Does Wetness Inside the Vaginal Lips Necessitate Ghusl and Invalidate the Fast?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I had a wet dream, and when I woke up, I didn’t see any discharge on my underwear, so I didn’t do ghusl. Then I read in an article that a woman having a wet dream may not result in much discharge compared to men and may not reach the underwear. Does this mean that my fasts and prayers are invalid?

On your site, I read this, “for the woman, the wetness must have reached her outer genital area for it to be obligatory for her to do ghusl. The outer genitalia of a woman is that which is apparent when the vaginal lips are naturally closed. The inner genitalia is that which is beyond this area.

So if a woman were to find wetness inside the vaginal lips, this would not necessitate ghusl.” Do my fasts and prayers become invalid if I don’t check myself after a wet dream and base it on transparent underwear?

During fajr time in Ramadan, I have a terrible habit of biting the dry skin on my lips. After I bit it off, it likely went into my mouth, saliva accumulated, and I swallowed. Did my fast break?

Answer

If you had a wet dream and didn’t find any obvious signs of discharge in the morning, then you should proceed as though you are pure. You may have just had arousal fluid (madhy). So you can wash your private parts and make wudu.

Rules Regarding Ghusl and Wet Dreams for Men and Women

You don’t need to worry about your fasts; having a wet dream doesn’t invalidate the fast. You still make your intention and fast. One can take a ghusl after fajr has come in, being careful not to get water in the ears or nose.

As for biting the dry skin from your lips and saliva, see these answers:
Does Swallowing Dry Skin Break the Fast?
Does Licking My Lips Invalidate My Fast?

May Allah give you tawfiq and accept all your fasts.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqida, 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 later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.