Ghusl and Make Up Prayers

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Alhamdulillah after many years I finished my make ups. I didn’t know that scholars mention to put your finger in your bellybutton when making ghusl. It seems even without this though in modern showers plenty of water gets into my bellybutton. Is it pretty safe (ghalabat dhann) to assume that water got in and I can consider all my prayers done?

Answer:

Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Given the amount of water used in prevalent, powerful showers, it would seem to be safe to assume that water reached the area, even if you didn’t specifically wash the navel.

The basis is that you have to ensure that water reaches your entire outer body, yet including mouth and nose as they are legally both from the inner and outer body. Allah Most High says, “If you are in a state of full impurity, then take a full bath.” (Sura al-Ma’ida 5:6) And it is reported that the Blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to rinse his mouth and nose in his ritual bath (ghusl) without fail. (Bukhari)

Keep in mind that there is a difference between bathing or showering to lift major ritual impurity (janaba), and merely doing so for cleanliness or to attain a sunna. In the latter case, rinsing your mouth and nose, and getting water to your navel would be from completion, and a sunna, but not an obligatory duty.

Now that you’ve finished making up your missed prayers, you should strive to ensure you have no other religious debts due, such as missed fasts, zakat or end of Ramadan charity (sadaqat al-fitr) and the like. Thereafter, work on lifting your monetary debts, if any, and learning about the unlawful (haram) and removing it from your life. Continue to ask Allah Most High to grant your facilitation and sincerity in seeking His pleasure.

(Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah, with Tahtawi’s Gloss (1.152/156); al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya)

And Allah Most High knows best.

Wassalam,

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.