Performing one Ghusl for two different matters that require Ghusl

19-2-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible to combine the ghusl of janabah and the ghusl of coming back to islam because I have learned that the one who misses prayer must perform ghusl I'm aware there is a difference of opinion on this matter but to be on the safe side because of the past May one combine these ghusl if he or she is junub. If this can't be done and one has prayed in this state should they repeat the prayers? If one does this can they say in their niyyah I'm going to perform ghusl to remove major sexual impurity and to come back to islam or I'm going to perform ghusl to remove major sexual impurity and because I've come back to islam. The niyyah that I said was the first one and I'm not sure if it's correct because I said perform ghusl to come back to islam but it's not the ghusl that brings one back to islam it's the shahadah right then the ghusl completes it so should I repeat the prayers of when I said that niyyah and say the second niyyah I stated or are both niyyahs fine also what if this person says something which he thinks most likely took him out of the fold of islam then combines ghusl of janabah and ghusl of coming back to islam yet he didn't say something haram will the ghusl to remove janabah still be valid or will it have an effect because the ghusl for coming back to islam was not needed

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

According to the view that it is an obligation on a non-Muslim to perform Ghusl if he embraced Islam, then if he performs Ghusl once while intending to embrace Islam and at the same time he intends to purify himself from Janaabah (major ritual defilement), then this is enough for both, i.e. one Ghusl is sufficient for both matters.

Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: “Chapter: If there are two things that require Ghusl, like menses and Janaabah, or the meeting of the male and female private parts and ejaculation, and one intends purity from both of them by performing one Ghusl, then it is sufficient for both. This is the opinion of most scholars; among whom are ‘Ataa’, Abu Az-Zinaad, Rabee’ah, Maalik, Ash-Shaafi'i, Is-haaq, and the scholars of the Hanafi School….

Apostasy according to the Hanbali School of jurisprudence is an act that requires Ghusl, the evidence is the saying of Ibn ‘Abbaas: “There are two acts [that require Ghusl]; the act of the tongue, and the act of the private parts, and the more serious one is the act of the tongue (i.e. pronouncing something that takes one out of the fold of Islam).” [Al-Mughni]

So, whoever performs Ghusl once for all those acts that require Ghusl, then that is sufficient as we have already clarified.

In fact, if one intends to perform Ghusl for embracing Islam, it is enough and he is not obliged to intend to perform Ghusl from ritual defilement which had happened when he was still a non-Muslim [i.e. before he embraced Islam].

Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: “If a non-Muslim was in a state of sexual defilement and then he became a Muslim, he is not obliged to perform Ghusl from ritual defilement, whether or not he performed Ghusl while he was still a disbeliever; this is the view of those who believe that it is an obligation to perform Ghusl when embracing Islam, and the view of Abu Haneefah.”

Besides, it should be mentioned that the place of the intention is the heart and not the tongue, so he should intend in his heart that this Ghusl is for becoming a Muslim and he does not utter this with his tongue as we have clarified in Fatwa 116266.

Finally, we have sensed from your question, dear brother, that you are affected with some sort of Waswasah (obsessive whispers) regarding going out of the fold of Islam. So, please know that if anyone doubts that he had committed an act of disbelief and he performed Ghusl thinking that he became a non-Muslim and he intends with such Ghusl to re-embrace Islam and to remove ritual impurity, then his state of ritual impurity is removed.

Allaah knows best.

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