Question

Does regular vaginal discharge in the morning when you wake up require ghusl if you saw no wet dream? Does it have to be clear/white even if it can turn yellow on pad due to oxidation for it to not require ghusl? Can you simply assume its vaginal discharge rather than maniy or arousal? What if you did see a wet dream? l put a regular tissue type of pad on my underwear, does that have to have visible discharge or does the outwards most visible (when lips are closed) parts of my private parts (female) have to be wet? Can I just take a tissue, wipe once the most outwards area (nothing inside or in between) to check? What if I feel generally wet, nothing on tissue and wash my private area, can I assume the wetness I’m feeling or touching is generally wetness women have in between the labia minora? If a women generally has discharge on daily, some days very little, some days more, does she have to make ghusl if she sees its a lot (on the more days)? My habit is all over the place and I am confused.

Answer

If a woman does not remember seeing a wet dream, then vaginal discharge seen in the morning will not necessitate ghusl and will be considered regular vaginal discharge and not mani (ejaculate).

Coloured discharge that is classified as istihadah (abnormal vaginal bleeding), and not as menstruation or post-natal bleeding, will not necessitate ghusl, whether it is seen in the morning upon waking up where the woman does not remember seeing a wet dream, or it occurs at any time during the day while awake.

If a woman remembers seeing a wet dream and experiencing an orgasm in it, then she must perform ghusl even if she does not see any discharge upon waking up. This is because the ejaculate of a women is so little that often it cannot be detected, but experiencing an orgasm is evidence enough that ejaculation did take place, which is what necessitates ghusl. Note that this ruling was a minority opinion among the Hanafi fuqaha, the preponderant opinion being that she must see the ejaculate upon waking up in order for ghusl to become obligatory; however, is considered the more correct opinion now based on our contemporary understanding of female sexuality.

Any discharge that makes its way out of the vagina breaks wudu, so the labia majora and minora have to be opened to check for it. However, as mentioned in detail above, ghusl is only necessitated in case of ejaculation, of which an orgasm is sufficient indicator, and upon the end of menstruation and post-natal bleeding, and additionally because of the mere penetration of the penis head into the vagina.

المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (1/ 86)

المرأة إذا احتلمت، ولم تر بللاً روي عن محمد رحمه الله في غير رواية الأصول أنها إذا تذكرت الاحتلام والإنزال والتلذذ فعليها الغسل وإن لم تر بللاً، وبه أخذ بعض المشايخ، قال شمس الأئمة الحلواني رحمه الله: ولا يؤخذ بهذه الرواية؛ لأن النساء يقلن: إن مني المرأة يخرج من الداخل كمني الرجل

البناية شرح الهداية (1/ 671)
وعندنا لا يجب عليها الغسل إلا مرة واحدة لخروجها عن الحيض وهو قول عامة أهل العلم من الصحابة والتابعين ومن بعدهم

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 149)
فَكَمَا يَنْتَقِضُ بِمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ قَصَبَةِ الذَّكَرِ إلَيْهَا وَإِنْ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْهَا كَذَلِكَ بِمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ الْفَرْجِ الدَّاخِلِ إلَى الْفَرْجِ الْخَارِجِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ

Answered by:
Apa Myra Hamid

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel