A Comprehensive Note On Janābah Bath

 

Janābah bath is an OBLIGATORY ritual bath required of a Muslim, male or female, who:

a. Engages in sexual intercourse by mere penetration;

b. Ejaculates sperm in the course of arousal or masturbation;

c. Notices traces of sperm on his/her pp upon waking up from sleep.

It is called Janābah جنابة from the verb أجنب because its occurrence necessitates 'staying away' from certain rituals (Salāt, entering the Masjid, reciting the Qur'ān), until one has taken the bath.

Steps for taking the Janābah bath: 

1. Wash your � twice/thrice (especially if you're going to dip your ✋ inside a container of water or you've just woken up from sleep. The Prophet ﷺ recommended that, "whenever anyone of you wakes up from sleep, let him wash his hands thrice before dipping them into the water container..." Do the washing before dipping it into the water. This may not be necessary if you're using a kettle, tap, or shower.

2. Wash your entire private parts thoroughly with your left ✋. This includes the frontal and backsides of the pp. Extend the washing to the navel and thighs, as the fluid may likely get to those areas, too.

3. Wash your left ✋ again, this time by rubbing it on sand, wall, tiles, or by using soap (any kind of soap). In case one cannot find soap, he/she may use water. The essence is to make the ✋ clean once again, after removing the impurities from the pp.

4. Perform complete ablution as you would for Salāt. There's no specification of number of times one can wash/wipe the limbs. It could be one time all through; two times; or three times. In fact, one may wash some limbs once, some twice, and some thrice. All are allowed.

5. Wet your fingers with water, and run them through your hair (especially for those that are hairy). Women in particular should take note of this. Janābah bath does NOT warrant loosening the plaited/braided hair. Run your wet hands through your hair.

6. Take water with both hands and pour it on your head. Do this thrice.

7. Pour water on your entire body from head to toe. You MAY rub your ✋ over your body to ensure that water reaches every part. For those bathing under tap or shower, let the water touch every part of your body, head to toe.

Note

i. You may take a bath as described above while omitting the ablution part entirely.

ii. Such bath (with or without the ablution) is valid for Salāt.

iii. As regards the ablution, any of the following is allowed:

a. Perform a complete ablution washing the feet;
b. Delay washing the feet till after completion of bath;
c. Wash the feet a second time after performing (a) above if you notice any dirt's on your legs;

iv. Unintentional touching of the private part does not invalidate the ablution according to my preferred view.

v. If ablution becomes void before completion of the bath, it doesn't affect the bath. One may only repeat the ablution upon completion of bath at one's own discretion.

vi. Women are not required to undo their braids for this purpose. All they need to do is to ensure that water gets to their hair scalp.

vii. For anyone bathing under tap or shower or in a swimming pool, these basic steps should also be followed.

Combining the Janābah and Regular Baths

It is permitted to take the Janābah bath with soap (and sponge). This can be done through either of the following two ways:

a. The bathwater can be mixed with soap (liquid or powdered) and then used to take the Janābah bath. (This is debatable. The majority of the scholars oppose its use while Abū Hanīfah, Imām Ahmad in one of the views attributed to him and which is the stand of Ibn Taimiyah permit it.). The view of permissibility is stronger in proof but the view of impermissibility is safer. (وقول الجمهور أحوط، وإن كان القول بجواز التطهر به أقوى في الدليل

b. One can rub soap on his/her body and then take the Janābah bath while washing the soap off his/her body. (This is permitted by all).

On the other hand, one may choose to take the Janābah bath first before resorting to using soap to take his usual bath, or take his bath first with soap, then take the Janābah after. (This is the closest view to avoiding the controversies).

Allāh knows best

Sanusi Lafiagi