A List of Mandatory and Recommended Major Ablutions

Here’s a tradition which lists a number of mandatory [wajib] aghsal [plural of ghusl.] It also mentions a few recommended aghsal one of which is specifically named to be a sunna.  There is not many implicit points within this tradition that I would like to point to. Since many of the recommended aghsal should be done within the next few days, I decided to post this tradition as a reminder for all of us. 

For more recommended major ablutions [aghsal] you could click here.

If you do notice any interesting implicit or obscure points or teachings within this tradition, please let me know.

The following tradition is reliable.

Arabic Text:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ غُسْلِ الْجُمُعَةِ

فَقَالَ وَاجِبٌ فِي السَّفَرِ وَ الْحَضَرِ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ رُخِّصَ لِلنِّسَاءِ فِي السَّفَرِ لِقِلَّةِ الْمَاءِ وَ قَالَ غُسْلُ الْجَنَابَةِ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ الْحَائِضِ إِذَا طَهُرَتْ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ الْمُسْتَحَاضَةِ وَاجِبٌ إِذَا احْتَشَتْ بِالْكُرْسُفِ فَجَازَ الدَّمُ الْكُرْسُفَ فَعَلَيْهَا الْغُسْلُ لِكُلِّ صَلَاتَيْنِ وَ لِلْفَجْرِ غُسْلٌ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَجُزِ الدَّمُ الْكُرْسُفَ فَعَلَيْهَا الْغُسْلُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مَرَّةً وَ الْوُضُوءُ لِكُلِّ صَلَاةٍ وَ غُسْلُ النُّفَسَاءِ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ الْمَوْلُودِ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ الْمَيِّتِ وَاجِبٌ‏ وَ غُسْلُ الزِّيَارَةِ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ دُخُولِ الْبَيْتِ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ وَاجِبٌ وَ غُسْلُ أَوَّلِ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ يُسْتَحَبُّ وَ غُسْلُ لَيْلَةِ إِحْدَى وَ عِشْرِينَ وَ غُسْلُ لَيْلَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ سُنَّةٌ لَا تَتْرُكْهَا فَإِنَّهُ يُرْجَى فِي إِحْدَاهُنَ‏ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ وَ غُسْلُ يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ وَ غُسْلُ يَوْمِ الْأَضْحَى سُنَّةٌ لَا أُحِبُّ تَرْكَهَا وَ غُسْلُ الِاسْتِخَارَةِ يُسْتَحَبُ‏ الْعَمَلُ فِي غُسْلِ الثَّلَاثِ اللَّيَالِي مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ- لَيْلَةَ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ وَ إِحْدَى وَ عِشْرِينَ وَ ثَلَاثٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ.

English Translation:

Narrated by Mohamed Ibn Yahya from Ahmad Ibn Mohammad from Osman Ibn Eissa from Suma’a who said: 

I asked Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) regarding Ghusl on Friday. 
He (as) said, “It is mandatory [Wajib] in travel and in residence although women may be exempt during travel due to lack of water.”

He (as) said, “Ghusl after intercourse is mandatory [Wajib], and Ghusl for a menstruating woman after she becomes pure (stops menstruating) is mandatory [Wajib]. Washing for a woman who is menstruating is mandatory [Wajib] if she has inserted gossypium (Cotton cloth or pad) and the blood leaks from the gossypium; thus, upon her is to perform Ghusl. She must perform Ghusl between every two prayer times, and before dawn [prayers] there is Ghusl . If blood does not leak from the gossypium, upon her is to perform Ghusl once each day as well as the normal ablutions [Wudhu] before each prayer time.

Ghusl for a woman who has given birth is mandatory [Wajib]. The Ghusl of the newborn is mandatory [Wajib], the Ghusl of the deceased is mandatory [Wajib], Ghusl before visiting holy shrines is mandatory [Wajib] and Ghusl before entering the site of the Holy House (Mecca) is mandatory [Wajib].

Ghusl before performing rain prayers is mandatory [Wajib]. Ghusl on the first night of Ramadan is recommended [Mustahab], as is Ghusl on the 21^st night and on the 23d night (of Ramadan). This is Sunnah; do not neglect it for one of these nights is conceded to be the Night of Ordainment.

Ghusl should performed on the day of Breaking fast (Eid Al-Fitr) and on the day of sacrifice (Eid al-Adha). This is a Sunnah I do not like to neglect. (There is) Ghusl before Istikhara (guidance) prayers. Ghusl is a recommended act on three nights of Shahr Ramadan – the 19^th, the 21^st and the 23d.

Source

Al-Kafi, Volume 3, Page 40, Tradition #2