SECTION ON PURIFICATION · 100 – THE BRAID OF A WOMAN PERFORMING GHUSL
251 – From Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her):
A woman from among the Muslims – Zuhayr said: it was Umm Salama herself –
said: O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman whose braids are tightly plaited. When I perform ghusl (ritual bath) due to janāba (major ritual impurity), should I undo them? The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“It is sufficient for you to pour three handfuls of water over them (washing the roots).”
In Zuhayr’s narration: “You pour three handfuls of water over them, then pour water over the rest of your body, and thus you are purified.” [199]
EXPLANATION
This noble hadith is evidence that a woman does not need to undo her braids during ghusl, and that it is sufficient to wash the roots of the hair.
252 – From Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her): she said:
A woman came to me (Usama here narrates the previous hadith). Umm Salama said, I asked the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) about that woman, and narrated with the same meaning as the previous hadith.
According to this narration, our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “With every pouring of water, squeeze your braids.” [200]
EXPLANATION
Gamz: means to squeeze. The woman who came to Umm Salama was commanded, while performing ghusl, to squeeze her hair and ensure water reached between them, because her hair was sparse. There are also scholars who, based on this hadith, hold that it is necessary for water to reach between the hairs of women.
253 – It is narrated from ʿĀʾisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
When one of us was in a state of janāba, she would take (meaning both hands) three handfuls of water and pour them over her head. She would take one handful with one hand and pour it over the right side, and the other handful with the other hand and pour it over the left side, she said. [201]
254 – From ʿĀʾisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
She said: While we were with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), whether in a state of ihrām (ritual consecration) or not, and while we had braids in our hair, we would wash (perform ghusl) without undoing them.
EXPLANATION
The word "az-zummad" mentioned in the hadith originally means a cloth wrapped over an injured limb. In this hadith, it refers to hair that has become stuck together due to perfume applied to the head. The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform ghusl in this state without undoing their braids, because water would reach the roots of the hair in this condition.
255 – It is narrated from Shurayh ibn ʿUbayd (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
Jubayr ibn Nufayr gave me a legal verdict regarding washing from janāba. And Thawban narrated to them as follows:
They asked the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) for a legal verdict regarding ghusl. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“A man should undo his hair (unbraid it), and wash it until the water reaches the roots. But there is no blame upon a woman for not undoing her braids. She should pour three handfuls of water over her head with both hands.”
EXPLANATION
In ghusl, men are obliged to ensure that water reaches both the ends and the roots of their hair. Women, however, are only required to wash the roots of the hair. They are not obliged to undo their braids.
[158] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Wuḍūʾ, b. 54, p. 59, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ, b. 24, no. 358, p. 274, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 66, no. 89, p. 149, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 49, no. 187, p. 109, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 68, no. 498, p. 167, v. 1
[159] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Mawāqīt, b. 24, p. 142, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, b. 39, no. 225, p. 442, v. 1
[160] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ, b. 33, no. 376, v. 1, p. 284
[161] Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 62, no. 477, v. 1, p. 161
[162] Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 79, no. 532, p. 177, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 109, no. 143, p. 266, v. 1
[163] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Raḍāʿ, b. 109, no. 143, p. 168, v. 1
[164] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 13, p. 71, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 4, no. 303, p. 247, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 83, no. 114, p. 193; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 28, no. 152, p. 213, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 70, no. 504, p. 168, v. 1
[165] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 28, no. 157, p. 214, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 70, no. 505, p. 169, v. 1
[166] Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 84, no. 115, p. 197, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 70, no. 506, p. 189, v. 1
[167] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 100, no. 133, p. 246
[168] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, no. 264–265, v. 1; Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 27, p. 76, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 21, no. 364, p. 270, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 81, no. 110, p. 183, v. 1
[169] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 27, p. 76, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 57, no. 346, p. 185, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 81, no. 110, p. 183, v. 1
[170] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 26, p. 76, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 22, no. 348, p. 271, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, no. 191, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 111, no. 610, v. 1, p. 200
[171] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 21, no. 343, p. 269, v. 1
[172] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 82, no. 194, p. 143
[173] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 102, no. 5, p. 194, v. 1
[174] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 65, no. 308, p. 249, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 107, no. 141, p. 261, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 100, no. 587, p. 193, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 81, no. 263, p. 142, v. 1
[175] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 25, p. 75, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 6, no. 306, p. 248, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 79, no. 261, p. 140, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 99, no. 585, p. 193, v. 1
[176] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 42, no. 305, p. 170, v. 1; Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 25, p. 75, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 78, no. 257, p. 159, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 99, no. 184, p. 193, v. 1
[177] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 6, no. 305, p. 248, v. 1
[178] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 6, no. 305, p. 248, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 78, no. 257, p. 139, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 99, no. 584, p. 193, v. 1
[179] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāt, b. 432, no. 613, p. 511, v. 1
[180] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 57, p. 125, v. 1
[181] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 80, no. 262, p. 141, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Libās, b. 44, no. 3649, p. 1203, v. 2
[182] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 87, no. 118, v. 1, p. 202; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 98, no. 581, p. 192, v. 1
[183] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 11, no. 146, p. 273, v. 1
[184] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 9, no. 372, p. 194, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 84, no. 268, p. 145, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 80, no. 535, p. 178, v. 1
[185] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 23, p. 75, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 29, no. 371, p. 282, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 89, no. 121, p. 207, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 80, no. 534, p. 178, v. 1
[186] Bukhārī, al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 126, no. 645, p. 212, v. 1
[187] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adhān, b. 24, p. 157, also in Anbiyāʾ, Taʿbīr, and Fitna; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra – Imāma
[188] Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 82, no. 11, p. 189, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 112, no. 612, p. 200, v. 1
[189] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 7, no. 331, p. 250, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, no. 196, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 82, no. 113, v. 1, p. 189; Ibn Mājah, Ṭahāra, b. 107, no. 601, p. 197, v. 1
[190] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 2, p. 68, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 10, no. 319, p. 255, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 60, no. 229, p. 128, v. 1
[191] Bukhārī, Ṭahāra, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 70, no. 251, p. 135, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥayāʾ, b. 11, no. 327, p. 258, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 95, no. 575, p. 190, v. 1
[192] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 14, p. 72, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 9, no. 318, p. 255, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, v. 1
[193] Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 6, p. 134, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 94, no. 574, p. 190, v. 1
[194] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 1, p. 68, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 10, no. 321, p. 256, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 76, no. 104, p. 174, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 94, no. 574, p. 190, v. 1
[195] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 7, p. 70, v. 1; Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 9, no. 317, p. 254, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 76, no. 103, p. 173, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 76, no. 254, p. 137, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Ṭahāra, b. 94, no. 573, p. 190, v. 1
[196] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 78, no. 106, p. 178, v. 1
[197] Ibn Mājah, b. 106, no. 599, p. 196, v. 1
[198] Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 79, no. 107, p. 179, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, no. 253; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 96, no. 579, p. 191, v. 1
[199] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 48, p. 178, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 77, no. 105, p. 175, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 108, no. 603, p. 198, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 65, no. 342, p. 131, v. 1
[200] Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 12, no. 330, p. 250, v. 1; Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 77, no. 105, p. 175, v. 1; Nasāʾī, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, no. 342, v. 1; Ibn Mājah, Kitāb al-Ṭahāra, b. 108, no. 603, p. 198, v. 1
[201] Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ghusl, b. 19, p. 73, v. 1