Hadith Research Libraryمكتبة الحديث والرجال
Sahih Muslim, 349
sahih

Hadith text · Matn

‏ إِذَا جَلَسَ بَيْنَ شُعَبِهَا الأَرْبَعِ وَمَسَّ الْخِتَانُ الْخِتَانَ فَقَدْ وَجَبَ الْغُسْلُ ‏

‏ ‏.‏

English translation

Abu Musa reported:

There cropped up a difference of opinion between a group of Muhajirs (Emigrants and a group of Ansar (Helpers) (and the point of dispute was) that the Ansar said: The bath (because of sexual intercourse) becomes obligatory only-when the semen spurts out or ejaculates. But the Muhajirs said: When a man has sexual intercourse (with the woman), a bath becomes obligatory (no matter whether or not there is seminal emission or ejaculation). Abu Musa said: Well, I satisfy you on this (issue). He (Abu Musa, the narrator) said: I got up (and went) to 'A'isha and sought her permission and it was granted, and I said to her: 0 Mother, or Mother of the Faithful, I want to ask you about a matter on which I feel shy. She said: Don't feel shy of asking me about a thing which you can ask your mother, who gave you birth, for I am too your mother. Upon this I said: What makes a bath obligatory for a person? She replied: You have come across one well informed! The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When anyone sits amidst four parts (of the woman) and the circumcised parts touch each other a bath becomes obligatory.

Original Arabic chain wording

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، - وَهَذَا حَدِيثُهُ - حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ، قَالَ - وَلاَ أَعْلَمُهُ إِلاَّ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، - عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ اخْتَلَفَ فِي ذَلِكَ رَهْطٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ الأَنْصَارِيُّونَ لاَ يَجِبُ الْغُسْلُ إِلاَّ مِنَ الدَّفْقِ أَوْ مِنَ الْمَاءِ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ بَلْ إِذَا خَالَطَ فَقَدْ وَجَبَ الْغُسْلُ ‏.‏ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى فَأَنَا أَشْفِيكُمْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ‏.‏ فَقُمْتُ فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَأُذِنَ لِي فَقُلْتُ لَهَا يَا أُمَّاهْ - أَوْ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكِ عَنْ شَىْءٍ وَإِنِّي أَسْتَحْيِيكِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ لاَ تَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ تَسْأَلَنِي عَمَّا كُنْتَ سَائِلاً عَنْهُ أُمَّكَ الَّتِي وَلَدَتْكَ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا أُمُّكَ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ فَمَا يُوجِبُ الْغُسْلَ قَالَتْ عَلَى الْخَبِيرِ سَقَطْتَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 3, Hadith 107
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 3, Hadith 684 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
In this hadith, Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary said that some of Al-Ansar and some of Muhajeroun discussed the matter of bathing after intercourse. The Ansar confirmed that it was only obligatory due to ejaculation while the Muhajeroun confirmed that it was obligatory after intercourse, whether or not, he ejaculated. Abu Musa promised to provide them with the right solution. He went to Aisha, the Mother of the believers, passionately addressed her by her nickname of maternity, and modestly asked her about her opinion. She answered, "Do not feel shy of asking me about something which you can ask your mother who gave you birth, for I am too your mother," for Allah said in the Quran, "The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their (believers’) mothers.” (Al-Ahzab: 6). When he asked her about what made bathing obligatory, she answered, "You have asked the well-informed one." She narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If he sits between her four limbs (the woman) and the circumcision touches the circumcision, bathing is obligatory." He means that if a man sits between his wife's hands and legs and his penis penetrates her vagina, bathing is obligatory for both, whether or not, he ejaculates, as in Sahih Muslim that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) added, "Even if he does not ejaculate.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies how the Companions are keen on discussing and learning to get the truth, (2) It shows their morals and appreciation of Aisha’s position and knowledge, for they were keen on learning from her, and (3) It confirms the obligation of bathing when a man's and woman's circumcisions touch..
Related hadiths5
Study chain and evidence →
Compare isnād across 5 related chains →