PURIFICATION SECTION · 84 – THE RULING ON INTERCOURSE WITHOUT EJACULATION
214 – From Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “In the early days of Islam, when a man and his wife had intercourse but did not ejaculate, they were permitted not to perform the ritual bath (ghusl) due to the scarcity of clothing. Later, he commanded the ritual bath, and forbade neglecting the bath after intercourse even if ejaculation did not occur.” Abū Dāwūd said: Here, Ubayy meant ‘water from water’ (i.e., the ritual bath is required due to the emission of semen). [168]
EXPLANATION
In the early days of Islam, if a man had intercourse with his wife and did not ejaculate, the ritual bath (ghusl) was not required. This was to ensure that new Muslims would not face hardship and that those who did not have multiple sets of clothing would not be constantly troubled by the need to change clothes. However, when Islam became stronger and people attained financial ease, it was commanded that if the circumcised part (of the man) entered the circumcised part (of the woman), even if ejaculation did not occur, the ritual bath became obligatory. Thus, the concession that one need only bathe if ejaculation occurred was abrogated.
215 – From Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him): Ubayy ibn Ka‘b related to me: The legal ruling that ‘water (ghusl) is required due to water (semen)’ was a concession given by the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) at the beginning of Islam. Later, he commanded them to perform the ritual bath after intercourse. [169]
216 – It is narrated from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When a man sits between the four limbs of a woman (i.e., her arms and legs) and the circumcised part (of the man) touches the circumcised part (of the woman), the ritual bath (ghusl) becomes obligatory.” [170]
EXPLANATION
This noble hadith is evidence that if the circumcised part of the man’s penis enters the circumcised part of the woman, the ritual bath (ghusl) is obligatory even if ejaculation does not occur.
217 – It is narrated from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Water (i.e., washing) is required due to water (i.e., semen).” [171] Abū Salama used to act accordingly.
EXPLANATION
Abū Salama (may Allah be pleased with him) maintained that the ritual bath was not required unless ejaculation occurred, and he used this hadith as evidence. However, there are various opinions regarding this hadith.
1 – There is the possibility that this hadith was said concerning a person who experiences a wet dream (iḥtilām). If semen is emitted during a wet dream, the ritual bath is required; if not, it is not required.
2 – This noble hadith may have been abrogated by the previously mentioned hadith. The ruling we should adopt is that if the circumcised parts disappear into each other, the ritual bath is required. This is the view of the majority (jumhūr). (ʿAwn al-Maʿbūd, vol. 1, p. 81)