Shortened Question:
Is there relaxation for women taking shower after intercourse?
Question:
Assalam-o-Alaikum Wr Wb,
My Wife has complicated hair that get tangled after shower, she has friends that also have same kind of hair that needs ages to dry afterwards after multiple attempts to straighten up with comb.
Question: Is there a slight relaxation for such women while taking a shower after intercourse, not to wet complete hair everytime? Please explain.
Jazak Allah Khayr,
Wasalam,
Mehr Gilani
NY, USA
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We acknowledge your concern regarding your wife and we advise that your wife plaits her hair before making ghusl after having sexual intercourse.
There are three fard acts when ghusl becomes obligatory upon someone. These are to rinse the mouth ensuring that the water reaches the entire mouth, to rinse the nose up to the soft tissue and to ensure that water touches the entire body including the root of the hair.[i]
However, precautions should be taken when one is fasting to ensure that the fast does not break by the water going down the throat through the mouth or the nostrils.
If the hair of the woman are plaited, it is not necessary for her to unplait her hair. However, it is compulsory for the water to wet the root of every strand of her hair. Failure to comply means that the ghusl would be invalid.[ii]
If she experiences difficulty or is unable to wet the root of her plaited hair then it is compulsory for to unplait the hair and wash her entire hair.
Note the following Hadith Umme Salmah Radiyallhu Anha, wife of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam:
“I submitted: O Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam, I am a woman who binds her hair tightly into plaits. So when after the sexual intercourse bath becomes obligatory on me, shall I untie my plaits during the bath?”
He said: “No, it is obligatory to wet the roots of the hair. So it is sufficient if you pour three handfuls of water on your head and then wash your whole body. By so doing you will be purified.” (Muslim)[iii]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub.
اللباب في شرح الكتاب (1/ 14) [i]
وفرض الغسل: المضمضة، والاستنشاق، وغسل سائر البدن.
اللباب في شرح الكتاب (1/ 16)[ii]
(وليس) يلازم (على المرأة أن تنقض) أي: أي تحل ضفر (ضفائرها في الغسل) حيث كانت مضفورة، وإن لم يبلغ الماء داخل الضفائر، قال في الينابيع: وهو الأصح ومثله في البدائع، وفي الهداية: وليس عليها بل ذوائبها، وهو الصحيح، وفي الجامع الحسامي: وهو المختار، وهذا (إذا بلغ الماء أصول الشعر) أي منابته، قيد بالمرأة لأن الرجل يلزمه نقض ضفائره، وإن وصل الماء إلى أصول الشعر. وبالضفائر لأن المنقوض يلزم غسل كله، وبما إذا بلغ الماء أصول الشعر لأنه إذا لم يبلغ يجب النقض.
عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ: قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي امْرَأَةٌ أَشُدُّ ضَفْرَ رَأْسِي فَأَنْقُضُهُ لِغُسْلِ الْجَنَابَةِ؟ قَالَ: «لَا. إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيكِ أَنْ تَحْثِي عَلَى رَأْسِكِ ثَلَاثَ حَثَيَاتٍ ثُمَّ تُفِيضِينَ عَلَيْكِ الْمَاءَ فَتَطْهُرِينَ»
