if she sees any discharge (semen).’ Hazrat Umm-e-Salma رضى الله تعالى عنها hid her face (in bashfulness) and said, ‘Ya Rasool’Allah ﷺ! Do women get Ihtilaam? He ﷺ said, ‘Yes, if this is not so then how does the child resemble the mother.’
[Sahih Bukhari, Muslim]
Important Note: The Ummuhat ul Mo’mineen (Mothers of the Believers, i.e. The Sacred and Pure Wives of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah ﷺ) are protected from Ihtilaam even before they entered into Nikah with Sayyiduna Rasoolullah ﷺ. The reason for this is because Ihtilaam is caused by interference of shaitaan and the Sacred Wives of the Beloved Rasool ﷺ are free and pure from such interferences of shaitaan. It is for this reason that they were astonished by this question of Umm e Salma رضى الله تعالى عنها.
References:
Bahar e Shariat vol. 2, Sadr al-Shariah Allama Amjad Ali Aazmi
Bukhari, Muslim
[ English Translation ]
Mufti Afthab Cassim al-Qadri Ridawi Noori,
Imam Mustafa Raza Research Center,
Durban, South Africa.