Do We Have to Wash Off Vaginal Discharge Before Ablution?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Women have cervical mucus/vaginal discharge. It comes out at any time either before or after menstruation and during ovulation. Is it true that they are given the choice if they want to wash it off, and perform ablution or perform ablution only.

Answer

Thank you for your question.

In the Shafi’i school, if a woman is uncertain about where her vaginal discharge originates, whether it is from deep within, or not, then it is permissible for her to assume that it is pure when it exits, not purify her clothing, and just renew her wudu [Imam Ramli]. However, if she wants to err on the side of caution, it would be superior to wash the area, purify the clothing, and then perform ablution (wudu). Please see more details here:

What Is the Ruling on Normal Vaginal Discharge in the Shafi’i School?

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.