Ghusl After Period: Step-by-Step Guide for Women

Hi all readers! Are you looking for a step-by-step explanation of ghusl after a period? If your answer is “Yes,” congratulations! You’re reading the right article. Why? Because that’s exactly what I’ll be explaining here. As Muslims, it’s important for us to understand this process, and that’s why I’ve written this article. So, make sure you read it to the end!

Specifically, there are several key points about ghusl after a period that I will cover in this article. The main points are as follows:

Should You Perform Ghusl After a Period?

The first key point about ghusl after a period that I will explain is, "Should you perform ghusl after a period?" This is an essential question that must be well understood.

One crucial thing you need to know is that menstruation is one of the causes that renders Muslim women ritually impure, or in a state of major hadas. In Islam, when someone is in a state of major hadas, they are not allowed to perform acts of worship that require ritual purity, such as prayer, tawaf, and so on. In fact, in some cases, women who have not performed ghusl after their period are prohibited from entering the mosque.

In Islam, the most important way to purify oneself from major hadas is by performing ghusl janabah. If a Muslim cannot perform ghusl, they must do tayammum as an alternative.

We find this explanation in the following hadiths:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنِّيْ لَا أُحِلُّ الْمَسْجِدَ لِحَائِضٍ وَلَا جُنُبٍ . رَوَاهُ أَبُوْ دَاوُدَ

From Aisha (radliyallaahu anhaa), she said: "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: 'Indeed, I do not permit women who are menstruating and those who are in a state of janabah to stay in the mosque.'” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)

عَنْ أَبِيْ سَعِيْدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : أَلَيْسَ إِذَا حَاضَتْ لَمْ تُصَلِّ وَلَمْ تَصُمْ

From Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (radliyallahu anhu), from the Prophet (Muhammad) (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), he said: "Isn't it true that when she is menstruating, she does not pray and does not fast?"

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهَا قَالَتْ ؛ لَمَّا جِئْنَا سَرِفْ حِضْتُ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : اِفْعَلِيْ مَا يَفْعَلُ الْحَاجُّ غَيْرَ أَنْ لَا تَطُوْفِيْ فِيْ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى تَطْهُرِي . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Aisha (radliyallaahu Taala anhaa), she said: “When we arrived at Sarif, I was on my period. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, 'Do what those performing Hajj do, but do not perform tawaf in the Baitul Haram until you are purified.'” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

This is the main reason why Muslim women must perform ghusl after a period. The hadiths and Quranic verses below also explain this:

قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِذَا أقْبَلَتِ الحَيْضَةُ، فَدَعِي الصَّلَاةَ، وإذَا أدْبَرَتْ، فَاغْسِلِي عَنْكِ الدَّمَ وصَلِّي

The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "When menstruation comes, stop praying, and when it ends, clean the menstrual blood and pray."

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْمَحِيضِ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي الْمَحِيضِ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

"They ask you about menstruation. Say: 'It is harmful.' So avoid women during menstruation, and do not approach them until they are pure. When they have purified themselves, then approach them as Allah has commanded you. Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and those who purify themselves." (Al-Baqarah: 222)

In conclusion, performing ghusl or ghusl janabah after a period is necessary to eliminate major hadas.

That’s a brief explanation of "Should you perform ghusl after a period?" As Muslims, we must understand this.

Ghusl After Period: When Should You Do It?

The second important thing about ghusl after a period, which I will explain now, is "Ghusl after period: when should you do it?". I want you to understand this because it is one of the key questions about menstruation that must be clearly understood.

If we read through Islamic legal literature on ghusl after a period, we won’t find a specific time mentioned for when Muslim women must perform ghusl. The main point is that there is no fixed time for performing ghusl after a period.

Read Also: Can I Do Ghusl Without Washing My Hair?

However, in Islamic legal texts, Muslim women are required to perform ghusl after a period if they intend to engage in acts of worship that require a state of purity or if they are going to touch the Quran.

That's a brief explanation of "Ghusl after period: when should you do it?". As Muslims, we must understand this.

Ghusl After Period Step by Step

The third important aspect of ghusl after menstruation, which I am going to explain now, is a more specific explanation. I want you to understand this because it is the main topic of this article. So, please read the following explanation carefully.

In general, ghusl after menstruation should be done by washing the entire skin of the body. We find this explanation in the following hadith:

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّ تَحْتَ كُلِّ شَعْرَةٍ جَنَابَةً ، فَاغْسِلُوْا الشَّعْرَ ، وَانْقُوْا الْبَشَرَةَ . رَوَاهُ أَبُوْ دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ

From Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu), he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, 'Verily, under every hair, there is janabah (a state of major impurity). Wash your hair and clean your skin!'" This hadith was narrated by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.

Specifically, if we read Islamic legal literature on ghusl after menstruation, we find that there are two essential actions that must be performed:

Niyyah for ghusl janabah or after menstruation:

The niyyah is as follows:

نَوَيْتُ الْغُسْلَ لِرَفْعِ الْحَدَثِ الْأَكْبَرِ فَرْضاً لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

I intend to perform ghusl to remove the major impurity (hadas), as an obligation, for the sake of Allah Taala.

Pouring purifying water over the entire body, from the scalp to the soles of the feet.

That is a brief explanation of ghusl after menstruation, step by step. As Muslims, we must understand this.

What Should You Do If You Can't Perform Ghusl After Menstruation?

The fourth important topic is "What should you do if you can't perform ghusl after menstruation?" This is another key question in this discussion that must be clearly understood.

As I have explained in previous sections, ghusl is the primary means of removing major impurity (hadas) after menstruation. If a Muslim woman is unable to perform ghusl, she must perform tayammum.

Tayammum is an alternative to wudu (for minor impurity) and ghusl (for major impurity) if water is unavailable. This is explained in the following two hadiths:

عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ ؛ أُعْطِيْتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أحَدٌ قَبْلِي: نُصِرْتُ بالرُّعْبِ مَسِيْرَةَ شَهْرٍ ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيْ الأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُوْرًا ، فَأَيُّمُا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِيْ أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلَاةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ ، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيْ المَغَانِمُ وَلَمْ تَحِلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِيْ ، وَأُعْطِيْتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّةً

From Jabir (radiyallahu anhu), the Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "I have been given five things which were not given to any prophet before me: I have been aided by fear over the distance of a month’s journey, the earth has been made a place of prostration and purification for me, so when the time for prayer comes, let any member of my community pray wherever they may be. The spoils of war have been made lawful for me, which were not lawful for any prophet before me. I have been granted intercession, and while previous prophets were sent only to their own people, I have been sent to all mankind."

عَنْ عَمَّارٍ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : بَعَثَنِيْ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيْ حَاجَةٍ . فَأَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ الْمَاءَ . فَتَمَرَّغْتُ فِيْ الصَّعِيْدِ كمَاَ تَتَمَرَّعُ الدَّابَةُ . ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيْكَ أَنْ تَقُوْلَ بِيَدَيْكَ هَكَذَا . ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ بِيَدَيْهِ الْأَرْضَ ضَرْبَةً وَاحِدَةً ، ثُمَّ مَسَحَ الشِّمَالَ عَلَى الْيَمِيْنِ وَظَاهِرَ كَفَّيْهِ وَوَجْهِهِ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From 'Ammar bin Yasir (radiyallahu anhuma), he said, "The Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent me on an errand, and I became junub (in a state of major impurity) but could not find water. So, I rolled on the ground like an animal. When I told the Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about this, he said, 'It would have been enough for you to do this with your hands.' He then struck the ground once with his hands, wiped his left hand over his right hand, and wiped over his face." This hadith is agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).

The niyyah for tayammum is as follows:

نَوَيْتُ التَّيَمُّمَ لِإِسْتِبَاحَةِ الصَّلَاةِ فَرْضًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

I intend to perform tayammum to be able to pray, as an obligation, for the sake of Allah Taala.

That is a brief explanation of "What should you do if you can't perform ghusl after menstruation?". As Muslims, we must understand this.

This concludes the step-by-step explanation of ghusl after menstruation, along with some important related topics. Do you understand? If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I think that’s enough for this article. I hope it is beneficial. Ameen.

See you again in the next article!