How Is the Washing Achieved During the Ritual Bath?

Question: Assalamualikum,
1. In regards to Ghusl, does water have to flow directly from the showerhead onto each part of the body naturally, or can one spread the water with hands to ensure all the body parts are encompassed with water?

2. Does one have to wash in between the buttocks for ghusl to be valid?

3. When washing the full body three times in Ghusl, does one have to wash the inside of navel, insides of ears, etc, three separate times also?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Assalam’aleykum, I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Jazakum Allah khayr for your question!

1. To achieve the washing of the body it is enough to use one’s hands to spread the water on the body because what is needed is for pure water to flow on the skin. [Lubab]

2. Yes one has to wash the area of the body between the buttocks at least one time for the ritual bath to be valid because all of the body need to be washed during a ritual bath. [Nur al-Idah]

3. To wash the body fully three times is from the sunna of the ritual bath. [Nur al-Idah]

We can mention that, when one is under a shower or using a tap, several washings are happening successively on the washed limb for each moment spent under this flowing water. To clarify we could say that letting one’s hand under the tap water for three seconds would amount to having washed this hand three times. [This understanding is based on Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s lessons on Hanafi Fiqh]

And Allah knows best.

I hope that the above answers your question. If something is unclear please do not hesitate to ask again.

May Allah Most High grant you the best of this world and the next. Please keep us in your du’as!

Wassalam

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi