gusholer foroz koyti?

Answer: The Obligatory (Fard) Acts of Ghusl in the Shāfi‘ī School

Question: “gusholer foroz koyti” (How many fard acts are there in ghusl?)

1. The Two Fard (Obligatory) Acts of Ghusl

In the Shāfi‘ī madhhab, ghusl (ritual bath) has two obligatory (fard) acts:

1. Intention (niyyah) – The intention to remove ritual impurity (janābah, ḥayḍ, nifās) or to perform the commanded ghusl must be made at the beginning of washing the body.

   • Evidence: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Actions are but by intentions…” (Bukhārī, Muslim).

2. Washing the entire body with water – Every external part of the body, including all skin and hair (even fine, non‑kinky hair), must be thoroughly wetted. This includes:

   • Washing the hair and scalp.
   • Washing the skin – no part, however small, may remain dry.
   • Removing any barrier that prevents water from reaching the skin (e.g., nail polish, wax, paint, or thick creams).
   • Evidence: Allāh says: “And if you are in a state of major impurity, then purify yourselves” (Qur’ān 5:6). The Prophet ﷺ said: “Under every hair there is janābah, so wash the hair and cleanse the skin” (Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī; declared ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī).

Note: The Shāfi‘īs do not consider rinsing the mouth (madmaḍah) or nose (istinshāq) as fard in ghusl; they are recommended sunnah (mustaḥabb). This is the stronger opinion (al-aẓhar) in the madhhab.

2. Conditions of the Fard Acts

• Intention must be present at the first moment water touches any part of the body.
• Water must reach every spot – If a person has a bandage or plaster that cannot be removed, they perform tayammum for that area after washing the rest (detailed rulings found in the books of fiqh).
• Removing heavy impurities (e.g., blood, semen) is not a fard of ghusl itself, but it is necessary that water touches the skin; if an impurity physically blocks water, it must be removed.

3. Shāfi‘ī References

• Imām al-Shāfi‘ī (al-Umm): “The fard of ghusl is to wash the entire body and the intention… as for rinsing the mouth and nose, it is not fard in ghusl.”
• Imām al-Nawawī (al-Majmū‘, Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn): “The fard acts of ghusl are two: intention and washing the entire body.”
• Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī (Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj): “The two fard acts are the intention and reaching water to all parts of the body.”
• Imām al-Ramlī (Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj): “It is fard in ghusl to wash the entire body, and intention, and to remove any barrier.”

Summary

| Fard Acts | Evidence |
|-----------|----------|
| 1. Intention | Ḥadīth: “Actions are by intentions” |
| 2. Washing the entire body without barriers | Qur’ān 5:6, Ḥadīth: “Under every hair… wash the hair and cleanse the skin” |

Answer to the question: In the Shāfi‘ī school, two fard acts are binding for ghusl: intention and thoroughly washing the whole body.