How to Deal with the Fear of Wet Dreams and Subsequent Requirements of Taking a Bath?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Every night I worry that I will get a wet dream. I have normal vaginal discharge all the time during the day. I shower every morning out of fear of janaba, even if I find myself slightly moist or wet, whether I have a wet dream or not.

What is a woman’s wet dream? I only remember seeing a wet dream once every month or two.

What shall I do if I see discharge after waking up and can’t remember a dream?

I read that if one sees a spot after getting up and is unsure whether it was discharged with or without lust, then ghusl is wajib. Is this true? Sometimes, I have madhy before sleeping.

I also read that Aaisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrated that Rasulullah was asked about a person who finds wetness upon waking up but does not remember a dream. Rasulullah said, “‘He should make ghusl. He was also asked about a person who remembers seeing a dream and does not see wetness,’ he replied, ‘There is no ghusl upon the person.’ Umm Sulaym (Radiallaahu Anha) said, ‘Is there ghusl upon a woman when she experiences the same?’ Rasulullah said,  ‘Yes, a female is similar to Male.’” I shower because of this hadith.

Answer

Your question is answered in full in these links:
Doubts about Purity after Waking Up
Wet Dreams and Ritual Purity: A Reader

In short, you are obsessing more than necessary about something that should not be difficult. Keep these guidelines in mind.

The exiting of madhy does not necessitate a ghusl; only orgasmic fluid does. Orgasmic fluid either comes in spurts or with sexual gratification or smells like bread dough when wet or like egg whites when dry. If at least one of these characteristics is not present, it is not orgasmic fluid. [The Reliance of the Traveller, p.80]

Assume your discharge in the morning is madhy unless it is a larger amount than usual. If you see just a spot after you get up, this is not enough to be orgasmic fluid.

Please see all the links above and rest assured that you are pure and following the rules correctly. If you feel doubtful, increase your knowledge and take a course on reviewing your personally obligatory knowledge of purification and prayer.

[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.