A woman removing her earrings during Ghusl Fatwa No: 117205
- Fatwa Date:20-1-2009
assalam wa allykum i heard that a woman should remove her earings when doing ghusl so that the water should also reach the holes (earings) of the ears, for validity of ghusl ,is this correct ?
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Some jurists stated that it is an obligation to move the earrings in the hole of the earlobe when performing Ghusl (i.e. a ritual bath) because its place is narrow, but if it is predominantly thought that water reaches the hole of the earlobe, then a woman is not required to insert (something like) a stick in the hole of the earlobe as there is hardship in doing so. This means that the hole of the earlobe where the earring is hanged is considered as part of the outside of the body that must be washed when performing ablution and Ghusl. Therefore, if the earring prevents the water from reaching the earlobe hole that it touches and it is predominantly thought that water does not reach that part of the ear just by moving the earring, then it becomes an obligation to remove it because it is an obligation when performing Ghusl to make water reach all the parts of the body as we already explained in Fatwa 87482.
However, if the earring does not prevent the water from reaching the parts of the ear that it touches and it is predominantly thought that water reaches it just by moving the earring, then it is not an obligation to remove it.
Nonetheless, it is better to act on this opinion in order to be on the safe side even if some other jurists said that the earring is considered as part of the inside of the body, and so, it is not an obligation to make water reach it even if it is possible to do.
Allaah Knows best.