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

Seventeen Occasions When Major Ablution is Called For

In this post I present an Authentic tradition that highlights when Major ablutions or purification [Ghusl] are required.  There are 17 occasions on which Ghusl is required.  In addition to reminding us about these mandatory times for ghusl, this tradition brings to light a few important dates in our calendars as well. 

            For example, after reading this tradition we would know when Jesus, peace be upon him, was raised to heavens, when Moses, peace be upon him, died, and when the two armies met.

            What is important to realize, after reading this tradition, is that the night when our destiny for the next upcoming year is written is different from the night of power [Laylatul Qadr].  In other words, we should not say that the night of power is when our destinies are written, because that may not necessarily be the case.  

Note: since this tradition is not from Al-Kafi, I checked the Tareeq of its sanad (chain) as well, and based on my research the tareeq of this tradition is authentic as well.

               

            May all of your prayers, fasts and good deeds be accepted and rewarded by Allah the Almighty in this blessed Month of Ramadhan.

Arabic Text:

محمد بن الحسن‏ [تعليق‏] بإسناده عن الحسين بن سعيد [ضمير] عن حماد عن حريز عن محمد بن مسلم عن أحدهما ع قال‏  الْغُسْلُ فِي سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ مَوْطِناً لَيْلَةِ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَ هِيَ لَيْلَةُ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ وَ لَيْلَةِ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ وَ فِيهَا يُكْتَبُ الْوَفْدُ وَفْدُ السَّنَةِ وَ لَيْلَةِ إِحْدَى وَ عِشْرِينَ وَ هِيَ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي أُصِيبَ فِيهَا أَوْصِيَاءُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع وَ فِيهَا رُفِعَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع وَ قُبِضَ مُوسَى ع وَ لَيْلَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ يُرْجَى فِيهَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ وَ يَوْمَيِ الْعِيدَيْنِ وَ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْحَرَمَيْنِ وَ يَوْمِ تُحْرِمُ وَ يَوْمِ الزِّيَارَةِ وَ يَوْمِ تَدْخُلُ الْبَيْتَ وَ يَوْمِ التَّرْوِيَةِ وَ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ وَ إِذَا غَسَّلْتَ مَيِّتاً أَوْ كَفَّنْتَهُ أَوْ مَسِسْتَهُ بَعْدَ مَا يَبْرُدُ وَ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ وَ غُسْلُ الْجَنَابَةِ فَرِيضَةٌ وَ غُسْلُ الْكُسُوفِ إِذَا احْتَرَقَ الْقُرْصُ كُلُّهُ فَاغْتَسِلْ

English Translation:

Narrated by him from Hammad from Huraiz from Mohamed Ibn Muslim from one of them (peace be upon them):

"Major ablutions [aghsal] are done in 17 occasions. On the night of 17th of Ramadhan, the eve of the meeting of the two groups, the night of 19th of Ramadhan in which a man’s destiny is recorded for the coming year, on the night of 21st of Ramadhan, the night on which the trustees of prophets were afflicted. On that night Jesus (pbuh) was ascended and on that night was the death of Moses (pbuh). The night of 23rd of Ramadhan, which is hoped to be the night of power [Laylatul Qadr]. On the days/periods of both eids, upon entering the two harams, on the eve of pilgrimage [Ihram], on the day of visitation [ziyara] and entering the [holy] House, on the day of Tarwiya, on the day of Arafa, and when you wash and shroud a corpse or touch it after it has grown cold, and on Fridays. Purification after sexual intercourse is obligatory. Major ablution is also required for the eclipse [of the sun], in the case of a total eclipse do ghusl."

Source:

Wasael ul-Shia, Volume 3, Page 307, Tradition #3718