What Is Considered a Wet Dream in Islamic Law?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

Please could you explain what is referred to as a wet dream in terms of fiqh?

If a woman sees a dream of sexual nature, and her clothes and body are dry upon waking, if when she urinates first thing in the morning there is discharge with the urine, is ghusl necessary?

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Dreams that would render a  ritual bath (ghusl) to be obligatory upon waking up while seeing pre-ejaculate (madhi) or ejaculate (mani) are dreams in which what was seen was intercourse. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar quoting al-Nahr al-Fa’iq]

“Madhi” when it comes to women is the wetness found while being aroused before reaching an orgasm. After an orgasm, the wetness is called “Mani”.

If no wetness is found upon waking up then no ritual bath is due.

Finding discharge only after urinating is of no consequence because you know with certainty that it didn’t exit the body through an orgasm.

The reason for these rulings is to exert caution in matters of worship.

Allah, Most High, has said: “Indeed only those of God’s servants who have knowledge fear Him. Truly God is Mighty, Forgiving.”  [Quran, 35:28]

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam,
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani