Can I Take a Dispensation That Allows the Mere Washing of the Place Where Pre-Seminal Fluid Reached?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

I don’t follow a specific madhab and don’t plan on doing so. I usually follow the correct view (from IslamQA.info, for example) or a view that convinces me, irrespective of the school of thought. I emit madhy generally. I have read IslamQA.info answer no: 317610 on what to do after the emission of madhy, and I follow the stricter and correct view.

Can I instead follow the less strict view of only washing the place of emission and where it got onto because it will be easier for me and not burdensome? I have read that difference of opinions between madhabs is a way of mercy. I do not take dispensations as a habit; if I recall correctly, this is the first time I am actively seeking a dispensation and thus being careful about it.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The correct view in the relied-upon position of all four schools is that pre-seminal fluid is impure. Additionally, the place it contacts must be washed if it exceeds the maximum excused amount. [al-Mawsu’a al-Kuwaitiyya al-Fiqhiyya]

It is only required to wash the testicles if the pre-seminal fluid comes in contact with them. [Ibid.]

This is the majority view, although some details of the above are nuanced in each school. [Ibid.]

Knowledge by Transmission

The Sacred Law of Islam has been passed down through a chain of transmission since the time of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) till today.

The great ‘Abdullah bin Mubarak (Allah have mercy on him) said, “The chain of transmission is part of the religion (din); if it were not for it, whoever wished could say whatever they want.” [Muslim]

Adhering to the Vast Majority

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Indeed, Allah will not gather my community on misguidance. Allah’s support (yad) is with the group. Whoever breaks off breaks off towards the Hellfire.” [Tirmidhi]

He said, “…Stick to the vast majority.” [Ibn Maja]

The vast majority of the Sunni Mainstream has the following three characteristics:

They following the creed of Islam as codified by the Imams Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.

The following, formally or informally, one of the four schools of legal thought, that of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik bin Anas, Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.

They follow, formally or informally, one of the recognized, formalized spiritual paths.

Recommended Websites

You can find answers, based on the above stipulations of the Sunni mainstream, from the following sites:

SeekersGuidance
AskImam
IslamQA

These websites should suffice any questions you have.

Hope this helps
Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.