[Q 361] Delaying Wudhu or Ghusl While in Janabah

Question

If ghusl (ritual purification) becomes fardh (obligatory) on someone while sleeping, and if doing wudhu (ablution) would disturb his sleep a lot at that time, would he be sinful for not doing wudhu? Even if he does this on multiple occasions?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

If ghusl becomes fardh during the night, it is not obligatory to perform ghusl or wudhu immediately. Therefore, if a person sleeps without performing ghusl or wudhu, they will not be sinful.
However, it is recommended to perform ghusl as soon as possible, and unnecessary delay should be avoided because a hadith mentions that mercy-bearing angels do not enter a house where a person in the state of janabah (requiring ghusl) is present. If one is unable to perform ghusl, then performing wudhu is advisable, as the obstruction to the angels’ mercy is removed if the person in janabah performs wudhu.

Note: It should be noted that if the time for prayer approaches and ghusl has not yet been performed, it becomes obligatory (wajib) to perform ghusl immediately in order to offer the prayer on time. If further delay is made, the person will be sinful.

Regarding the angels not visiting someone in janabah, it is mentioned in Musannaf Abdul Razzaq:

عن عمار بن ياسر رضي الله تعالى عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “إن الملائكة لا تحضر جنازة كافر بخير، ولا جنبا حتى يغتسل أو يتوضأ وضوءه للصلاة

Translation: Hazrat Ammar bin Yasir رضي الله تعالى عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Indeed, the angels do not attend the funeral of a disbeliever with any good, nor do they approach a person in a state of janabah until he performs ghusl or does wudhu like that of prayer.”

(Musannaf Abdul Razzaq, Kitab al-Tahara, Bab al-Rajul Yanam wa Huwa Junub, Vol. 1, p. 217, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, Beirut)

In Fatawa Hindiyya, it is mentioned:

“الجنب إذا أخر الاغتسال إلى وقت الصلاة لايأثم، كذا في المحيط.”

(Fatawa Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 209, Lahore Edition)

In Bahar-e-Shariat, it is mentioned:
“A person on whom ghusl is obligatory should not delay performing it. A hadith states that mercy-bearing angels do not enter a house where a person in janabah resides. And if the time for prayer has almost ended, it becomes obligatory to immediately perform ghusl. If further delay is made, the person will be sinful. If someone wishes to eat or have relations with their spouse, they should perform wudhu or at least wash their hands, face, and rinse their mouth. If they eat without doing so, there is no sin, but it is disliked and can lead to poverty.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol. 1, p. 225, Maktaba-tul-Madina)

Answered by: Usman Madani (Askmufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 19th October 2024