Does ghusl become necessary in Islam when a woman has an orgasm?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Yes, women have to make ghusl when they have an orgasm.

There may be different situations regarding the issue:

If a man or a woman wakes up from sleep and sees wetness on his/her bed sheet, underwear or thighs, he/she has to make ghusl: If he remembers that he has had a wet dream, he has to make ghusl. However, if he does not remember that he has had a wet dream, he does not have to make ghusl according to Abu Yusuf because that wetness could be mazi. Moreover, even if it is semen, it is not known that it came with lust. Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Muhammad, on the other hand, do not consider ghusl necessary if it is known for certain that the wetness is not semen but mazi. However, if there is doubt whether it is semen or mazi, or if it is thought that it is semen, they say that ghusl is required as a precautionary measure.

The Prophet (pbuh) was asked, “If a person finds wetness on his clothes, but he does not remember that he has had a wet dream, does he have to make ghusl?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Yes, he does.” When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was asked about the one who remembers that he has had a wet dream but does not see any wetness on his clothes, he said, “He does not have to make ghusl.” When a lady asked, “If a woman sees it, does she have to make ghusl too?” the Messenger of Allah said, “Yes, she also has to make ghusl.” (Abu Dawud, Taharah 95; Tirmidhi Taharah 82)

Ghusl is necessary due to the semen that is violently discharged and ejaculates with lust. As for the semen that leaves its place by lust and ejaculates after the lust has subsided, ghusl is still required according to Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Muhammad, but ghusl is not required according to Abu Yusuf. According to a view, if the semen that leaves its place by lust is prevented from flowing out at that moment and is allowed to flow out after the lust has subsided, ghusl does not become necessary. In this opinion of Abu Yusuf is a great convenience for those who encounter such a situation when they are in somebody else’s house or in winter.

During sexual intercourse, it is not necessary for the man’s sexual organ (penis) and the woman’s sexual organ (vagina) to be fully joined for ghusl to become necessary. If only the tip of the penis enters the vagina, whether semen flows or not, both the man and the woman have to make ghusl.

Inserting a finger into either the anterior or posterior passage does not require ghusl. There is no difference whether it is a man’s finger or a woman’s finger. However, if one reaches sexual satisfaction, ghusl becomes necessary.

If a person reaches sexual satisfaction as a result of holding, caressing or looking at someone, he has to make ghusl. It holds true for both men and women.

If a man has a wet dream but no semen has flowed out, he does not have to make ghusl. If a woman has a wet dream and does not see the semen coming out, it is better for her to make ghusl as a precaution because the semen coming out of the women can return.

If her husband’s semen comes out of a woman after she has made ghusl, she does not have to make ghusl again.

Semen that comes without lust due to reasons such as being beaten or lifting something heavy does not make ghusl necessary. However, Imam Shafii regards ghusl necessary even then.

If a non-Muslim converts to Islam while he/she is junub or in menstruation or puerperium, it is obligatory for him/her to make ghusl. However, if he/she converts to Islam when he/she does not have those conditions, it is not obligatory for him/her to make ghusl; it is mandub (recommended).

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