What Should I Do If I Didn’t Treat Some Discharge of Liquid Emissions as Sperm?
Shafi'i Fiqh
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
What should I do about the times I had some liquid emissions but did not treat it as sperm?
I have read your fatwa below, and I’m distraught:
When Should Someone Perform a Ghusl After a Dry Orgasm? (Shafi’i School)
I used to masturbate frequently but stopped before ejaculating. Sometimes thick liquid would accompany the urine after that (even hours or the following day). I always thought that that was in the category of wadi since it came with urine and no stimulation (at that time), and after all, how far back must one go to investigate if I was aroused for it to be wadi or sperm?
According to your fatwa, I may have to repeat years of prayer. This isn’t easy at my age and health. Please advise.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to that which is pleasing to Him. Amin.
Based on the fact that if a person does not recall semen exiting or cannot discern if it has, he does not have to perform ghusl, there is no need for you to repeat prayers, and Allah knows best. [Nawawi, Majmu’]
Furthermore, Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) transmits that according to Imams Abu Hanifa, Malik, and Ahmad (Allah have mercy on them), a ghusl is not required for the non-stimulated exiting of sperm, except when it exits with desire and with contracting pulses, and Allah knows best. [ibid.]
I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar, Shaykh Taha Karaan.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.
