Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 330 a
sahih

Umm Salama reported:

I said: Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who has closely plaited hair on my head; should I undo it for taking a bath, because of sexual intercourse? He (the Prophet) said: No, it is enough for you to throw three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over yourself, and you shall be purified.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ مُوسَى، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، مَوْلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي امْرَأَةٌ أَشُدُّ ضَفْرَ رَأْسِي فَأَنْقُضُهُ لِغُسْلِ الْجَنَابَةِ قَالَ ‏

‏ لاَ إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيكِ أَنْ تَحْثِي عَلَى رَأْسِكِ ثَلاَثَ حَثَيَاتٍ ثُمَّ تُفِيضِينَ عَلَيْكِ الْمَاءَ فَتَطْهُرِينَ ‏

‏ ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 3, Hadith 66
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 3, Hadith 643 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The required bathing in Islam is to wash the entire body with water, as shown in the Prophetic tradition. In this hadith, Um Salama, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that she said to the Prophet (ﷺ) that she used to braid her head so is it required for her to undo it in case of taking a bath due to sexual intercourse. He answered her that it was sufficient that she poured three handfuls of water on her head and then poured water over the rest of her body. If she did that, she would become purified. In another narration, she asked, "Should I undo it to take a bath due to intercourse or menstruation?" This narration indicates that a woman does not need to undo her braids during bathing due to intercourse or menstruation. On the other hand, it was said that adding the word "menstruation" was not narrated by the most trustworthy narrators. Accordingly, the braids should be undone during bathing due to menstruation, not intercourse. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A Muslim should ask about the religious rules that he does not know, (2) It clarifies how the female Companions were keen to learn the Islamic rules, especially those relating to menstruation, and (3) It explains how a woman takes a bath due to intercourse or menstruation..
Related hadiths7
Compare isnād across 7 related chains →