Rubbing body hair in Ghusl

20-2-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. In Ghusl (ritual bath), I know that you have to rub the hair on the head and the beard in order to ensure that water reaches the skin underneath, but what about the short hair on the legs and the private parts? Is it sufficient to let water go over them or do you have to rub the hair in these areas too? Also, regarding the short hair on the arms and on top of the toes, do these have to be rubbed during ablution and Ghusl as well? May Allaah reward you.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The water must reach all parts of the body during Ghusl, and it must also reach the skin of the body parts that must be washed in ablution. If the water does not reach the skin underneath the hair except by running one's fingers through the hair, it is required to do so in order to make sure that water reaches the skin underneath the hair, regardless of whether the hair is long or short.

If there is no need to run one's fingers through the hair and it is most likely that water will reach the skin underneath the hair, then that is sufficient in the obligatory Ghusl or ablution, and the state of ritual impurity is thus ended properly.

Allah knows best.