Ghusl (Ritual Full-Body Washing)

Ghusl (Arabic: غسل) is the complete ritual washing of the entire body with water, required in specific situations to achieve ritual purity (taharah). Without ghusl, it is not permitted to pray salah, touch the Arabic text of the Quran, or perform certain other acts of worship.

In Shia fiqh, there are several types of obligatory ghusl: Ghusl al-Janabah (after sexual impurity), Ghusl al-Hayd (after menstruation), Ghusl al-Mayyit (washing of the deceased), Ghusl Mass al-Mayyit (after touching a deceased person), Ghusl al-Nifas (after childbirth), and Ghusl al-Istihadah (for irregular bleeding). Additionally, ghusl can become obligatory through nadhr (vow) or as part of an obligation.

Ghusl is performed either as tartibi (sequential) or irtimasi (immersion). In tartibi, one first washes the head and neck, then the right side of the body, and finally the left side. In irtimasi, one immerses the entire body in water at once. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Ghusl al-Janabah is an obligation — the one who prays without ghusl has no prayer" (Al-Kafi by Shaykh al-Kulayni, vol. 3, Kitab al-Taharah).

In addition to the obligatory ghusls, there are many recommended (mustahab) ghusls in Shia tradition: ghusl for Friday (jumu'ah), ghusl for the Eid days, ghusl for the 15th of Sha'ban, ghusl for Laylat al-Qadr, ghusl before ihram for Hajj, and many more. Mafatih al-Jinan mentions over 40 recommended ghusls for various occasions. An important juridical point in Shia fiqh is that Ghusl al-Janabah replaces wudu — the one who performs ghusl al-janabah does not need additional wudu to pray.