Can one make ghusl without brushing his teeth?

- Do we have to brush our teeth before making ghusl?
- In other words, if we do not brush our teeth, will the food left between our teeth prevent ghusl?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is good to brush one’s teeth before making ghusl but it is not obligatory; ghusl made without brushing one’s teeth is valid if the mouth is washed only once.

Abu Hurayra (ra) narrates: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “There is definitely impurity under every hair. Wash all strands of hair and cleanse the skin.” (Abu Dawud, Taharah 98; Tirmidhi, Taharah 78)

Those who consider it fard to do madmada and istinshaq, that is, to rinse the mouth and the nose, while making ghusl cite the hadith above as evidence because the hadith commands washing every hair. Since there are hairs in the nose, it is necessary to wash the inside of the nose too. In addition, the command in the hadith to “cleanse the skin (the outside of the body)” indicates that it is fard to rinse the mouth. (1)

Therefore, according to Hanafi madhhab, it is fard to rinse the mouth and nose in ghusl, which we call madmada and istinshaq. However, it is sunnah, not fard, to rinse the mouth and nose in wudu. (2)

It is appropriate in terms of caution to remove the crumbs between the teeth and wash the mouth, but even if the small crumbs between the teeth prevent the water from penetrating to the bottom, fard is still regarded to have been fulfilled and ghusl is valid. (3)

Besides, there is no obstacle to ghusl as there is considerable difficulty in removing things that the body produces such as calculus. There is no problem with natural stains either. Non-arbitrary practices, such as fillings, dental crowns, and layers on the teeth do not prevent ghusl either.

On the other hand, if a person realizes after ghusl that he has not washed his mouth or nose, or that some part of his body is dry, he does not have to make ghusl again; it is sufficient to wash only those parts. For example, if a person remembers that he has not rinsed his mouth and nose after ghusl, he should only rinse his mouth and nose.

References:

1) see Khattabi, Awnul-Mabud the interpretation of the hadith in question; Qasani, Badai, 1/209, 267; Zaylai, Tabyin, 1/13: Ayni, al-Binaya, 1/254.
2) see Daraqutni, 1/84; Nasbur-Raya. 1/135; Shawkani, Naylul-Awtar, 1/178.
3) see Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahrur-Raiq, 1/88.

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