Does a Ritual Bath (Ghusl) Eliminate the State of Minor Ritual Impurity? (Shafi’i)

Answered by Shaykh Shuaib Ally

Question: Assalam’aleykum,

Does performing a basic ritual bath (ghusl) eliminate any need to make wudu? Is there a need to have a specific intention? Should the limbs be washed in order?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

In the Shafi’i school, performing ghusl with the intention of performing an obligatory ghusl and washing one’s entire body stands in the place of performing wudu. That is, one doing so would also lift the state of minor ritual impurity.

One would not have to have the intention to lift both states, as lifting the major state also covers the minor state.

One would also not have to wash the limbs in order, as ghusl does not have an obligatory order.

Source: al-Hawashi al-Madaniyyah

Shuaib Ally